Hi Mary Ellen! That’s a tough situation. Normally, I’d suggest saving money by simply moving your Wi-Fi router closer to your Roku. But since we’re dealing with a weak Wi-Fi signal that’s shared, I’m guessing that moving the router closer to your condo isn’t an option (although it doesn’t hurt to ask, right?).

All that said, I actually do have a few of suggestions that might help you squeeze a bit more bandwidth out of your weak Wi-Fi signal, starting with…

Try a Wi-Fi Extender

As long as your condo’s shared Wi-Fi router isn’t too far away, a wireless extender may do the trick. A Wi-Fi extender piggybacks onto to an existing Wi-Fi access point to create its own local network, which essentially extending the range of the original network.

A Wi-Fi extender piggybacks onto to an existing Wi-Fi access point to create its own local network.

Setting up a Wi-Fi extender is easy. All you need to do is power it up, then use the extender’s configuration utility to choose a nearby Wi-Fi signal to extend. If the router you’re trying to extend is locked, you’ll need its password. You can then give the extender its own SSID (the name the extender uses to identify itself when you’re searching for Wi-Fi signals) and connect your Roku and other devices to the extender rather than your condo’s Wi-Fi router. You could also just keep the same SSID as the shared router, but doing so would make it tough to tell whether your devices are connected to the extender or the (weaker) shared signal.

While Wi-Fi extenders are easy to use, they’re not necessarily cheap. The one I use in my Brooklyn apartment goes for about $100, and the cheapest extender recommended by The Wirecutter costs about $65.

The other issue is performance. If your condo’s shared Wi-Fi router is too far away or if there’s too many other competing Wi-Fi signals nearby (which I’m guessing is the case, given that you live in a condo), an extender may not be able to connect to the shared router—or, even if it can, the boosted signal might not be strong enough for smooth streaming video.

Unfortunately, the only way to find out if a Wi-Fi extender will work in your particular situation is to try one, so you might want to make sure you’re protected by a 30-day return policy before you break out your credit card.

Note: If you do decide to go for a Wi-Fi extender, you should do your best to ensure that the extender uses one frequency band to connect to the main Wi-Fi router and another for connecting to other Wi-Fi devices, like your Roku. Most Wi-Fi extenders these days are dual-band, giving you the choice or either the speedy but short-range 5 Ghz band, or the longer-range but slower 2.4 Ghz band. If your extender uses the same frequency band for connecting both to your condo’s shared Wi-Fi and connecting to your Roku, you’ll degrade wireless performance for everyone on the network, not just you. If all that sounds complicated, well, it is; luckily, Wirecutter has tips (scroll down to the paragraph that begins “The main problem with…”) on the best way to configure your extender.

Use an Ethernet cable

If your shared Wi-Fi router is too far away for a Wi-Fi extender to work, you could try another option: a direct wired connection.

You can always just connect your Roku (or Apple TV, pictured here) to a router directly via Ethernet.

Simply put, you could connect an Ethernet cable to one of the Ethernet ports on the shared Wi-Fi router and then string the cable all the way to your condo. You could then connect the cable directly to your Roku—or, even better, connect it to your own Wi-Fi router, thus creating your own local Wi-Fi network.

The upside of using an wired Ethernet cable is that you won’t have to worry about signal loss between the shared Wi-Fi router and your condo. (There’s always a little signal loss whenever you’re dealing with a lengthy Ethernet cable, but it’s minuscule compared to how much Wi-Fi signals degrade over a comparable distance.)

The downside, of course, is convincing your building manager to let you string Ethernet cable from the shared Wi-Fi router to your unit, plus the hassle of actually running the cable.

Try a powerline networking kit

If dealing with all that Ethernet cable sounds daunting, here’s an idea that might sound more tempting: using the existing electrical wiring in your building to extend your condo’s Wi-Fi signal. A “powerline” networking kit generally comes with a pair of small adapters, each with their own Ethernet ports. You connect one adapter to the main Wi-Fi router via an Ethernet cable (a short cable this time), then plug the adapter itself into a nearby power outlet. Next, you take the second adapter, plug it into another power outlet in a different room (or a different unit, in this case), connect it via Ethernet to your Roku, another Wi-Fi router or any Ethernet-enabled device, and voilà—you’re connected.

