How Fast Is Pocket WiFi? A Comprehensive Guide

Even if we travel to disconnect from work, having access to a reliable high-speed internet connection is essential even for simple things like looking up directions, booking restaurants and hotels, and, most importantly, for emergencies.

Pocket WiFi is a popular and affordable option for travelers looking for reliable high-speed internet. The transfer speed for HippocketWiFi is up to 100Mbps with 4G LTE coverage and 21Mpbs with 3G+.

Average speeds for 4G networks are between 10 and 30Mbps for downloads and between 5 and 10Mpbs for uploads.

A lot of factors will affect these speeds, but there are some things you can do to get the most out of your pocket WiFi device.

Summary

+

-

• Factors Affecting Your Pocket WiFi Speed
• Signal Strength
• The Number of Devices Connected
• Data Limits
• Maximizing Your Pocket WiFi Speed
• Restart Your Device
• Move Your Device
• Disconnect Idle Devices
• Choose the Right Pocket WiFi Data Plan
• How Fast Does Pocket WiFi Need to Be?
• For Everyday Tasks
• For Business Users
• How to Measure Your Pocket WiFi Speed
• Pocket Wifi Speed vs Other Internet Options

Factors Affecting Your Pocket WiFi Speed

There are so many different things that will affect the connection speed of a pocket WiFi device.

Network Connection Type

Different network connections offer different maximum speeds with 5G capable of speeds up to 100 times that of your typical 4G network.

Different devices can connect to different network types and coverage isn’t necessarily universal. A 5G device mightn’t always have access to a 5G network and a 3G device won’t be able to make use of a 4G or 5G network.

Always check both your pocket WiFi device and local network coverage to see if it could be affecting connection speeds.

Signal Strength

Signal strength will also affect connection speeds. Even if you’re in an area with 5G coverage, the signal mightn’t reach deep within buildings or underground. This is common in larger and older buildings or underground transport networks like the metro or subway.

The Number of Devices Connected

While pocket WiFi devices can connect an average of 10 devices to the internet, the more devices using the connection, the slower the internet connection will be for each device. Check to ensure that your connected devices aren’t using data in the background as this will also slow your connection.

Data Limits

Your pocket WiFi device may also have data limits or fair use policies. When these are reached or breached, you may see your bandwidth reduced and the overall speed of your connection slowed.

Maximizing Your Pocket WiFi Speed

If the devices connected to your pocket WiFi device are suffering from slower-than-expected connection speeds, there are a few steps you can take.

Restart Your Device

Firstly, it may sound like the most obvious option, but turning devices off and on again can fix several issues. Performance and connection speed can often be quickly fixed by doing this. If any of your devices are experiencing problems you can start with this simple step.

Move Your Device

You can change the location of the device to ensure better coverage. While the interference is often minimal, walls, furniture, and metal objects can still interfere with the signal strength. If you can move your pocket WiFi device away from these, signal strength and connection speeds can improve.

Disconnect Idle Devices

Each device connected will also reduce the connection speed for each device connected to the pocket WiFi device. Consider disconnecting devices that no longer need internet access and remember that they can still use data in the background. It’s worthwhile checking individual device settings to limit background data usage and turn off non-essential functions and features that may use data and bandwidth.

Choose the Right Pocket WiFi Data Plan

To get the best speeds out of a pocket WiFi device, make sure that you’re also on the right plan. If you need higher connection speeds, opt for a device that can access higher-speed networks like the 5G connections we mentioned earlier.

How Fast Does Pocket WiFi Need to Be?

The speed of a pocket WiFi device should depend on how you intend to use it. For everyday use like browsing the internet, checking emails, using online maps, and sending smaller files, both 3G and 4G connections should be more than adequate.

For Everyday Tasks

5-10Mpbs connection speeds should suffice for low-bandwidth everyday tasks. Remember that you can always try a few of our tips to improve your connection speed.

20-40Mpbs connections should be more than sufficient for up to 3 users using bandwidth-light apps, streaming music, HD and 4K video streaming, and even online gaming.

However, if you wish to use a pocket WiFi device for streaming video, making video calls, or sending larger files, you’ll regularly need a good connection to a 4G or even a 5G network.

For Business Users

For these bandwidth-heavy activities and business use, we’d recommend 25Mpbs or higher. Again, try some of the tricks if your device’s connection speed is slightly lower than this.

40-100Mpbs connections are relatively fast. These will allow multiple users to play online games at the same time, stream 4K video, and download large files.

Speeds beyond 100Mpbs aren’t really necessary for pocket WiFi and are mostly for home use, UDHD streaming on multiple devices, and quickly downloading massive files. While these speeds are certainly nice at home or in an office, you won’t need them when traveling.

How to Measure Your Pocket WiFi Speed

There are several services you can use online to test your connection speed. Simply searching “Internet Speed Test” on Google will allow you to run a speed test.
There are also services like Ookla and Fast.com that can be used to test your connection.

Remember that to run a speed test, you will need to send data across the internet, which is counted towards your data limit.

These tests will also reveal your IP, ISP, and other information. Most of this data is anonymous and doesn’t identify you in any way. However, we understand that some users may not wish to share such information.

Pocket Wifi Speed vs Other Internet Options

Around the world, the average public WiFi hotspot offers 7.2mbps. Not only is slower than the average transfer speeds of Hippocketwifi, but this is across networks that might be unencrypted or even fake.

Average mobile download speeds around the world are 50Mbps download and 11.3Mpbs upload. Since pocket WiFi uses mobile connections, most pocket WiFi devices are comparable to smartphones and other mobile devices.