We've grown accustomed to the internet being available at a moment's notice on our phones, computers, and even TVs; high-speed internet is now so ubiquitous that it can be a bit distressing if it goes out for even a few hours. If your connection has been rock solid for years, that's great, but for those of us who live outside of town or in a part of the country with intense weather events, your internet connection could be a lot more fickle.
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While ISPs work to keep their lines in good condition, outages still happen, and it's often enough that some ISPs even have tools like outage maps to help you track them. In my area, the most common cause is a tree falling on the cable or fiber lines during a storm. Depending on how much damage there is, cleanup can take hours or days, and if you don't have a backup connection, you're stuck living an analog life until it comes back.
Yes, you could use your phone until the internet comes back, especially if you have a backup SIM, but if you want to use your other devices, you'll need something more substantial. And while it's not a perfect solution, something like T-Mobile's Home Internet Backup plan could be great for someone with a flaky internet connection who just can't afford to go without it.
✕ Remove Ads Related How to see if there is an Xfinity outage in your area
Let's make sure you're not the only one facing service interruptions
What is T-Mobile Home Internet Backup? Use 5G home internet only when you need it Source: T-Mobile
T-Mobile's 5G Home Internet is a solid internet option for many people, with enough speed for HD streaming, browsing, and even large downloads, but it's not perfect. There's no getting around the fact that a cell tower and its capacity is shared with all the devices connected to it, meaning that while speeds are good, the connection isn't ideal for gaming or large downloads. Still, it could be a worthwhile accompaniment to a less-than-perfect fiber or cable connection.
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Home Internet Backup comes with seven days of usage per month and 130GB of data. That's enough data to stream, browse, and work from home without too much concern. You wouldn't want to download the latest Call of Duty on it, but for standard usage it's fine. You'll need to pay $20 per month for the service with autopay enabled, but you get the 5G gateway included for free. You also don't need a voice line to sign up.
Since T-Mobile includes a full 5G gateway with the service, there's no complicated setup with your router; simply connect the devices you want to use to the separate Wi-Fi network. That said, while this all-in-one solution is reasonably cheap and performant, it's not perfect. For one, it's only meant to be used at home, so it's not ideal if you live in different places throughout the year or in an RV. Fortunately, other backup internet options are available.
✕ Remove Ads What other backup internet options are there? Get a hotspot or use your phone's hotspot for more flexibility
Other backup options for the home internet include mobile hotspots; popular for professionals who travel frequently, the best mobile hotspots can create a small Wi-Fi network using cellular data. Generally speaking, however, these devices can be quite expensive, and the plans can be small and costly. For example, a hotspot plan on T-Mobile costs $20 per month for just 5GB of high-speed data. Cricket is cheaper, but still pricey with a $35 plan with 20GB of data.
Related How to set up a T-Mobile hotspot on your phone
Turn your phone into a hotspot
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Your phone plan may also come with hotspot data, making your phone one of the best backup internet options. That being said, using your phone as a backup is flawed since its Wi-Fi coverage will be quite poor. Not only that, you'll likely need to keep the phone plugged in much of the time as mobile hotspots can use quite a bit of battery. Fortunately, many hotspots and phones can connect to a computer using USB-C, so at least the battery stays charged.
It's also worth remembering that if your entire neighborhood's internet has gone down, the cell towers could be hit with a heavy load as everyone's phones move to mobile data, thereby hurting performance. Additionally, if you're connecting directly to your phone, many plans also only allow for one device at a time using a hotspot.
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Some routers can also connect to your phone's hotspot and use it as an internet source for all of your devices. One of the best Wi-Fi routers, the Eero 6 Plus, has a feature included with its Eero Plus subscription that allows the router to connect to your hotspot if your primary internet connection goes down. This is nice since you don't need to connect all of your devices to a different Wi-Fi network, but watch out for large downloads.
This feature isn't exclusive to the Eero 6 Plus, either, with other models also working with hotspots. If your hotspot has an Ethernet port, for example, you can connect your router directly to it; some models can even extend your Wi-Fi connection, such as Gl.iNet routers running OpenWRT. Others, like Asus routers, support USB connections with an included USB port and even two internet connections at once, so the connection can quickly switch.
✕ Remove Ads Keep connected, even when the lines are down
If you're in an area prone to outages, it may also be worth checking with your ISP for a backup option. Xfinity, for example, has an internet gateway that can automatically connect to LTE during an outage. No matter which solution you go with, though, making sure you have a functioning backup plan can keep you working or entertained if/when your internet connection goes down.