Powerline adapters let you set up data networks using standard electrical outlets, but you’ll pay a price in terms of performance. (Image credit: Zytel)

Powerline networking kits are generally a bit cheaper than Wi-Fi extenders (Wirecutter’s top pick is only about $85), and since you only need to plug them into exiting power outlets, there’s no need to string Ethernet cable.

Again, though, you’ll need to check with your building manager to see if they’ll let you connect a powerline adapter to the condo’s shared Wi-Fi router. Also, as with Wi-Fi extenders, powerline data performance will suffer the further the two adapters are from each other.

Other factors that might slow a powerline network’s performance to a crawl include whether the powerline network would need to jump from one electrical circuit to another (probably yes, since the condo’s shared Wi-Fi router isn’t located in your unit), as well as how many other electrical appliances are plugged into those circuits (a lot, I’m guessing).

Downshift your Netflix bandwidth usage

OK, so let’s say the Wi-Fi extender didn’t work, powerline isn’t an option, and you struck out with the super when you asked about Ethernet. Now what?

Change your Netflix bandwidth settings could help smooth out video playback over a weak Wi-Fi signal.

Well, if you use your Roku to watch Netflix videos, there’s another option: lower the amount of bandwidth Netflix needs for streaming. Doing so might let you stream Netflix movies and TV shows over a weak Wi-Fi signal without buffering, although you’ll sacrifice video quality—potentially a lot of video quality—in the process.

Just log in to your Netflix account on a desktop Web browser, hover your mouse over your profile name in the top-right corner of the page, click Your Account in the menu that appears, then click “Playback settings” under the My Profile heading.

Next, pick a setting. Try “Medium” first to see if that plays smoothly; if not, downshift to “Low.” (These playback settings will transfer over to the Netflix app on Roku, by the way.) You might have to settle for VHS-level video quality, but at least the picture won’t freeze every few seconds.

Use (or rather, don’t use) your Android or iOS device as a wireless hotspot 

So, what about tethering your Roku to your hotspot-enabled Android or iOS device—would that work? Perhaps, but unless you’re fine with massive overage charges on your wireless bill, I’d advise against it.

Why? Because streaming video over a cellular data connection could easily blow through your monthly mobile data allowance in a matter of hours, particularly if you’re watching HD-quality video. Even if you’re lucking enough to have an unlimited 4G data plan, your unlimited data usually doesn’t extend to using your phone as a hotspot.

Hope this helps, Mary Ellen, and good luck!

Anyone else have suggestions with how to deal with weak wi-fi signals in shared spaces? If so, post ’em below in the comments.

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Hi Dave! Yep, you sure can. Indeed, it only takes a few taps to turn your iPhone—or your Android phone, for that matter—into (essentially) a portable (or “personal”) Wi-Fi hotspot that piggybacks onto your cellular 3G or 4G data connection.

Now, most of the big carriers will let you turn your iPhone or Android phone into a mobile hotspot without paying anything extra.

If, for example, you have a “capped” mobile data plan, the mobile hotspot data you use will (typically, anyway) be deducted from your usual monthly data allowance.

But if you’re lucky enough to have an unlimited 3G or 4G data plan, your carrier probably will demand an extra fee—or, at the very least, put a limit on any mobile hotspot use.

In either case, make sure to call your carrier for their mobile hotspot policy and fees, if any.

Oh, and another thing: Be very careful when connecting (or “tethering”) your MacBook or Windows laptop to your iPhone’s or Android phone’s mobile hotspot.

Why? Because laptops will often try to download big system update files to their hard drives without asking you first—and before you know it, you’ll have burned through your monthly mobile data allowance.

You should also be mindful of other data hogs such as streaming-video sites (like Netflix and YouTube), programs that sync files and folders automatically (like Dropbox and Google Drive), and desktop email clients (like Outlook and the Mac’s Mail app) that download large file attachments.

OK then … ready to connect? Here’s how.

Tap “Set up Wi-Fi hotspot” to check the name and password for your Android phone’s mobile hotspot.

