Sadly, it's not that simple. It's certainly possible to get a good connection through 4G, but for most of us it isn't necessarily a practical, long-term replacement for fixed-line broadband just yet.
For most people, 4G mobile internet will be a bit faster than a home Wi-Fi network. 5G will be much faster than most current Wi-Fi networks.
The problems of working over 4g
Both are perfectly adequate for web browsing and email. The ping time of 37ms also seems reasonable and the packet loss is 0%. However, the jitter of 50ms is a problem, particularly for Voice-over-IP (VOIP) calls and web meetings.
Yes, Android now allows you to configure selected apps to use only cellular data, even if your device has a wi-fi connection. Under Setting, Connections, Data Usage, there is a feature called Mobile Data Only Apps. Turn this on and pick those apps which you want to use cellular data only.
While WiFi lets you connect to the internet via your router, cellular data lets you connect to the internet via your cell phone signal. So, if you are not at home near your router to use your home network and if you are not connecting to public WiFi, it's likely that you would use your cellular internet.
Yes, if you've got unlimited data included in your plan you can use your phone as a personal hotspot. It's called 'tethering' and it means you can connect other devices to your phone and use the phone plan data to get online.
4G speeds can easily exceed 100Mbs and 5G can go even faster so connection speed will not be the problem. You will need to keep an eye on your data usage though as Netflix can quickly chew through your data allowance.
Pros of 4G over home broadband
Speeds can be pretty fast, sometimes faster than ADSL home broadband connections. A mobile broadband device is portable, so you can take it wherever you take your laptop or tablet.
How much data do I need for remote work? Depending on your usual activities, you generally need between 8GB and 10GB of mobile data to work remotely. If you're often on Zoom calls, you may need more; if you typically only use your email or messaging systems, you might need less.
While 4G mobile broadband can be faster than NBN connections, this varies significantly. Your 4G speeds depend heavily on your telco, their coverage, your location, and your device. So while some 4G peak speeds might be 100Mbps to 300Mbps, you might be experiencing peak speeds of just 30Mbps, for instance.
Enabling WiFi on a mobile device means you've set that device to look for an existing network and allow you access if it's an open hotspot or if you know the password to a private network. As a rule, WiFi provided by anything other than another mobile device is faster than 4G.
Using cellular data for home internet as hotspot wifi can work in a pinch, like when you're moving or traveling. It can also be a solution for some really low data use. But a better long-term option is combining your hotspot with a home internet plan from a cell phone provider or a plan without a phone line.
Recommended Internet Speed
You'll need at least 4-8 Mbps of Internet speed to watch pre-recorded shows and movies, and 10 Mbps or more to stream live TV. 4K streaming requires speeds around 20 Mbps per user. So if three people in your home are streaming 4K video, you'll want a minimum Internet connection of 60 Mbps.
The average household consumes 586.7 GB of broadband data per month. 551.4 GB is used on downstream data on average, while 35.3 GB is used on upstream data.
If there is not a dedicated internet connection available, streaming can be achieved over a shared network, Wi-Fi, or 4G.
Modern 4G LTE networks can exceed 5 Mbps upload speeds. That's enough bandwidth for streaming live in HD, but not at true broadcast quality. 5G networks, on the other hand, will reach speeds of up to 1 Gbps for download.
Is 4G home wireless any good? The short answer is yes, 4G wireless broadband is pretty good for your everyday home internet needs, but with some caveats. The problem is that, at the time of writing at least, no provider offers unlimited data on 4G home wireless plans. And man, we were used to unlimited data at home!
Place your wireless router in a central location.
Let it cover the surrounding signal as evenly as possible so that the signal can be maximized. If your wireless router is against an outside wall of your home, the signal will be weak on the other side of your home.
To download using your mobile network instead of Wi-Fi: From the "Waiting for Wi-Fi" message, select Download Settings or Download Now. If prompted to Always allow downloads over cellular on an Android device, select Allow.
How much data does Netflix use for streaming? According to Netflix, you use 1 GB of data per hour when you stream a standard definition (SD) video. High definition (HD) videos, on the other hand, use 3 GB per hour. And 4K Ultra HD streams use up to 7 GB per hour of video.
On LTE phones it will dramatically increase connect speeds.As others have said, when both WiFi and 3G are simultaneously connected, only WiFi will work. It will only used one of them, which one is the used first or selected.
Transferring mobile data through a cellular network is much safer than using a public WiFi network. As mentioned, most of the time public hotspots aren't protected. Private WiFi networks, on the other hand, can be just as secure as cellular networks. Though, in some cases, they're still less reliable.
A Wi-Fi connection lets you connect to the Internet without using any cellular data at all. While connected to Wi-Fi, you can also download videos, TV shows, or movies to your phone or SD card to watch anytime at your convenience, with no data required.
A modem is a box that connects your home network to your internet service provider, or ISP. A router is a box that lets all of your wired and wireless devices use that internet connection at once and allows them to talk to one another directly.