Novatel’s latest wireless hotspot, the MiFi 2, has features that rival the routers many people have in their own homes.
The MiFi 2 creates a WiFi hotspot from 4G LTE networks, giving users the ability to connect up to 10 devices such as laptops and tablets to the web.
Portable wireless connectivity alone is nothing to gloat about, but all the other functionality helps this device stand out.
It’s smaller than most smartphones and easily stashes inside a briefcase or purse, measuring 4.05 inches by 2.88 inches. Nestled in the middle is a 2.8-inch colour touchscreen that makes it easy to adjust settings and check the status of your connections.
Behind the screen is a rechargeable battery that Novatel says can last up to 11 hours of use. While I didn’t use a stopwatch to verify this claim, the MiFi 2 rarely needed a recharge.
The review unit was connected to the Bell network, and when on the LTE network, speeds were as fast as many people’s home Internet connections.
Other than using the touchscreen to tweak settings, you can really dive deep into the MiFi 2’s menus with the web interface.
It seems that there are some settings hidden there that would have been nice to adjust from the touchscreen, such as security settings.
But where the MiFi 2 shines is with its file sharing abilities. Slide in a microSD card loaded with music and videos and you can use the hotspot as a media server, pumping content through to your Internet-connected TV or speaker system.
This hotspot will also handle simpler tasks, such as document sharing between connected devices.
For road warriors or those looking for portable Internet that’s more capable than a smartphone’s hotspot, the MiFi 2 is a worthy solution.