For Android:

• Tap Settings, then tap “More…” under Data Usage. (Note: The following steps may vary depending on the make and model of your Android phone. I tested this tip with a Motorola G running on Android version 4.4.3.)
• Tap “Tethering & portable Wi-Fi hotspot,” then tap “Set up Wi-Fi hotspot.”
• You’ll see the default name of your portable hotspot in the “Network SSID” field. Want to change it? Go right ahead, and feel free to name it anything you want.
• Next, tap the “Show password” checkbox to see the default hotspot password—and yes, you can change it, but try to pick a strong password.
• Once you’ve made note of the hotspot name and password, tap the “Save” button.
• Tap the “Portable Wi-Fi hotspot” checkbox to turn it on.
• Now, go to your laptop or other Wi-Fi-enabled device, and check its Wi-Fi settings; you should see your Android phone’s hotspot name in the list of available networks. Go ahead and connect. That’s it!

Your iPhone’s hotspot name is the same as the overall “name” of your phone.

For iPhone:

• Tap Settings, Personal Hotspot. Don’t see the Personal Hotspot setting? Then try tapping Cellular instead, and look for the Personal Hotspot setting there. Still don’t see it? Then contact your wireless carrier for help.
• Next, make note of the password listed in the “Wi-Fi Password” field. Want to change the password? Just tap it to pick a new one; again, though, make sure to pick a strong password.
• Your iPhone’s hotspot name is the same as the overall “name” of your phone. Tap Settings, General, About to check (or change) your iPhone’s name.
• Tap the switch next to Personal Hotspot near the top of the screen to turn it on.
• Go to your laptop or other Wi-Fi-enabled device, open its Wi-Fi settings, then select your iPhone’s hotspot name in the list of available networks.

Bonus tip

Can’t find your mobile hotspot name in the list of available Wi-Fi networks? One possibility is that its signal is being crowded out by other nearby Wi-Fi networks (which happens to me all the time in New York). Try turning your mobile hotspot setting off and on again; sometimes, that’ll do the trick.

If all else fails, you can also try tethering your laptop to your iPhone or Android phone using your handset’s USB sync cable.

Click here for more mobile hotspot tips!

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Now, you may already know that watching Netflix or YouTube videos in your browser is an easy way to drain your wireless data allowance in no time flat.

What you may not know, though, is that some of the most innocuous-looking apps on your laptop could be siphoning off dozens or even hundreds of precious megabytes in a single shot—and if your monthly wireless plan only includes a handful of mobile gigabytes, you might be getting a data usage alert from your carrier sooner than you’d think.

Read on for five things on your laptop that’ll take a bite out of your monthly data plan, starting with…

1. Streaming video

Sure, it’s well known that streaming the “Godfather” trilogy on Netflix will quickly drain your monthly wireless data allowance, but it’s worth repeating for newcomers to the heady world of personal Wi-Fi hotspots.

Indeed, watching just an hour of an HD movie on Netflix can tear through more than 2 GB of data—nothing to sneeze at, especially if your monthly data plan only calls for 5 GB or so.

My advice: Keep the streaming video to a bare minimum when you’re using your laptop with a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.

If watching movies or TV shows on Netflix is a must, downshift your “video quality” settings from “Best” to “Good”; here’s how.

2. iTunes downloads

Apple’s ever-popular music application gets its own special mention here. Why, you ask? Because iTunes is one of the stealthiest bandwidth bandits on your desktop.

Careful! iTunes has a nasty habit of downloading previous purchases quietly in the background.

In particular, iTunes has a nasty habit of quietly downloading purchases you made on other Apple devices; for example, iTunes on my MacBook Air is continually trying to download a pair of big HD movies I bought on my Apple TV last year.

Now, there is a setting that’s supposed to prevent iTunes from checking for available downloads from the iTunes Store (Preferences, Store tab, uncheck the “Always check for available downloads” option, then disable Automatic Downloads), but in my experience, iTunes keeps looking for movie downloads even when I’ve told it not to.

You can tell is iTunes is trying to download something if there’s a little blue progress bar under the Downloads button in the top-right corner of the main iTunes interface—and if you click the button, there’s a Pause All button sitting in the bottom corner of the Downloads pop-up window.

Oh, and another thing. Are you a podcast subscriber? If, so beware of podcasts that are scheduled to be downloaded automatically. You can check your download settings by selecting a podcast in iTunes and clicking the little gear icon to the right of its name.

