Comment on I hate Samsung and their dumb software design choices, and this is one of them. Why do I need a SIM card to enable a hotspot whereas every other phone works without one?

Squizzy@lemmy.world ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• JasonDJ@lemmy.zip ⁨5⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  Some phones essentially function as wifi repeaters if wifi is connected and mobile hotspot is enabled.

  Not all phones can do this.

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  • zymagoras777@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    It’s a bit overkill to use phone as a repeater, isn’t it?

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    • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Comes in clutch sometimes. Like when a device doesn’t support captive portals (i.e. in a hotel), or your work laptop has trouble with them (as some work VPNs do).

      Then you can just log in from your cell phone, and then share that. The phone uses WPA2-Personal, which nearly everything supports.

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      • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Ok, I see how it could be useful in some edge cases. Hadn’t thought of those. Well done.

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  • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    But if the phone gets wifi… then why doesn’t the other gadget?

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    • Aabbcc@lemm.ee ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      You can set a phone down and walk away

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      • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Preposterous. When’s the last time you saw anyone do that?

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    • B0rax@feddit.org ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Have you literally not heard of WiFi repeaters? It is a whole device category.

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      • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        I’m not sure that a phone can repeat wifi beyond a few metres. There’s a reason that there’s some dedicated hardware for this.

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