Temporary Wi-Fi when moving house? Mobile broadband gets you connected

How can I get temporary Wi-Fi for my home?

If you’ve just moved home, those tricky weeks without home Wi-Fi can be hard to get through.

But they don’t have to be. Below, we’ll show you all the things you can use to get temporary Wi-Fi. We’re talking dongles, tethering, short term mobile broadband plans, routers, and MiFi mobile broadband devices…

Dongles

Dongles are like small USB sticks that plug into your laptop when you’re on the go. The dongle is able to connect to the internet using a mobile signal, meaning you don’t need Wi-Fi at all.

Tethering and data SIM cards

With tethering, you can use your mobile device’s internet connection to provide internet access to another device.

As long as you have a decent data allowance (we’d say at least 5GB to support a laptop) then you’re ready to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot. That means you can connect to your smartphone's internet just like you would your home Wi-Fi.

If you don’t think you’ve got enough data on your phone plan for tethering, you can invest in a data SIM card. It’s specifically designed for providing mobile data in devices like tablets, portable hotspots, or modems. For temporary home Wi-Fi, simply insert a data SIM card into a compatible device, set up a personal hotspot, and connect your other devices to it for internet access.

Short term mobile broadband plan

A short-term mobile broadband plan is a great option for getting temporary Wi-Fi in your home, without using a fixed-line connection. You'll need a mobile broadband device like a dongle or portable hotspot, which receives data signals from a mobile network to create a Wi-Fi network in your home. You can then connect devices like smartphones, laptops, and tablets. The exact method varies, so refer to the manufacturer’s instructions if you’re unsure.

Routers

You can hire a short-term internet router kit to use temporarily while you wait for your home Wi-Fi to be installed. These temporary routers are easy to set up, and don’t even need a landline. Simply switch it on, connect your compatible tech through the Wi-Fi connection, and you’re good to go.

MiFi - mobile broadband devices

A MiFi mobile broadband device is a portable wireless router. It acts like your personal hotspot, and creates a local Wi-Fi network that multiple devices can connect to. To use it for temporary internet, simply insert a SIM card, wait for it to establish a mobile connection and generate a Wi-Fi network, and connect your compatible tech and gadgets like smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Just make sure they’re all in range!

Mobile broadband or tethering from my smartphone

If you’ve only got one device that needs to be online – say your laptop – tethering from your smartphone may be a quick and easy option.

And if you want blazing-fast speeds on your laptop, and you have a newer smartphone with a 5G connection, you can connect your laptop to your smartphone’s 5G network. Don’t worry if you’re not on 5G yet – 4G is still a great way to get online.

If it’s just you, the EE 4GEE Mini Mobile WiFi is perfect. You’ve got 30GB ready to go, and you have up to 3 months to use it – so you’re completely covered until your home broadband is up and running.

Temporary Wi-Fi FAQs

Can you get temporary Internet for a week?

A lot of Wi-Fi providers offer flexible plans with various durations, typically ranging from a week to a few months. You should be able to find these plan lengths from major mobile operators like EE, Vodafone, O2, and Three.

Does portable Wi-Fi work anywhere?

Well, we wouldn’t go as far as saying anywhere. But if you’re using portable Wi-Fi, it should be capable of creating a local network wherever there’s mobile coverage from the network it’s using. Then you can connect any of your compatible devices that are in range.

Does temporary Wi-Fi have good speeds?

The speeds for temporary home Wi-Fi can vary based on things like your location, the device you’re using, and the Wi-Fi provider's network strength. Speak to your provider for more information.

How much data do I need?

Not sure if you’d have enough data for streaming hours of TV? As a rough guide, Netflix requires 1GB of data per hour that you watch. You can easily check how much data you’ll need to see if your current smartphone plan will work as a hotspot, or if you should get mobile broadband.

Will I still use mobile Wi-Fi when my router’s up and running?

When your home Wi-Fi router is up and running, you should set up your devices to automatically connect to it rather than using mobile Wi-Fi. This is because your stronger and more stable home Wi-Fi network when will be faster and more efficient.

However, you can still use the tips you’ve picked up in this article to do things like tethering and using dongles if you ever need emergency internet at home, or when you’re out and about.

Need any more help?

If you need more help getting everything connected, pop in-store and chat to one of our colleagues. They’re always happy to help.