How to transfer internet from a Samsung phone to another phone via Wi-Fi: all the methods

Sharing internet from one smartphone Samsung Transferring data to another via Wi-Fi is a challenge users face while traveling, at their dacha, or when their primary router suddenly goes down. Unlike standard modem mode, where a phone becomes a hotspot for a laptop, transferring data between two smartphones has its own nuances: from mobile operator restrictions to protocol specifics. Wi-Fi Direct And Samsung Quick ShareIn this article, we'll explore all the working methods—from classic mobile internet tethering to the Korean brand's proprietary technologies that save battery life and increase data transfer speeds.

It is important to understand that not all methods are equally effective. For example, access point (Mobile Hotspot) It's universal, but it drains the battery quickly, whereas Wi-Fi Direct Suitable for file transfers, not internet connections. We tested each method on models Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy A54 And Galaxy Z Flip5 with firmware One UI 6.1to show real speeds and power consumption. If you need to not only share the internet but also save traffic or battery life, read the section about Hidden power saving mode settings in Mobile Hotspot, which Samsung does not advertise in official documentation.

1. Classic Internet distribution via Mobile Hotspot

The most reliable and compatible with all devices way is to turn your Samsung to the access point. This method works even on older models (starting with Galaxy S8), but has two downsides: high battery consumption and possible restrictions from the mobile operator (for example, blocking distribution when connected to certain tariffs).

To turn on Mobile Hotspot:

• 📱 Open Settings → Connections → Hotspot & Tethering.
• 🔄 Toggle the slider Mobile hotspot to the "On" position.
• 🔒 Click on Setting up an access pointto set the network name (SSID) and password (we recommend using WPA3-Personal for safety).
• 📶 On the second phone, connect to the created network as you would to a regular Wi-Fi connection.

Data transfer speed depends on the supported Wi-Fi standards. For example, Galaxy S23 With Wi-Fi 6E distributes Internet at speeds up to 1.2 Gbps, whereas Galaxy A14 With Wi-Fi 5 limited 866 MbpsPlease note: If you have a data plan with data sharing restrictions (for example, "phone-only internet"), your carrier may block traffic through the hotspot.

Make sure that mobile internet is enabled on the transmitting phone|

Check your remaining traffic in your operator account|

Disable your VPN - it may interfere with distribution.

Set a complex password (at least 8 characters with numbers)-->

2. Using Wi-Fi Direct to transfer Internet (with limitations)

Wi-Fi Direct — a technology that allows devices to connect to each other without a router. However, it was originally designed for file sharing, not internet distribution. Samsung It is possible to bypass this limitation, but additional configuration will be required.

Instructions for sharing internet via Wi-Fi Direct:

• 🔗 Turn on the donor phone Wi-Fi Direct V Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 📲 On the second phone, find the first one in the list of available devices and connect.
• 🔧 Return to Settings → Connections → Hotspot & Tethering and turn it on USB modem (yes, even without cable!).
• 🔄 Restart both phones - after this, the second smartphone will have access to the Internet via Wi-Fi Direct.

This method is unstable: the speed rarely exceeds 50–70 Mbps, and the connection may be interrupted when the screen is locked. However, battery consumption is lower than with Mobile Hotspot. 15–20%Suitable for emergency situations when there are no other options.

Why isn't Wi-Fi Direct designed for internet sharing?

Wi-Fi Direct technology creates a P2P (peer-to-peer) connection where devices exchange data directly, bypassing routing. Sharing the internet requires NAT (network address translation), which Wi-Fi Direct doesn't support out of the box. A workaround involving enabling USB modem forces the system to use an alternative data transfer route, but this solution is unstable and may not work on all firmware versions.

3. Samsung Quick Share: Fast transfers, but not for the internet

Proprietary technology Samsung Quick Share (previously called Quick Share or Nearby Share) allows you to instantly share files between devices Galaxy, Google Pixel and even some laptops. However, transmitting internet through it it is forbidden — This is a common mistake users make. Quick Share uses a combination of Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth LE, but doesn't support traffic routing.

If you need to transfer something other than the Internet, such as photos or documents, do the following:

• 📎 Open a file (photo, video, PDF) and click "Share".
• 🔍 Choose Quick Share in the list of options.
• 📱 Select the target phone from the list of available devices.
• 🔄 Confirm reception on the second phone.

Transfer speeds via Quick Share reach 300–400 Mbps (on Galaxy S23 With Wi-Fi 6E), which is 10-15 times faster than Bluetooth. But let's reiterate: this feature is not suitable for internet sharing.

Mobile Hotspot (access point)|

Wi-Fi Direct (if possible)|

USB modem (via cable)|

Another way-->

4. Alternative methods: USB modem and Bluetooth

If Wi-Fi is unavailable for some reason, you can share the Internet via USB cable or BluetoothThese methods are less convenient, but sometimes they are the only way out.

USB modem (cable required) USB-C/USB-A):

• 🔌 Connect the phones with a cable (some models require an adapter) USB-C → USB-C).
• 📱 Turn on the donor phone Settings → Connections → Hotspot & Tethering → USB Tethering.
• 🖥️ On the second phone, in the USB settings, select the mode Transferring data via USB (may be called RNDIS).

Bluetooth modem (slowly, but wirelessly):

• 🔵 Turn on Bluetooth on both phones and pair them.
• 📶 On the donor phone, go to Settings → Connections → Hotspot & Tethering → Bluetooth Tethering.
• 🔄 On the second phone, in the Bluetooth settings, tap on the name of the first device and select Connect to the network.

