Backup internet for working from home

For most people who work from home, a phone hotspot is the cheapest backup, as long as you get good mobile signal at your desk and your plan includes enough hotspot data. If outages happen often, or a dropped call costs you real money, get a separate 5G or 4G connection and a dual-WAN router that switches to it automatically. Whatever you choose, the backup must not depend on the same thing that's failing: the same cable, the same provider or the same power supply.

How much speed a backup needs

A backup doesn't need to match your main plan. It only has to handle the work you can't put off: video calls, chat, email and a VPN. Upload matters most. Webex, for example, uses up to 3.0 Mbps upload and 2.5 Mbps download for HD video, according to the Webex Help Center, and other meeting apps are in the same range. Internet speed for Webex explains how to plan for more than one person.

So a backup that gives you a steady 10 Mbps upload and reasonable ping covers one person on calls, with room for other work. Large uploads and big downloads can wait until your main connection comes back. For a full picture of what a home office uses, see internet speed for working from home.

Your options

Phone hotspot

You probably already have it, and it takes seconds to turn on.

• Good for: occasional outages of a few hours.
• Check first: how much hotspot data your plan includes, and whether hotspot speed is limited. Carriers set separate rules for hotspot use, so read your plan's details.
• Tips: a USB cable connection is often more stable than a Wi-Fi hotspot and keeps your phone charged. Put the phone near a window if signal is weak.

Mobile signal changes from room to room. Test it at your desk before you need it. Why is my hotspot slow? covers the common problems.

A separate mobile connection

A dedicated mobile hotspot device, a 4G or 5G router, or a 5G home internet plan gives you a backup that doesn't drain your phone.

• Good for: frequent outages, or if your job depends on being online.
• Choose a different network from your phone's carrier if you can, so one mobile outage doesn't take out both.
• Watch for: data limits on backup plans, and speeds that drop when the cell tower is busy.

5G home internet speed explains what to expect from 5G, which is fast enough to work as a main connection in some areas.

A second wired connection

Two wired providers, such as fiber and cable, give you the most capacity and the best ping. It's also the most expensive choice, and both lines may run along the same street. A single cut cable or construction accident can take out both.

Satellite

Satellite works almost anywhere you can see the sky. Starlink's specifications say users typically get 25 to 220 Mbps download, 5 to 20 Mbps upload and 25 to 60 ms latency on land. That's more than enough for calls. It's a good fit for rural homes with poor mobile signal, though the hardware and monthly cost make it a big step up from a hotspot.

How the options compare

Option	Upfront cost	Switches over automatically	Shares a failure point with your main line?
Phone hotspot	None	No	Only in a wide-area outage
Mobile hotspot or 5G router	Low to medium	With a dual-WAN router	Only if it's the same carrier as your phone
Second wired provider	Medium to high	With a dual-WAN router	Sometimes, if both lines share a route
Satellite	High	With a dual-WAN router	Rarely

Automatic failover with a dual-WAN router

A dual-WAN router has two internet ports, or one internet port plus a USB or built-in mobile modem. You plug in your main connection and your backup. When the router sees that the main line has stopped working, it moves your traffic to the backup, and moves it back when the main line recovers.

What to know before you buy:

• There will still be a short break. Your public IP address changes when the router switches, so calls, VPNs and remote desktop sessions drop and reconnect.
• Check how it detects failures. Better routers test a real internet address regularly, not just whether the modem is plugged in.
• Use backup data carefully. Stop phones and PCs from downloading updates while you're on backup. On Windows, set the connection as a metered connection in its network settings.

If you'd rather not buy new hardware, switching manually is fine. Keep the hotspot ready, and connect your laptop to it when the main line goes down.

Don't forget power

Many outages are power cuts. A small UPS (battery backup) for the modem and router keeps your internet running through short power cuts, as long as your ISP's equipment outside still has power. Keep your laptop charged and a phone power bank ready, so a hotspot can last as long as you need it.

Test your backup before you need it

Once a month, switch to your backup and run the SpeedMetric speed test from your desk. Check that upload is comfortably above what your calls need, and that ping and jitter are stable. If your main line fails and you're not sure whether it's an outage or your equipment, follow how to check if your internet is down first. A restart may get you back online faster than switching to backup.