How to tether a Samsung Galaxy phone's data service to your router

Jun 15, 2023

A faulty broadband connection shouldn't disconnect your devices

We often take our internet connection for granted until it stops working. A reliable router is essential to ensure seamless work, music or video streaming, and control of smart home devices, especially when you have plenty of devices that connect to the internet. However, a router's performance is only as good as the broadband network connection, and it won't work if there's a service disruption on your line. To avoid this issue, you can share your Samsung Galaxy's internet connection with your router, making you forget about the disruption in just a few steps.

This allows multiple devices to connect without reconnecting them to a different network. To do this, you need a different router from your ISP's router, a subscription plan that allows tethering, a decent 4G connection, and one accessory you likely have at home. The process is simple and takes just a few minutes. Here's how to do it.

You need an appropriate USB-C to Ethernet adapter to make this work. If you have a USB-C device at home, there is a chance it came with your computer. Similarly, if you use a USB-C dock to connect your computer, phone, or tablet to external devices, it should work without having to purchase a new one.

For an optimal connection, it's best to choose one that can support gigabit Ethernet, but a 100 Mbps cable can be fine if that's all you have. In any case, try the ones you have at home before buying a new one.

Once your adapter is ready, plug it into your phone and connect the Ethernet cable (usually plugged into your modem) into the USB-C adapter. This makes the process easier, as you unplug it from the modem and plug it into your phone instead of connecting another cable from your router to your handset.

Once you've connected the cables, complete these few steps on your phone:

Working, listening to music, or streaming shows becomes frustrating and almost impossible without a functioning internet connection. Using your Galaxy device, you can easily keep your home connection up and stay online without worrying about your broadband network's status. The process is simple and doesn't require specific knowledge and potentially no additional hardware. If you need to purchase an accessory, it shouldn't cost you more than $20. In addition to being easy to deploy, this method is more reliable than a pocket 4G router or mobile hotspot since it relies on providing your existing router with another way to access the internet.

However, you must keep your phone physically connected to your router. You should monitor your data usage to avoid unexpected costs, especially if you don't have an unlimited plan. The best option is to use a spare phone, so you can continue using yours normally. If your broadband and mobile plans are from the same provider, you may ask them for extra data to compensate for the loss of connectivity.

Hagop is a tech-savvy guy, who's also into traveling, fitness, biking, food, and planes. He's heptalingual and has lived in 5 different countries, but has decided to settle in Paris for the time being.