Article Summary:
While it is possible to use Nest products with a personal hotspot, it isn't recommended. You shouldn't use Nest Protect with a hotspot for safety reasons.

Personal hotspots, also known as mobile hotspots, provide convenient Internet access by allowing Wi-Fi devices to connect to the Internet through cellular networks. Many mobile phones offer hotspot features, and there are a number of dedicated hotspot devices as well. Hotspots are ideal for Internet access when you're in a location where Wi-Fi isn't available or when you're on the go, traveling by train or car, or in a hotel.

However, if you take your hotspot with you when you're traveling, your Nest products won't be able to connect to the Internet. You won't be able to view their status, control the temperature in your home, or get smoke and carbon monoxide emergency notifications sent to your phone. Your Nest products also won't be able to download important software updates. If you're using a phone as your hotspot, incoming and outgoing calls can interrupt connections as well. For all these reasons, we don't recommend using a hotspot to connect your Nest products to the Internet.

If you are using a hotspot as your dedicated Internet connection and will not take it outside your home, then you can use it to connect Nest products to the Internet. Nest does not perform testing with mobile hotspots so you should check with your hotspot manufacturer and service provider to determine if it will meet the requirements of Nest products. If you experience connectivity issues when using Nest products with a hotspot, we strongly recommend that you use an alternative Internet connection such as a cable or DSL modem connected to a Wi-Fi router.