Tips and Tricks: Using MiFi Mobile Hotspot to Add 3G to Your Kindle Fire

There are a lot of people out there who wish the Kindle Fire had 3G internet access that would allow them to surf, download, and play even if they're out traveling somewhere. Unfortunately, the Fire will always be a WiFi only device, but that doesn't mean you can't get a WiFi signal anywhere you go with a 3G network. How do you do it? By using a MiFi mobile hotspot card.

MiFi Mobile Hotspots are little devices for providing a WiFi signal that are thinner than a pack of playing cards, and people frequently get them in conjunction with the Fire if they know they'll be traveling. Like having a 3G device, there are fees for the amount of usage you use from a phone carrier, and there are a number of these on the market with different options. After looking at the options, there is one that stands out from the rest, the Novatel Wireless MiFi Prepaid Mobile Hotspot from Virgin Mobile.

Now, what I like about this one is that it's a prepaid card, meaning that you only pay for what you use, with the smallest option being $10 for 100MB worth of data. The Novatel MiFi is currently $80.00 off (with free shipping) as well, making it less than you'd pay if the Fire had 3G in the first place. Easy to connect with up to 5 devices, no software to install, easy to add minutes if you're about to take a trip.

If you have Virgin Mobile (Sprint) for your wireless already, that makes it easy too, because you might have an idea of how good the service is in places you already go. There are some negative reviews with some people having to get replacements, but this review from just a few days ago is what convinced me to feature it.

John Huddleson says: "I got this portable wifi hotspot to use with my wife's Kindle Fire and my Samsung Galaxy 7.0 Plus, both of which are equipped with wifi, but no 3g or 4g. Most of the time We have wifi available, both at home and at many locations we visit. Occasionally when we travel wifi is not available, but it's not worth $350 or more per year plus a hefty $ 150 or so extra buy-in for a 3g equipped tablet, to have 3g or 4g always available. This device allows me to purchase 3-4g service in weekly or monthly chunks for a small fee when I'm traveling, only when I need it, to keep up my email, browse the web, "buy from Amazon", etc. Once you complete the setup (admittedly a little complex, but it only has to be done once) it works just like any wifi hotspot in your home, at a businesses, etc. You log in with a secure password, so others can't scam off your connection unless you want them to. You can have up to five devices using the hot spot at the same time and the included Sprint coverage seems to be pretty wide-spread, Sprint got a good rating in the latest CR magazine review of 3-4g services."


Note that there is also a similar Novatel MiFi from Verizon Wireless, but that requires a $60/month contract. 


If you're someone who really feels the lack of 3G with the Kindle Fire because you travel or are often in places without WiFi, this could be the solution for you. It's pretty clear that this isn't perfect technology, though neither is cell service for that matter, but it will give you internet access anywhere you go. 


And since we're talking about WiFi, I can again plug one of my favorite free apps, which everyone should have: WiFi Analyzer. And I just found a great free app to give you a little light in the dark, Candle Free.