My advice? Save yourself the trouble and quit iTunes whenever you’re using a personal Wi-Fi hotspot with your laptop. Need your music while you’re working? Consider playing your tracks on your phone instead.

3. Your email client

Sending and receiving a few email messages here and there over your portable hotspot won’t put much of a dent in your monthly data allowance.

Over time, though, all those little messages will add up, and if you’re downloading a large batch of email at once—or if some of those messages are saddled with big attachments—you could eat though a big chunk of mobile bandwidth in a hurry.

Now, desktop email clients like Microsoft Outlook and Apple’s Mail program can be set to leave attachments sitting on the mail server, ready for on-demand downloading whenever you’re ready.

The procedure is pretty simply for Apple’s Mail app. Just click the mail Mail menu, select Preferences, Accounts, click on an email account, click the Advanced tab, then uncheck “Automatically download all attachments.”

For Outlook, the steps are a bit more involved; here are some instructions from Microsoft.

An easier solution, though, is to quit your mail client when you’re on the road with your personal Wi-Fi hotspot and check email in your browser instead.

Not only will you save bandwidth by stopping your email program from continually checking for new messages, you’ll also extend your laptop’s battery life in the process.

4. Large system updates

By default, most new Windows PCs and Macs will regularly check to see if critical system updates are available—and if so, they’ll start downloading them silently in the background.

You can prevent Windows form silently download system updates by digging into the Windows Update settings in Control Panel.

That’s a great feature if you’re using your desktop or laptop PC primarily at home, particularly if you’re concerned about installing the latest Windows security patches (as you should be).

But those automatic update downloads can also be incredible bandwidth hogs—and if you’re out and about with your personal Wi-Fi hotspot, those downloads could burn through your monthly data allowance in a hot minute.

So, what to do?

On a Windows 8 PC, you can designate a specific Wi-Fi access point as a “metered” hotspot—and once you do, Windows will block all but the most critical system updates. Your PC will then notify you that updates are ready for download once you get back home.

Using Windows 7, or are you on a Mac? If so, you can still disable automatic update downloads—either from the Windows Control Panel, or via the Mac’s System Preferences window. Here’s how…

5. Dropbox, Google Drive, and other file-syncing programs

Wish you could have exact copies of important files and folders sitting on both your work and home PCs? Well, you can, thanks to file-syncing apps like Dropbox and Google Drive.

But the same feature that makes programs such as Dropbox and Google Drive so irresistable—namely, the ability to seamlessly and silently sync files big and small between two or more computers—can be murder on your monthly mobile data allowance, especially if (say) a colleague at work happens to drops a giant file in one of your shared sync folders.

Luckily, most file-sharing apps can be put on “pause,” perfect for preserving your bandwidth when you’re using a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

For Dropbox:

• Click (or right-click) the Dropbox icon—either at the top of your screen (on a Mac), or in the notification area (on a Windows PC).
• Click the Settings button (the one stamped with a little gear icon), then select Pause Syncing.
• Ready to sync again? Go back to the Settings menu, then select Resume Syncing.

For Google Drive:

• Click (or right-click) the Google Drive icon—again, either at the top of your Mac’s screen on in the Windows notification area—and select Pause.
• To start syncing again, click the Google Drive icon once more and select Resume.

Bonus tip

Want to keep tabs on your bandwidth usage? On a Windows 8 PC, you can do so right from the Start screen; here’s how.

Got a Mac? Launch the Activity Monitor app (you can find it using the Spotlight search box), then click the Network tab to see which programs are using the most bandwidth.

I’d also recommend a simple data-monitoring app like Bandwidth+, which puts a small bandwidth meter at the very top of your Mac’s screen.

Looking for more mobile hotspot tips? Click here!

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Well, both Mac and Windows PCs come with a handy feature that may unwittingly gobble up a big chunk of your monthly mobile data: the ability to automatically download needed—and sometimes massive—updates for your system, all quietly in the background.

Now, don’t get me wrong; automatic downloads for critical system and security updates (particularly on the Windows side) are a smart idea when you’re using your Mac or PC on your home Wi-Fi network.

