I'm in a pinch with my work computer needing a wired connection, and my internet is down due to a damaged fiber line. I can't access WiFi on my work desktop because it doesn't have that capability. I have my phone with plenty of data, a laptop running Linux Mint, and a lot of Ethernet cable. Unfortunately, there's no time to run to a store for additional equipment, and I have no extra USB ports on the desktop. I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to connect my desktop to my phone's internet. Thanks!
3 Answers
You might want to try USB tethering with your phone, but that would require a free USB port. If you can spare your camera's USB port just for this, it could be worth it. Just remember, though, since it’s a work computer, check if your settings allow that without needing admin permissions. Otherwise, you could use the Ethernet cable from your laptop if it has a working hotspot feature— but it seems tricky since time is tight!
Have you thought about using a travel router? They're pretty handy for situations like these where you need to connect to a mobile hotspot or hotel WiFi. If your Linux laptop has an Ethernet port, it might be able to share the hotspot this way. Just a thought, though I know you mentioned getting one isn’t an option right now.
That sounds like a solid plan! But since you're in the country and can't grab one, maybe see if your laptop can create a hotspot? It might just save the day!
If you get USB tethering working, it should connect automatically when you plug it in. However, with locked settings on your work desktop, make sure it’s allowed before trying it out. Would be a bummer to set it up just to find you can't access anything!
Right? It’s a tough spot. If you find a way to get it working that doesn’t need admin permission, that could save you a lot of hassle.
Yeah, I get it. If the desktop is too locked down, it may complicate things. Have you checked if Ethernet connection from your laptop could work as a bridge to your desktop?