Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 inch Tablet

aokaok Posts: 140
Forum Member
I am considering buying a Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 inch Tablet with 3G. I appreciate that my question may seem a little naive but I'm not too hot on all this modern technology.

My question is: If I also purchase a mobile wifi unit such as Huawei E586 broadband hotspot or similar to go with my Samsung Tablet, do I have to have a sim card installed and if so why is this. What I don't understand is if I set my mobile wifi up shouldn't it just find the nearest wifi hotspot closest to wherever I am at the time and connect my tablet to the internet through the mobile wifi unit.

Hoping someone can explain this to me in words I can understand.

Many thanks in advance

biggles100

Comments

  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
    Forum Member
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    If you only want to use the mifi device to connect to public wifi spots and you don't want to pay for data than I can't see the point in buying it. You can connect the galaxy tab directly to public wifi hotspots, you don't need another device. It's a waste of money IMO. Also if you don't intend to put a SIM card in your tablet then there is no need to get the 3G version. You can get the cheaper wifi version and connect it directly to public wifi hotspots.

    Buying both a 3G tablet and a mifi device (Huwawei) wouldn't make sense even if you were planing on inserting a data sim into either or both devices.

    You have a few options here:


    1) Buy the 3G version of the galaxy tab, insert a data sim and top up as required. You can also use public wifi hotspots and it wouldn't come out of your data allowence

    2) Buy the wifi only version of the galaxy tab and a mifi dongle. Put a data sim into the mifi dongle and top up as required. Again you can use free public wifi hotspots either through connecting you tablet directly or via the dongle. Again it wouldn't come out of your data allowence. If you have any other devices, ie other tablets, laptops you can also connect these to the mifi dongle simultaneously.

    3) Buy the wifi only version of the galaxy tab and connect directly to free public wifi hotspots.

    4) Buy the wifi only version of the galaxy tab and tether it to your smart phone if your service provider allows tethering. In that way it would come out of your smartphone data allowence. You can still connect your tablet directly to public wifi hotspots and it wouldn't come out of your data allowence.

    Option 4 is what I do with my galaxy tab. I can also tether multiple devices to my phone simultaneously.
  • aokaok Posts: 140
    Forum Member
    So am I correct in assuming then that the need for mifi, is only to connect a device to the internet when that device doesn't have 3G built into it and the connection is then made via a mobile phone signal, i.e. not via a wifi hotspot? Because the said device does not have 3G to pick up the mobile signal and the mifi gives it this availability.

    Otherwise I don't understand why the need for mifi, because surely any device with wifi will pick up any wifi hotspot wherever the device is, this is not dependant on a mobile wifi gadget.

    What does tethering mean and how is it done?

    Plus I still don't understand the need for a sim card when using mifi.

    Sorry if I'm being somewhat vague here, but I do so need to understand all of this before making a purchase.
  • Anika HansonAnika Hanson Posts: 15,629
    Forum Member
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    aok wrote: »
    So am I correct in assuming then that the need for mifi, is only to connect a device to the internet when that device doesn't have 3G built into it and the connection is then made via a mobile phone signal, i.e. not via a wifi hotspot? Because the said device does not have 3G to pick up the mobile signal and the mifi gives it this availability.

    Otherwise I don't understand why the need for mifi, because surely any device with wifi will pick up any wifi hotspot wherever the device is, this is not dependant on a mobile wifi gadget.


    What does tethering mean and how is it done?

    Plus I still don't understand the need for a sim card when using mifi.

    Sorry if I'm being somewhat vague here, but I do so need to understand all of this before making a purchase.


    Yes this is all essentially correct. You need a data sim for the mifi, because although it is capable of generating a mobile hotspot using a mobile data connection, it still needs that mobile data. You could think of it like a mobile phone. A mobile phone is capable of picking up a signal and making and receiving calls, yet without a SIM card it can't pick up a signal. I think another forum member could explain it better.

    Tethering is a bit like using a mifi dongle. The phone uses mobile data and is able to generate a wifi hotspot to which you can connect other devices to. So it works in a similar way to the mifi dongle. It's quite easy to do. You would need to go into the settings on your mobile phone and then enable a portable hotspot and then you can connect devices to it via wifi or even bluetooth or USB. You can set a password so that you can control what devices can connect to it. If you leave it open when you are out and about or even at home anybody can connect to it, use your data allowence and perhaps do unscrupulous things in your name! As I said its quite easy to do. Most modern smart phones can do it. You would need up check that your service provider/ tariff allows it as some don't.
  • aokaok Posts: 140
    Forum Member
    Yes, I think I understand it now.

    Many thanks for taking the time to explain it all, it is much appreciated.
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