Internet, Networking, & Security 5G 366 366 people found this article helpful How to Get 4G or 3G on Your Laptop 4 ways to access high-speed wireless internet on your laptop by Melanie Uy Writer Former Lifewire writer Melanie Uy has 5+ years' experience writing about consumer-oriented technology and is an expert telecommuter. our editorial process Melanie Uy Updated on December 16, 2020 reviewed by Jessica Kormos Lifewire Tech Review Board Member Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others. our review board Article reviewed on Mar 29, 2020 Jessica Kormos Tweet Share Email The Wireless Connection The Wireless Connection Introduction All About Wireless What Does Wireless Really Mean? 802.11 Standards Explained The Range Of A Wireless Network Dual-Band Wireless Networking Explained How Bluetooth Works With Wireless Measure It: Wi-Fi Signal Strength What Is A Wi-Fi Hotspot? 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How To Connect At Home How to Name Your Wireless Network How to Change Your Wireless Router's Admin Password Change the Wi-Fi Channel Number to Avoid Interference Build a Wireless Home Network Use Wireless Speakers In Home Theater Connect Your Echo & Alexa To Wi-Fi Connect Google Home to Wi-Fi Wirelessly Connect An iPad To Your TV Use a Free Firewall Program How To Connect On The Go How to Find Free Wi-Fi Locations Get 4G or 3G on Your Laptop Connect To Wi-Fi in Your Car Get Wireless Internet Access in a Hotel Use Your Android As A Wi-Fi Hotspot Set Up Personal Hotspot On Your iPhone Connect Nintendo Switch To Bluetooth Headphones Connect To A Wireless Network With Windows Access Your Computer Remotely How to Troubleshoot Wireless Issues 7 Reasons Wi-Fi Connections Drop Disable Automatic Wireless Connections on Windows How to Hack-proof Your Wireless Router How to Fix OS X Bluetooth Wireless Problems What to Do When Google Home Won't Connect To Wi-Fi How to Hide Your Wireless Network Can't Connect To The Internet? Try This What to Do When There's No Internet Connection The Future of Wireless 5G Changes Everything How 4G And 5G Are Different Why 5G Really Is Faster All About 5G Cell Towers 5G Challenges: Why It Isn't Rolling Out Faster Is 5G The High-Speed Replacement for Cable? When 5G Is Coming to the US The 12 Best 5G Phones Coming in 2019 What to Know If you have a 3G or 4G card chipset installed in your laptop, all you need to do is sign up for mobile broadband service.Plug in an external 4G or 3G USB modem (laptop stick), or connect wirelessly to a mobile hotspot.Install a tethering app on your phone so that your laptop can share your phone's mobile data. This article explains how to get 4G or 3G internet access on any laptop regardless of the operating system. Built-In 4G or 3G Mobile Broadband Most of the latest laptops, netbooks, and tablets offer a mobile broadband option, where you can have a 3G or 4G card or chipset built into the laptop when you order it (for an additional cost). You'll have to sign up for mobile broadband service, but often you'll be able to select the wireless service provider. Pros: Convenience of having mobile wireless connectivity already set up as soon as you get your laptop (no need to install your own mobile broadband device); less obtrusive than a USB 3G or 4G laptop stick.Cons: Not transferable to other laptops or devices.Example: In the configuration options for the HP EliteBook 2540p ultraportable laptop, for example, there's a drop-down option for HP Mobile Broadband that will add the "universal mobile broadband module" to your laptop. The module works with Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T wireless data services. Busakorn Pongparnit / Getty Images 4G or 3G Laptop Stick If you don't already have a mobile broadband card built-in or want a separate device that you can use with more than one laptop, a 4G or 3G USB modem (a.k.a. laptop stick) is easy to install. It's plug-and-play like most USB sticks. You can buy the laptop stick and sign up for the mobile broadband plan directly from the wireless provider or retailers like Best Buy. Pros: Can be used on different devices (e.g., switched from one laptop to another). Some laptop sticks also function as USB thumb drives for portable storage and other useful purposes.Cons: Sticks out of your laptop's USB port; easy to misplace or lose.Example: The Virgin Mobile Ovation MC760 USB Modem taps into Virgin Mobile's 3G network, while FreedomPop's USB Modem offers free 4G wireless internet access over Sprint's network. 3G or 4G Mobile Hotspot Mobile hotspots can be either hardware devices like FreedomPop's Freedom Spot or a feature on your mobile device. You connect your laptop wirelessly to the 4G or 3G mobile hotspot, much as you would connect to a Wi-Fi network or Wi-Fi hotspot. As with the other options, you'll need to subscribe to a mobile data plan for your mobile hotspot device—or if you may need to pay an extra "hotspot" fee to use the built-in hotspot feature on your smartphone. One major advantage of a mobile hotspot, however, is that you can typically connect more than one device to it for shared mobile internet access. Pros: Usually can connect five or more mobile devices at once.Cons: Have to carry around a separate device (though mobile hotspots tend to be pretty thin and small, about the size and width of a credit card).Example: Most smartphones these days have a built-in mobile hotspot feature. The MiFi mobile hotspot made by Novatel is available on several wireless carriers. Learn about how to use your Android phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot to turn on Wi-Fi internet sharing. The 5 Best Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots of 2021 Cellphone Tethering Tethering is where you connect your cellphone to your laptop to use your cellphone's data service on the laptop. There are many tethering apps available to enable tethering via USB cable or Bluetooth, including the popular PdaNet app. Although many people have been able to get around additional tethering charges by jailbreaking their smartphones, most wireless providers are charging extra for the privilege of connecting your phone to your laptop. Pros: May be able to use the data plan you're already paying for on your cellphone without extra charges.Cons: Tethering can be slow and drain your phone's battery more quickly.Example: Learn how to use your cellphone as a modem for tethering instructions for the major US wireless carriers. Which option is best for you? Besides heading to a Wi-Fi hotspot or internet cafe for free internet access, tethering is the least expensive option for getting internet access on your laptop when you're not at home. If you have multiple devices or want to share a mobile broadband connection, a mobile hotspot makes the most sense. 3G or 4G laptop sticks are also convenient and easy to use. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit