Mobile Hotspot For Pi Internet In The Field

I’m sure we’ve all been there, and if you haven’t yet, you will. You’re finally ready to test that script for your robot you’ve been testing in your backyard. You leave the house, go out to the park, turn on the robot and try to ssh into your raspberry pi. Then you remember, there’s no internet out in the field. How are you supposed to trigger your script? Enter mobile hotspots.

Odds are, if you have a smart phone, you’ll have the ability to spin up a mobile hotspot out in the field. The mobile hotspot can give your Pi internet access just like you were at home. All you need to do is activate your mobile hotspot on your phone, and configure your /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf file with the credentials of your network.

The name of the network and password will be configurable on your smart phone.

Previously, for out in the field robotics we endorsed an ad-hoc method of networking, where WiFi devices can communicate directly without the need of a router. However, this requires a special WLAN card that is capable of ad-hoc networking.

Mobile networking is by far the easier in field networking method for away from home raspberry pi drone access.

Watch the video for exact steps.