MiFi vs. WiFi vs. Mobile Hotspot

MiFi is actually a brand name used for a portable broadband device that allows multiple end users and mobile devices to share a 3G or 4G mobile broadband internet connection and create an ad hoc network (mobile hotspot). Novatel Wireless owns a registered trademark on the “MiFi” brand name in many countries, but the term is used generically, like Kleenex. It is a bit expensive, but you can think of it as carrying around an internet connection in your pocket. Many think these will be used to connect non-5G devices to the coming 5G network.

A MiFi box is great to have if you are in an area with no internet access. Most devices are about two by four inches. Depending on carrier, there may be an additional monthly fee to your phone bill. Some devices have their own connection that you can pay for by the day. MiFi boxes prices range from about thirty to a few hundred US dollars onetime cost.

WiFi is a wireless networking standard that various devices, such as smartphones, TVs, computers, etc., use to communicate with each other or the internet without actual wires connecting them. Smart TVs use WiFi to connect to the internet to provide streaming, like Netflix, Amazon Video, and more.
A mobile hotspot is created by a portable device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or MiFi box that provide wireless or Ethernet internet access for many devices including laptops, other smartphones, computers, etc. One way to think of it is as a compact, battery powered WiFi station that taps into cellular networks like a smartphone does and then wirelessly shares its data connection with other WiFi enabled devices.
Mobile hotspots eliminate the worry of conducting business or personal work over an unsecured public Wi-Fi connection, and mobile hotspots often have faster connection speeds than public Wi-Fi. I have a friend who uses his phone to create a hotspot so he can watch streaming TV on his laptop while riding (not driving) in his car.

Bottom line, MiFi and Hotspot are devices with a wireless connection that other devices can connect to using WiFi. WiFi is a standard of communication.

WiFi vs. Plugged In Speeds

Each Wi-Fi standard is rated according to its maximum theoretical network bandwidth. The newest, 802.11ac offers up to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps). However, the performance of Wi-Fi networks practically never approach these theoretical maximums, usually performing at about half of peak speed. If you compare 300 Mbps WiFi to wired Fast Ethernet at 100 Mbps, the Ethernet connection most often outperforms in real world usage.
Wi-Fi networks have a range that is limited by the transmission power, antenna type, the location, physical obstacles, such as walls, number of other devices sharing the signal, and the environment. A typical indoor wireless router might have a solid range of about 32 meters (105 ft). Distance from the source also degrades performance. The fastest theoretical WiFi 802.11 ac is maximum speed of 866.7 Mb/s.

Plugged in (Ethernet) offers advantages, such as faster speeds, lower latency, and no wireless interference problems.  A wired Ethernet connection can theoretically offer up to 10 Gb/s.

Bottom line, when it comes to speed necessary for streaming movies and TV WiFi may be more convenient, but is much slower and may cause delays and hesitations. Also, when looking at your speed, consider 10Mbs as the absolute minimum for streaming - and more is better.


Incidentally, no matter how fast your WiFi is within your house, it does not increase the speed of the connection between your house and the Internet.