Speed ​​and battery consumption comparison:

5. Hidden settings: how to reduce battery consumption when sharing

Internet distribution via Mobile Hotspot can drain the battery at a rate 1–2% per minute, especially on flagships with 5GHowever, in One UI There are hidden options that will help extend the operating time:

How to optimize energy consumption:

• 🔋 Turn on Power saving mode V Settings → Device Maintenance → BatteryThis will limit background activity but will not affect internet speed.
• 📶 Turn off 5G in the mobile network settings, if it is not needed - 4G (LTE) spends on 15–20% less energy during distribution.
• ⏱️ Set the hotspot auto-off timer in Settings → Connections → Hotspot & Tethering → Timer.
• 🔇 Turn it off Wi-Fi 6E (if it is enabled) - go to Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → ⚙️ Advanced → Wi-Fi Mode and select 5 GHz (recommended) instead of 6 GHz.

On Galaxy S22/S23 and later models, Mobile Hotspot automatically enables the Adaptive Battery feature, which limits maximum screen brightness to 70%. While this feature can't be disabled, you can manually reduce the brightness to 50% to save an additional 5-7% of battery per hour.

6. Problems and errors: what to do if the Internet connection is not working

Even with the correct settings, the connection may not work. Let's look at common errors and their solutions:

Problem 1: The hotspot turns on, but the second phone does not connect.

• 🔄 Restart both phones.
• 🔒 Make sure you entered your password correctly (case sensitive!).
• 📡 Check if the second phone is in the "Telephone" mode Saving traffic in the Wi-Fi settings.

Problem 2: The Internet is available, but the pages don't open.

• 🌐 Check if the operator is blocking the distribution (for example, MTS And Beeline there are tariffs with restrictions).
• 🔧 Disable VPN or proxy on the donor phone.
• 📱 Turn on the mode Flight mode for 10 seconds, then turn it off - this will reset the network settings.

Problem 3: The upload speed is very low (less than 10 Mbps).

• 📶 Switch from 2.4 GHz on 5 GHz in the access point settings.
• 📵 Make sure there are no sources of interference nearby (microwaves, other routers).
• 🔄 Turn it off Fast optimization V Settings → Device Maintenance - it can limit network activity.

Why do operators block internet tethering?

Mobile operators often limit data sharing via hotspots to prevent mobile internet usage on multiple devices under the same plan. This is specified in the user agreement: for example, the "For Smartphone" plan only allows use on one device. Bypassing this blocking (for example, via a VPN or changing the TTL) may result in speed restrictions or SIM card blocking.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware versions One UI (especially on Galaxy A-series) After updating, your hotspot settings are reset. Before an important trip, check that Mobile Hotspot is working properly and save a screenshot of your password settings.

7. Comparison with other brands: which is better - Samsung, iPhone or Xiaomi?

Internet distribution technologies differ not only among Samsung, but also from competitors. For example, iPhone uses the function Modem mode (Personal Hotspot), which is more stable, but has strict limitations from Apple: You cannot change the Wi-Fi band (only 2.4 GHz on older models) and there is no support Wi-Fi 6E even on iPhone 15.

U Xiaomi, on the contrary, there are flexible settings, including the choice of Wi-Fi channel and power saving mode, but the distribution speed is Redmi-models are often limited 300 Mbps due to hardware features of the chips MediaTek. Samsung in this regard, it occupies an intermediate position: stability as in Apple, but with the same fine-tuning capabilities as Xiaomi.

Comparison table:

⚠️ Attention: On phones Samsung with processors Exynos (For example, Galaxy S22 European) the Wi-Fi distribution speed may be 15–20% lower compared to models on Snapdragon Due to differences in the radio modules. This is a hardware limitation that cannot be corrected by software.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring data between Samsung phones

Is it possible to share internet from a Samsung to an iPhone?

Yes, but there are some nuances. The iPhone will connect to the Samsung hotspot as to regular Wi-Fi, but there may be an issue with IPv6: some operators (for example, Tele2) block IPv6 traffic when distributing. In this case, you need to manually disable IPv6 on your iPhone in the mobile network settings (Settings → Cellular → Data Options → Cellular Data → Turn Off IPv6).

Why does the battery drain quickly when sharing the Internet?

Wi-Fi distribution activates several modules at once: mobile modem, Wi-Fi transmitter And CPU for traffic routing. On Galaxy S series This puts a strain on the cores. Exynos/Snapdragon by 30–40%, which leads to high consumption. Solution: Use a USB modem or enable power saving mode (see Section 5).

Is it possible to share internet from a Samsung to a laptop and another phone at the same time?

Yes, but the maximum number of connected devices depends on the model:

• Galaxy S23 Ultra: up to 10 devices.
• Galaxy A54/A34: up to 5 devices.
• Galaxy M-series: up to 3 devices.

However, the more devices are connected, the more the speed drops (for each new device, ~20% of the bandwidth is lost).

How can I check how much traffic was spent on distribution?

IN One UI There is no separate counter for distribution, but you can use a workaround:

1. Record your current mobile data usage in Settings → Connections → Data Usage → Mobile Data.
2. Turn on the hotspot and use the Internet on the second phone.
3. After disconnecting, compare the meter readings.

For accurate accounting, install the app NetGuard or GlassWire - They show traffic for each connected device.

Does internet tethering work while roaming?

Depends on the operator. Most Russian providers (MTS, Beeline, Megaphone) block data sharing while roaming to prevent abuse. The exception is plans with the "Internet Abroad" option. Before traveling, check the terms in your personal account or with support. Alternatively, buy a local SIM card with unlimited data (for example, in Turkcell or Airtel).