But if you’re out and about with your MacBook or notebook PC and you’re getting Internet access via a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot (either one that’s built into your smartphone or a standalone model), a hefty system update could easily drain a substantial portion of your monthly data allowance.

Indeed, it’s not unusual for Windows or Mac OS X software updates to weigh in at 1 gigabyte or more—and if you only have a 2 GB monthly data plan, that’s half your allowance right there.

So, want to keep your well-meaning laptop from blowing through your pricey mobile data with silent system updates?

Let’s get started…

For a Mac:

• Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen, select System Preferences from the drop-down menu, then click the Software Update icon.
• Uncheck the box labeled “Download newly available updates in the background,” but keep the “Automatically check for updates” box checked.

From now on, the App Store icon in your MacBook’s desktop dock will spawn a little red badge whenever a system update is available.

To download and install the update(s), open the App Store and click the Update tab—but remember, don’t do it over a hotspot connection unless you’re sure the download won’t make too much of a dent in your monthly data allowance.

Note: It’s probably also a good idea to uncheck the option labeled “Automatically download apps purchased on other Macs.” Remember, you can always go back to the App Store and re-download any apps you’ve previously purchased.

You can prevent Windows form silently download system updates by digging into the Windows Update settings in Control Panel.

For Windows 7:

• Open the Control Panel, then click “Turn automatic updating on or off” under the “Windows Update” heading.
• Click the pull-down menu under “Important updates” and select “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.
• Click the OK button.

Moving ahead, make sure to keep an eye on the notifications area in the bottom-right corner of the desktop—and if you see a telltale Windows Update icon sitting there, right-click it and follow the instructions once you’re back on your home Wi-Fi network.

For Windows 8:

A welcome improvement in Windows 8 is the ability to designate a specific wireless hotspot—including your own mobile hotspot—as a “metered” network. Once you flag a network as “metered,” Windows will only download and install “priority” system updates.

You can also set Windows 8 to never download system updates without your approval.

Click here for more details…

Have more questions? Post ’em below, or send me an email.

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Streaming videos on Netflix or Hulu is an obvious culprit, but there are also plenty of other ways for your laptop to quietly tear through your monthly allotment of wireless data—anything from fetching large email attachments to syncing files with Dropbox or automatic downloads of massive Windows system updates.

Luckily, you can check your data usage on a Windows 8 laptop or tablet in just a few clicks, and there’s even a way to let your system know that you’re using a “metered” hotspot—and to cool it with the data usage.

Here’s how…

• First, open the Settings panel. Using a mouse, just move the cursor to the top-right or bottom-right corner of the screen, then click the Settings icon (or “charm,” as Microsoft calls it). On a tablet, swipe “in” from the right side of the screen, then tap Settings.
• Near the bottom of the Settings panel, you should see a network icon (the one with the signal-strength bars) labeled with the name of the hotspot your PC or tablet is connected to. Go ahead and tap or click it.
• You should now be seeing a list of available Wi-Fi networks, with the one you’re connected to at the very top. Click or tap the name of your connected hotspot to see how much data you’ve been using, or right-click (on a PC) or tap and hold (on a tablet) the hotspot name and select “Show estimated data usage.”

You can designate a mobile hotspot as a “metered connection” in Windows 8.

Now, want to keep your Windows 8 PC or tablet from gobbling up an excessive amount of mobile data? You can do so by setting a given hotspot as a “metered connection.”

Just go back to the Networks panel (click the Settings icon, then Networks), right-click or tap and hold the hotspot you’re connected to, then select “Set as metered connection” from the pop-up menu.

With the “metered connection” setting enabled, your system will pause Windows 8 app downloads from the Windows Store, cut down on “live” tile activity on the Start screen, and—most importantly—stop downloading all but “priority” Windows update files.

Nice, but keep in mind that the metered connection setting won’t do anything to curb data usage on programs in the classic “desktop” environment—meaning that Dropbox, for example, will keep on syncing files, while Outlook will continue to download hefty email attachments.

In other words, you’ll still be on the hook for disabling bandwidth-munching features in your desktop apps, so make sure to tweak, disable, or quit any applications that are using more than their fair share of data. For example, you can pause Dropbox syncing by right-clicking the Dropbox desktop icon, and you can keep Outlook from downloading attachments in the Preferences menu.

