Last Chance European WiFi with iPhone Personal Hotspot

No WiFi anywhere? Turn your old iPhone into a hotspot.

Disclaimer: this can be filed under First World Problems. Just sayin.’

We’re on a tiny island in the north of Holland. There aren’t even any cars* so WiFi isn’t exactly prevalent or speedy if you can find it. What to do, what to do!?

With our pre-paid Lebara plan, I can turn my ancient iPhone 4 into a sharing hotspot and give my laptop a love connection. It’s slow, but it’s more reliable and easier to find than the hotel’s spotty WiFi. The woman at the hotel said, “It sometimes works and if you sit over there it that corner, you have a better chance.” Well, I’m in the corner and I’m connecting with my old phone. I tried to connect to the supermarket’s guest network (which I can see across the cobblestone street), but it doesn’t get me anywhere.

Be Everywhere. Be Nowhere.

There’s a bit of a conflict here as I’m supposed to be on vacation for these three days here away from it all. We’re with friends and my friend just got off work as he arrived at the dock to get the boat here. So we’re on vacation and all that. But hey, I have a post to write. I have things to do. Not work! Not clients! Oh my! Heavens no.

It’s my streak, it’s a numbers game. It’s just the next number, but I can’t break it. So when you’re in doubt about your WiFi, you do what you gotta do: you get the WiFi to work. People who need a connection fix know what I’m talking about and I’m talking to you. If you need WiFi, this is one way to do it: share your prepaid data plan from your inexpensive European carrier and you’re set if only to post something, share a few photos of the “blokaarten” or check the weather report (rain).

*Except for locals.