Have an old Android phone sitting around? Use it to boost your home Wi-Fi

Before you throw away (or recycle) that old Android phone, you may be able to make use of it as a Wi-Fi extender for your home network. Android phones can connect to your home Wi-Fi network and then rebroadcast that signal as a hotspot. In effect, the phone acts as a simple Wi-Fi repeater, helping push coverage into rooms where your router struggles to reach.

The setup is surprisingly simple. First, connect the old phone to your home Wi-Fi network. Then open the phone’s settings and look for a feature called Mobile Hotspot, Personal Hotspot, or Hotspot and Tethering—typically these can be found under Internet or Network menus. Turn it on and create a network name and password. Once enabled, the phone will broadcast a new Wi-Fi network that other devices can connect to.

Be aware that placement matters. It’s best to put the phone somewhere between your router and the area with weak coverage. It needs a strong enough signal from the router before it can pass that signal along to other devices. You should also plan to keep it plugged into a charger too, since running a hotspot full-time can drain the battery quickly, especially in older phones.

There are a few limitations to this trick though. A phone-based extender won’t make your internet faster, and it won’t perform as well as a dedicated mesh system or commercial Wi-Fi repeater. What it can do is help eliminate dead zones and get a usable connection into a spare bedroom, basement, garage, or backyard office.

For a device that might otherwise collect dust, that’s a pretty useful second life. Instead of spending money on new networking gear, try putting that old Android phone back to work.

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