Bonus tip

Don’t want your Windows PC to download any system update without your OK? Here’s how…

• Open the Control Panel (just type “Control Panel” from the Start menu, then click the Control Panel search result), click “System and Security, Windows Update, then click the “Change settings” link in the left column.
• In the “Important updates” section, click the pull-down menu and select “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.”

Still have questions? Post ’em below, or send me an email.

Click here for more Windows tips!

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Can’t get a straight answer from our carrier (Verizon); of course, they want us to sign up for international calling and data.

If he leaves his phone in “airplane mode” during the day—to take pictures, mainly—but turns on Wi-Fi in a free hotspot at night, will he be able to upload photos free of charge to Facebook or email (for example)?

We are using Viber for calling/texting, and Skype for online chatting. I am such a technosaur… :/

Hi Carol! Actually, you don’t sound like a technosaur at all. You already know about overseas data and calling networks (and that “roaming” on them costs a fortune), you’re savvy about “airplane mode” (which switches off all of your smartphone’s antennas and wireless transmitters), and you’ve figured out how to save on SMS and phone charges with free chat apps like Skype and Viber.

Not too shabby, if you ask me.

There’s nothing stopping you from turning Wi-Fi back on after activating “airplane mode.”

Anyway, yes—your son absolutely can upload photos to Facebook over free Wi-Fi hotspots in Japan, or anywhere abroad.

Wi-Fi hotspots have nothing to do with cellular voice or data networks (although some cellular carriers, like AT&T, offer Wi-Fi hotspots that subscribers can use), and as long as your son’s phone is set to “airplane mode,” there’s no chance he’ll run up massive mobile charges by accidentally roaming on a Japanese cellular network.

And here’s a tip: both Android phones (like the Droid Razr Maxx) and iPhones will let you turn on both Wi-Fi and “airplane mode” at the same time, meaning there’s no need to repeatedly switch “airplane mode” off and on to connect to a nearby Wi-Fi hotspot.

Here’s how…

For Android phones:

• Tap Settings, then tap More under the “Wireless & Networks” setting.
• Tap the “Airplane mode” checkbox (when you do, you should see a little airplane icon in the top corner of the screen), then tap Back.
• Flip the switch next to Wi-Fi back on, then make sure you still see the airplane-mode icon at the top of the screen.

You can also turn on both Wi-Fi and “airplane mode” on an iPhone.

(Note: the instructions above may vary depending on the make and model of your Android phone.)

For iPhone:

• Tap Settings, then switch Airplane Mode to “On.”
• Tap Wi-Fi, tap the switch to turn Wi-Fi back on, then connect to any nearby network. Again, you should still see the airplane-mode icon at the top of the screen.

Still have Wi-Fi questions? Post ’em below, or send me an email.

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Sure, you could always use a USB stick, but if the Macs in question are a) relatively new and b) connected to the same local network, there’s a much easier way.

You can activate AirDrop in the Mac’s “Go” menu under the Finder.

A built-in Mac feature called AirDrop lets you…well, “drop” a file from one Mac onto another.

Once you activate AirDrop, your Mac will scan your local Wi-Fi or wired network for other Macs that also have AirDrop turned on.

If there are other AirDrop-ready Macs on your network, you can then drag and drop a file from your desktop onto their AirDrop icon—and if the other Mac user accepts the file, the transfer will begin immediately.

Keep in mind that AirDrop only works if you turned it on and then accept an offered file—in other words, strangers at Starbucks can’t shove files onto your desktop, even if you’re connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Oh, and one more thing: AirDrop only works on Macs made in the past few years or so. Click here for a list of iMacs and MacBooks that support AirDrop.

Click “Save” to accept a file from a nearby Mac via AirDrop.

So, ready to AirDrop? Let’s get started.

• First, click the bare desktop to make the Mac “Finder” active, open the “Go” menu at the top of the screen, then select AirDrop from the drop-down menu.
• When you do, a radar screen-type window will open, with an image representing your user account in the middle. If other Mac users on the same networks also have open AirDrop, you’ll see their icons pop up next to yours in the Airdrop window.
• Next, drag a file from your desktop and drop it onto the icon of another AirDrop-using Mac, then click the “Send” button in the little confirmation pop-up.
• On your end, you’ll now see a pop-up that reads “Waiting for [name] to accept,” while the Mac user on the receiving end will get a dialog that says “[User name] wants to send you [file name],” plus three options: “Save and Open,” “Decline,” or “Save.” If the second user clicks one of the Save buttons, the transfer will begin.
• Once the transfer is completed, the file will land in the recipient’s Downloads folder.

