An Alexa-powered device is quite convenient to have at home. That said, for Alexa to access its features and operate properly, the device has to be connected to Wi-Fi.
Can Alexa work with a mobile hotspot, though?
If your Wi-Fi is being flakey, there’s no need to worry because Alexa can indeed work through a mobile hotspot connection. Read on to see how you can configure your phone for Alexa to work.
| Topic | Information | Steps or Details |
|---|---|---|
| Alexa with and without internet | Without Wi-Fi: Limited functions | Alarms, reminders, Bluetooth speakers |
| With Wi-Fi: Full functionality | Web search, local weather, voice commands, smart appliance control | |
| Connecting Alexa to a mobile hotspot | Works for Alexa devices with prior Wi-Fi setup | 1. Set up mobile hotspot SSID and password |
| 2. Press Action button on Alexa device until the orange ring appears | ||
| 3. Open Alexa app and follow prompts or select Devices | ||
| 4. Select Echo device and tap Update Wi-Fi | ||
| 5. Press Continue on setup screen | ||
| 6. Turn on mobile network and personal hotspot | ||
| 7. Select your hotspot ID from the Wi-Fi list or manually add a new network | ||
| 8. Wait for Alexa App to pair with your device | ||
| 9. Confirm successful connection | ||
| Required data speed for Alexa devices | Minimum internet speed: 512Kbps (0.5Mbps) | Sufficient for streaming music and audio |
| Mobile hotspot speed | 4G: Average speed of 10Mbps to 150Mbps | Adequate for Alexa device functionality |
| 5G: Average speed ranging from 50Mbps to 1Gbps | ||
| Factors affecting mobile data speed: Signal reception, user traffic | Alexa can perform a speed test to check internet speed |
Table of Contents
Alexa With and Without Internet
Without Wi-Fi, your Alexa smart device can only perform basic functions such as alarms, reminders, and Bluetooth speakers.
This is quite limited compared to what Alexa is designed to do.
With a stable connection, Alexa can search the web, check the local weather, follow voice commands, and operate smart appliances.
It’s especially crucial for Alexa to be connected if you live in a smart home.
If you’re having Wi-Fi issues at home, an alternative solution would be to connect Alexa to your mobile hotspot instead.
How to Connect Alexa With a Mobile Hotspot
There’s a host of Alexa-enabled devices out there, such as the smart speaker line (Echo, Echo Dot, and Tap) and smart display line (Echo Show). Nonetheless, the hotspot configuration for smart speakers is generally the same process for smart display devices.
Note: The following setup only works with Alexa devices that have a prior Wi-Fi setup.
Now, to get your Alexa smart device up and running, we’ll show you how to connect the device to your mobile hotspot in 10 easy steps:
- Check your phone’s Personal Hotspot setting first and set up your SSID (customized mobile hotspot ID) and password.
- Once you’ve finished setting up your Personal Hotspot, don’t turn on your hotspot connection just yet.
- Now, ensuring your smart speaker is already plugged in, press the Action button until an orange ring lights up. Alexa will say that it’s now in Setup Mode and will direct you to follow the instructions on your Alexa App.
- Next, open your phone’s Alexa app. Often, there will be a prompt that says your Alexa App has detected your device automatically. If it doesn’t, select Devices below your screen.
- Select your device named Echo (or Echo Dot) and check its Settings. Tap the Update Wi-Fi option.
- Next, a setup screen will show, so press Continue. The next screen will now show you a list of available Wi-Fi networks.
- Now, turn on your mobile network and personal hotspot so it can be detected on the list.
- When the name of your hotspot ID appears, select it, and your Alexa app will pair with it. It will take a while for it to finish pairing.
- If your hotspot ID doesn’t show up, manually set up your network by pressing Add New Network. Enter your hotspot ID and the password correctly, as this setup is case-sensitive. Now, press Done and wait for your Alexa App to pair with your device.
- Alexa App and your smart device will confirm that you have successfully connected to your hotspot connection.
Now, your Alexa device can start working with the power of your mobile data.
Required Data Speed for Alexa Devices
Read more: Can you connect Chromecast to Alexa?
When your home bandwidth speed is low, your Alexa gadget won’t be able to process your voice commands immediately. When you ask Alexa to stream audio, for instance, there will be delays and buffers because of this.
As such, Amazon requires at least 512Kbps (0.5Mbps) internet speed, which is enough to stream music and audio from Alexa-supported platforms.
What About Mobile Hotspot Speed?
A 4G data user can expect an average speed of 10Mbps up to 150Mbps. For 5G users, an average speed ranging from 50Mbps to 1Gbps can be expected. Both of which are more than enough for an Alexa device to function properly.
Do note that your mobile data speed is affected by factors such as signal reception and user traffic during certain hours.
You can always check your internet speed by commanding Alexa to do a speed test.
The Takeaway
Read more: Can Alexa set a timer for lights?
So, can Alexa work with a mobile hotspot? The answer is yes!
If your Wi-Fi network is acting up, there’s no need to worry. You can simply turn on your mobile hotspot, pair it with your Alexa-powered device, and you’re good to go without Wi-Fi.
By following the 10 easy steps listed above, your Alexa-enabled gadget will be at your service through a mobile hotspot connection.
