LTE USB Adapter Recommendations?

[Caldezar]

Does anyone use an LTE USB adapter/portable hotspot for mobile internet by chance? I know hotspotting/tethering to a phone has kind of killed this market, but I'm frequently in positions where I'm on meetings/calls from my phone while I'm mobile, and would like to have a separate form of connecting my laptop that isn't hotspotting to my phone. I'm looking at options online and they're a bit slim picking. Wondering if anyone has experience with these and if there's any recommendations?

*EDIT* I'm fine with a mobile router/hotspot (I like the idea of allowing multiple people to connect over WiFi), but it needs to allow for LTE service to go on our data plan. It also need to have either a battery or be chargeable via USB. I can't pull out a full router setup with wall plug while I'm at a coffee shop or restaurant, and I certainly don't want to pack something like that around.

 

[CMetaphor]

I had a Netgear portable hot-spot ages ago before LTE was commonplace. Worked pretty well and had a few nice bonus features: SD card slot that any device connecting to the hot-spot could access, text messaging to LTE sim stored on the web interface, etc.

Current equivalent would be the netgear nighthawk series. Very expensive sadly, so check eBay.

 

[Izerous]

Telus 5G/LTE routers and similar hardware are the closest things I can think of. Most of them are 12V or whatever though so while they come with wall plugs nothing is really stopping you from simply cutting the plug end off and hooking it up to a power tool battery etc. My RetroPi + USB powered screen 6AH dewalt battery + 2 usb cables worked wonders.

 

[JD]

Are you on Android or iOS? I don't know if it still works as I haven't tried in ages, but I had a GL.iNET travel router and would plug in the iPhone via USB and it would act as a USB modem. Uncertain if Windows would support that, maybe it was a OpenWRT thing.

There's laptops that come with built-in WWAN cards too, you might be able to add it as well if there's an extra slot and a SIM slot. I think a lot of Lenovo's ship that way.

I think all the carrier mobile hotspots are WiFi based now, maybe you'll find one with an Ethernet port still, but then your laptop may not have Ethernet either...

 

[Caldezar]

I'm Android. Although that might be something worth messing with. I'm thinking about my next laptop having a Sim slot, but that won't be for a while.

The Nighthawk M1 is pretty much perfect for my needs. But $500-700 is insane. I'll scour the used market.

Although I applaud the enginuity, I dont think hauling a Ryobi battery pack Jimmy-rigged to an LTE router out in the middle of a restaurant with clients or staff is the best look.

 

[JD]

Checked my Pixel, still an option for USB Tethering there. Seems to work fine on Windows.

So if the need/want is a separate device with a separate SIM, I think buying a cheap phone (or if you can get one free with the plan) is an alternative to buying one of those hotspot devices.

If you wanted to, you could probably swap to an AOSP type ROM that's stripped down too.

 

[Caldezar]

Found someone local selling a Nighthawk M1. Got him down to $125, which is far closer to where I'd want to be on this. Going to take a chance and snag it. Hopefully it's all in working order.

 

[sswilson]

I know you don't really want to hotspot/tether, but have you checked out windows new(ish) phone link? That will tether to your phone automatically (chrome OS also does this).

Not sure if your desire to avoid tethering is because of the extra steps involved? If so, phone link pretty much makes it seamless.

 

[Caldezar]

Avoiding tethering is mostly because I'm often taking VoIP/Teams calls from my phone while mobile. When I tether the phone, it causes issues with the call quality and sometimes flat out disconnects the call. I need to have a completely independent internet source for a laptop while simultaneously being able to communicated using the cell connection.

The second reason is because I'd like to have a hotspot that multiple people can connect to while out at a coffee shop with clients or staff. We all work from home offices, but gather at coffee shops or restaurants for meetings or work. I'd rather have a universal source for internet so the data used comes from my plan, not theirs.