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Reliance JioFi How to Get Started With Jio's 4G LTE Hotspot

Reliance JioFi - How to Get Started With Jio's 4G LTE Hotspot

By Gopal Sathe | Updated: 5 September 2016 23:50 IST

Highlights

Reliance JioFi is way of getting more than one device online
Reliance Jio is selling the device at a price of Rs. 1,999
JioFi lets you enjoy Reliance Jio services without a 4G VoLTE phone

You are probably thinking of buying a Reliance Jio SIM and getting a plan with enough 4G data for your use, but if you want to bring your whole house online, then getting a Reliance JioFi device might be more useful than getting a Jio SIM.

We've looked at the Reliance JioFi before and explained what it is, how it works, the price, and everything else you need to know, and suggest you read that article before coming back here are resuming where you left off. Briefly, with a Reliance Jio JioFi, you'll be able to instantly connect all your devices and not just your phone. If you've got multiple phones, tablets, laptops, and other devices in the house that connect to the Internet, then the JioFi is a great option.

(Also see: Reliance Jio Plans List, Including Ones Mukesh Ambani Didn't Show on Stage)

It supports up to 10 devices on the network at once, and you don't need to buy any additional equipment like a router - all you do is buy the JioFi, and set it up in your house, and you're good to go. Here's what you need to know to get started with the Reliance JioFi:

Setting up the Reliance JioFi
Setting up a JioFi is really simple.

First up, take the Reliance Jio SIM card you were given when you bought the device. Insert that into the hotspot's SIM tray.
Next, note down the SSID and password of the unit which is listed next to the SIM tray. Write that down.
Insert the battery and close the back cover. Plug it into the charger and get some battery in there.
Press the Power button on top of the JioFi, until the display lights on top light up.

(Also see: How eKYC-Based Reliance Jio SIM Activations Will Work)

If you've already activated the Reliance Jio SIM, then you don't need to do anything else - just connect to the Wi-Fi network by searching for the SSID name you wrote down earlier, and log in with the password you noted. You can - and should - change these, by going to the router's admin panel - the details are given in the box, or, when you're connected to the Jio network, go to http://jiofi.local.html/ using your browser, and sign in with the username and password admin/ admin. Change those as well, and the SSID and the password for proper security. That's it, your Reliance JioFi is now fully set up.

Our impressions of the Reliance JioFi
The battery charges up quickly - it's full in three hours, and lasts for around 6 hours of use. We've only had it for a short time and have been using it actively, so we can't comment on the total standby time, but if you're planning on using the Reliance JioFi on the go, the battery should see you through the day's work unless you're using it non-stop.

(Also see: Reliance Jio SIM Available to Everyone From September 5, Free to Use Till December 31)

On battery, we did notice that the JioFi heats up a little when you're using it as a hotspot. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but you wouldn't want to keep it in your shirt pocket while in use. Considering it's firing out a Wi-Fi signal when in use, that's possibly for the best.

In terms of speed, it feels irresponsible to say much about the Reliance Jio network - as of now, it's still in the test phase, and hasn't got nearly as many users as it will have after Monday. However, with those caveats in mind, we're getting speeds that are consistently between 10 and 25Mbps until recently. That's a very wide range, but where you are, the time of the day, are some of the factors that seem to affect the speed. It's a little hard to predict, but overall, it's been fast and there's been no downtime at all, though again, this might all change as more people get their hands on a Reliance Jio SIM.

(Also see: Reliance Jio Launch: 10 Things You Need to Know)

Where the hotspot falls a little short is range. We've been testing it in a 3 bedroom apartment which isn't exactly huge, but if you leave the hotspot in one side of the house, you won't pick up the signal at the opposite side. The free Tenda router that came with the Airtel broadband connection we have has greater range. Still, given that the JioFi 2 is completely wireless, you can easily move it around the house to provide good coverage where needed, though this may not work if a lot of people need to stay connected at the same time in different parts of the same house.

In all, the Reliance JioFi sounds like a good investment, at least based on the experience so far. We'll have clarity on how the network is impacted as more users join in from Monday, so if you are still undecided, come back after a few days and ask us how things are going.

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