Looking for more Mac tips? Click here!

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Hi Irene! Yep, you’re right—if your mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is powered on but no laptops, tablets, or other gadgets are connected to it, then it’s not using any data (or if it is, it’s probably only using a miniscule amount).

Related: Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots: Your questions, answered

Once you do start connecting devices to your hotspot, though, the data spigot is open, and it can be tough to anticipate how much data you’re using.

Consider this: say your mobile hotspot is on and your laptop’s connected to it, and you’ve got Facebook and your email client sitting idle on your desktop.

So, in that case, you’re not probably not using any hotspot data, right?

Well, that depends.

Is your email client (like Outlook, or Apple’s Mail application) set to check for new messages every few minutes? If so, it’s using data each time it goes to fetch new e-mail—and if any of those messages have large attachments, you’ll end up using even more data.

And what if you have iTunes open? If you have iTunes set to automatically download new podcasts every once in awhile, that can eat into your hotspot data allowance too—and since iTunes will check for new podcasts silently in the background, you might not even know it’s happening.

Automatic desktop syncing tools like Dropbox can eat into your monthly hotspot data allowance if you’re not careful.

Even Facebook, which regularly refreshes itself to show new stories and photos in your news feed, will chew through a (very) small amount of data, even when it appears to just be sitting there in your browser.

My advice: try to be aware of all the things your PC or Mac may be up to while you’re using a hotspot, and pause or shut down any apps or utilities that might be consuming a lot of data.

For example…

• If you’ve set iTunes to check for podcasts automatically, change its settings so that it’ll only download new episodes manually—or, better yet, quit iTunes altogether.
• Got Dropbox, or another file syncing utility? Most of them will let you “pause” file transfers temporarily. With Dropbox, for example, click its icon at the top of your Mac’s screen or in the Windows taskbar, then select “Pause Syncing.”
• You may want to close your email client if you haven’t checked your messages recently, or if you’re expecting large attachments. If you can check your email over the web (say, with a Gmail account), you might want to try that instead. You’ll still consume hotspot data by checking your email in a web browser, but only a tiny amount—and you won’t run the risk of downloading massive email attachments.

Still have hotspot questions? Let me know!

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Hi Sue! You’re not the only one who’s asked me whether the iPhone 5 would finally let you talk and surf—or talk and perform mobile hotspot duties—on Verizon Wireless.

Related: What’s a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot?

After all, iPhone users on AT&T have been able to simultaneously talk and surf over the carrier’s cellular network for years. Indeed, AT&T often uses that very selling point to keep its customers from switching to Verizon.

So, did Verizon get its talk-and-surf act together now that the iPhone 5 is on the way?

Well, bad news: the new iPhone still won’t let you make calls and use cellular data at the same time on Verizon Wireless—nor on Sprint, for that matter.

And since mobile hotspots depend on cellular data, the same limitation applies to the iPhone 5’s built-in mobile Wi-Fi hotspot feature.

(The iPhone’s hotspot will essentially go on “pause” until you hang up on a voice call.)

Now, what gives? Doesn’t the new iPhone support those speedy, new-fangled 4G LTE networks, and wouldn’t that make a difference?

First, a little background—and yes, get ready for a little jargon.

There are two main types of cellular voice networks in operation around the world: CDMA (short for “code division multiple access”) and GSM (“Global System for Mobile Communications”).

Among their many differences, GSM networks let you talk and surf at the same time, while garden-variety CDMA networks will shut off cellular data whenever a voice call comes in.

The type of voice network your iPhone uses depends on your carrier. Here in the U.S., for example, AT&T is a GSM carrier, while Sprint and Verizon Wireless both use CDMA networks.

Of course, there’s a new wrinkle this year. The iPhone 5 is the first iPhone to support LTE—short for “Long Term Evolution,” a super-fast 4G (or “fourth-generation”) data network that rivals cable modems in terms of speed.

