In many countries, including The United States, Canada, and Mexico, Inseego Corp. (previously known as Novatel Wireless)[1] owns a registered trademark on the "MiFi" brand name; in the United Kingdom, mobile operator Hutchison 3G owns the "MiFi" trademark. Novatel Wireless has never offered an official explanation for the origin of the name "MiFi"; it has been suggested that it is short for "My Wi-Fi".[2]
A MiFi device can be connected to a cellular network and provide Internet access for up to fifteen devices. Novatel Wireless introduced the first MiFi device in the United States in May 2009.[3] In the UK, Hutchison 3G's "MiFi" is a similar product from Huawei with the same name.[4][5]
The notable exception is in the UK, where mobile operator 3 owns the "MiFi" trademark. In India the Mi-Fi trademark is owned by Mi-Fi Networks Private Limited.[10]
Limited to five Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, cameras, gaming devices, and multimedia players; with the exception of manually editing the device’s config file to allow more clients.[11]
May be connected to a computer via a micro-USB connection, though doing so disables the Wi-Fi networking, converting the device into a traditional single-client modem. (However, CNET has introduced a tweakArchived 2013-01-19 at archive.today to charge the device over USB while maintaining its functionality.)
Includes a GPS unit, which is usable on some networks like Virgin Mobile and not on others like Verizon.
The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show 2011 saw the introduction of two new 4G-capable MiFi devices from Novatel:
Verizon Wireless featured the 4510L model, which will connect to Verizon's LTE 4G network, expected to support 5–12 Mbps download and 2–5 Mbit/s upload.[13]
Front panel status display using E Ink technology. The front panel display shows battery, signal strength, and number of connected devices.[16] The difficulty of viewing such information was seen as a major shortcoming of earlier MiFi devices.[14]
5G mobile hotspot devices
In November 2019, Vodafone Qatar and Inseego Corp. together launched the Gulf region’s first commercially available 5G mobile hotspot, 5G MiFi M1100.[17]
Connects up to 16 devices simultaneously (15 by Wi-Fi plus one by USB or Ethernet)
Power optimization features Quick Charge technology and high-capacity battery
Non-Novatel wireless devices
A number of providers other than Novatel provide personal hotspot, "MiFi"-like services:
nyx mobile "mifi LTE" mobile routerHuawei 4G MiFi for Camtel Cameroon
MiFi LTE nyx mobile is a mobile router 3G + 4G (LTE) launched by nyx mobile for Telcel. It is built using Qualcomm technology and is expected to support up to 100 Mbps download. (Announced by June 2013 for México[citation needed]
Netgear AirCard 781S (Sold under the name Zing by Sprint)
Mobile phones with an Internet connection can often be turned into Wi-Fi hotspots using a process called "tethering", which is similar to using dedicated MiFi devices.
The following phone families have built-in features to create Wi-Fi access point:
CTIA Emerging Technology Award (Fashion & Lifestyle Products), 1st Place (2009)[38]
CTIA "Hot for the Holidays" (Mobile Internet Device or Netbook) Award (2009)[39]
CES Innovations Award (Enabling Technologies) Winner (2010)[40]
Mobile World Congress "Global Mobile" Award: Best Mobile Connected Device (2010)[41]
Novatel 4G MiFi
Consumer Electronics Show 2011, Notebook Accessories Category: Best in Show[42]
2010 World Communication Award (WCA) for Best Mobile Device Strategy[42]
Mobile Village Mobile Star Award for Best Laptop or Tablet Accessory[42]
Security Issues
In January 2010, two major security holes were discovered with the Novatel MiFi 2200 which, if properly exploited, could allow a malicious user to obtain the device's current GPS location and security keys. If the malicious user were physically close enough to use the device's Wi-Fi signal, this could give access to the MiFi's 3G connection as well as any other connected devices.[43] Novatel responded that a security patch would be available in February 2010.[44]
The popularity of MiFi devices can also be problematic for corporate network security. Corporations generally expect to control on-site Internet access: many use firewalls to reduce the risk of malware, and some enforce restrictions aimed at employee productivity. Personal mobile hotspots may provide a "back door" by which employees can circumvent these precautions.[45]
Recall
In May 2010, the Mifi 2372 was recalled in Canada by Bell Mobility and Rogers Communications.[46] In two documented cases, difficulty of opening the MiFi battery compartment had caused customers to use levels of force that caused physical damage to the batteries, which then overheated. Novatel replaced the recalled units with ones with a battery compartment that was easier to open.
Radio interference at trade shows
At two major trade shows in 2010—Google's first public demo of Google TV and the iPhone 4 demonstrations at the 2010 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference—keynote presentations using available Wi-Fi connectivity were disrupted by network unreliability. The problem was traced to massive radio interference, caused by the popularity of MiFi and similar devices for "liveblogging" from the trade show floor. Apple CEOSteve Jobs said that 570 different Wi-Fi networks ("several hundred" being MiFis[47]) had been operating simultaneously in the Apple exhibit hall.[48][49]
