Check the connection before relying on it
A phone hotspot can get a laptop online while travelling or during a home internet outage. It needs a suitable mobile plan, sufficient reception and permission to use tethering under that plan. Check those points before building a long work session around it. A cellular signal indicator alone does not tell you how well a large upload will work at that location.
Set up the hotspot according to the phone's instructions and use a separate, sufficiently long password. Give the network a recognisable name without including private information. Select that exact network on the laptop. A hotel or train can contain several similarly named hotspots, so checking the name on the phone avoids an unnecessary mix-up.
Account for activity you did not start
A laptop may begin background work as soon as it connects. Cloud files, game libraries and large application updates can consume the same allowance as the email you intended to read. Mark a limited connection as metered and inspect the relevant applications as well. That setting is assistance rather than a hard data cap.
Download needed documents in advance where possible. A local presentation is less dependent on changing reception than a link available only online. Check embedded media too: the presentation itself may be local while a linked video still needs to stream from the internet.
Watch both wireless links
The route now includes at least the laptop-to-phone connection and the phone's mobile connection. A delay can originate in either. Keep the laptop reasonably close to the phone and put the phone somewhere with suitable reception. Avoid enclosing it in a warm bag while it is charging and transferring data.
A brief comparison in the phone's own browser can provide a clue. If the same website is slow there, the laptop-to-hotspot link is probably not the only issue. If only the laptop struggles, inspect its connection and background activity. Those comparisons reveal more than changing several unrelated settings at once.
Some devices also offer USB tethering. Whether it works depends on the phone, computer, cable and software. Consult the relevant instructions rather than assuming that every charging cable supports the required data connection.
Finish the session deliberately
Turn off the hotspot when it is no longer needed and check the amount of data used. A long upload can continue in another application after the browser window is closed. Once back on the normal connection, check that deferred synchronisation and updates resume. That keeps the hotspot a deliberate alternative instead of an unnoticed permanent route for the computer's traffic.