Despite their CDMA and GSM differences, AT&T, Sprint and Verizon all have their own 4G LTE networks.

But here’s the thing: shy of a special network upgrade (and no, none of the big three U.S. carriers has deployed the upgrade yet), LTE networks only handle data, not voice calls.

That means (according to the New York Times) if you’re surfing over 4G LTE when a call comes in, your iPhone will need to switch to an older 3G (or even 2G) network to take the call.

Since older GSM networks can handle both voice and data at the same time, you’ll still be able to surf while you talk on the AT&T iPhone.

On Verizon and Sprint iPhones, however, downshifting to an older 3G CDMA network means voice only, no data—and that includes cellular data for the iPhone’s built-in mobile Wi-Fi hotspot.

OK, but why couldn’t the Verizon (or Sprint) iPhone 5 just keep using the LTE data network for data while you’re on a call, just like some Android phones can?

As the Times reports, the new iPhone would need an additional antenna to use LTE data while you’re talking over Verizon’s or Sprint’s respective CDMA networks, and it appears Apple decided to skip the extra antenna in order to streamline the iPhone 5’s internal design.

Hope that helps, Sue, and sorry to disappoint.

Bonus tip

While neither the Verizon nor Sprint versions of the iPhone 5 will let you talk and surf over cellular networks, you will be able to talk and surf if your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. That’s a moot point when it comes to the iPhone’s mobile hotspot feature, however.

Have more iPhone 5 or mobile hotspot questions? Let me know!

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Indeed, you could blow through your entire monthly data allowance in a matter of days or even hours by watching too many Netflix videos or streaming too much music.

That’s why I’m bullish about a feature in the latest version of Google’s mobile Android software: a data-usage monitor that warns you if you’re approaching your monthly data limit, plus the option to turn off 3G or 4G data entirely before your carrier starts charging you extra.

The catch? Only Android phones running version 4.0 or later of Google’s Android OS have the data-usage meter installed.

To check which version of Android your phone is running, opening the Settings menu, tap “About phone” (it’s near the bottom), then check the number under “Android version”; if the number reads “4.0” or higher, you’re all set.

Just tap and move the sliders to set “warning” and “limit” levels for your mobile 3G and 4G data usage.

And one more thing: keep in mind that “mobile data” refers to 3G and 4G data from your carrier, not your home Wi-Fi network or any other Wi-Fi hotspots.

• Launch the Settings application and tap “Data Usage.”
• You’ll see a chart showing your 3G and/or 4G data usage over a period of days, weeks and month, along with yellow and red sliders that let you set data “warning” and “limit” levels. Beneath the chart is a breakdown of your most data-hungry apps.
• To set a “hard” data limit for your phone, check the box next to “Set mobile data limit,” then tap and move the red slider. My advice: pick a limit that’s the same as the mobile data “cap” set by your carrier. For example, if you signed up for AT&T’s 300MB, $20-a-month “DataPlus” plan, you might want to set a monthly data limit of 300MB.
• Next, choose a “warning” level—the point at which your phone will alert you that you’re approaching your “hard” data limit—by tapping and moving the yellow slider.
• Last but not least, set the dates when your monthly usage cycle begins and ends by tapping and moving the date ranges in the chart. So, when does your data billing cycle begin and end? Check your monthly bill, access your online carrier account, or just call your carrier and ask.

That’s it! Now, when you’re on the road streaming music via Pandora or watching movies on the mobile Netflix app, you’ll get an alert when you’re creeping up on your “hard” data limit. And once you hit the limit, a pop-up will appear that reads: “Mobile data disabled; the specified data usage limit has been reached.”

You will, of course, have the option to turn your mobile data back on once you hit the limit; if you do, though, expect to see an extra charge for additional data on your next wireless bill.

Bonus tip

 
The “data usage” feature also lets you disable “background” data use for specific Android apps—that is, apps that are quietly soaking up data even when they’re not front-and-center on the screen.

To do so, just tap an app below the data usage chart and check the box next to “Restrict background data.”

Keep in mind, of course, that cutting off background data will crimp the style of certain applications, like mobile chat apps that listen for incoming messages.

Looking for more Android tips? Click here!

Note: This updated and revised article was first published in December 2011.

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