How to Use a T-Mobile T9 Hotspot for Internet Access When Working or Studying Remotely

Davidson College T&I retains a small fleet of T-Mobile hotspots for use by faculty, staff, and students who need Internet access on the go. A hotspot can help you work or study on the road, at home, or in any place where traditional wired and wireless Internet options are unavailable or unreliable. Hotspot requests are evaluated on a case by case basis. To request a hotspot, email ti@davidson.edu.
  1. Power on the hotspot by pressing and holding the power button on the bottom of the device for at least 2 seconds.

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  2. The device will display a "Welcome" message before bringing you to the default screen.

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  3. From the main screen, you can find your Wi-Fi name and password by tapping the power button.

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  4. On your device, go to your wifi settings and connect to the network. Enter the password as shown.

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  5. You should now be connected to the internet on the T-Mobile cellular network.

  6. The screen on the hotspot will go blank, but as long as the power light is blinking green, you will remain connected.

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  7. To charge the device, connect the included micro USB cable to the charging port on the side of the hotspot. Plug the cable and charging brick into a wall outlet to begin charging.

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  8. To power off the device, hold the power button.

Other things you should know:

  • The speed and quality of your connection will vary according to T-Mobile's service at your location, just like a regular cellphone would. The quantity of WiFi bars on your device doesn't accurately represent the strength of your connection when hotspotting - just your distance from the hotspot itself.

  • These devices have unlimited data, but T-Mobile may "de-prioritize" your traffic if you use a lot of bandwidth. Streaming a lot of video content while using a hotspot could jeopardize your ability to work or study when you need the hotspot the most.
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