Can A PS4 Connect To 5G? (Solved!)
Being a gamer without access to high-speed internet can be a tough time.
Some of the modern consoles can’t even take a disk, meaning you’ll have to download all your games directly to the console itself.
Cellular data, whether it be 4G LTE or 5G, can help benefit the gamer without a reliable internet connection.
Cellular data is perfectly capable of providing a good online gaming experience, and you can even download games and update your console if you have enough data.
However, a PlayStation 4 can’t connect to 5G or other cellular data options on its own. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a workaround though.
You can use your phone as a mobile hotspot to connect your PlayStation 4 to 5G networks.
In order to do this you require either a mobile phone with hotspot capabilities or a special device from your cellular data provider.
Keep reading to learn exactly how to set your phone up to share its data connection with your PlayStation 4.
Can A PS4 Connect To 5G? (Solved!)
The PlayStation 4 cannot directly connect to 5G. It doesn’t have a cellular data option. Besides, even if it did, you would have to pay a separate monthly subscription to have a 5G connection on the PlayStation 4.
However, this doesn’t mean all hope is lost. You can use your current 5G or 4G LTE phone to share its connection directly with the PlayStation 4.
Almost all phones have the capability of sharing their mobile data with other devices.
All modern iPhones have these features, and the majority of Android devices have it too.
Learn exactly how to do this below.
Your Phone’s Hotspot Feature
First, visit your phone’s settings app. Locate the connections or data setting within the settings app and open it up.
Familiarize yourself with all of the different options.
They will be important for troubleshooting later.
You will see “Mobile Hotspot” or “Tethering” inside this options menu.
Take a few moments to browse this section of the phone.
There are options to name your connection, change the password, and even select 5Ghz mode.
5Ghz connections will provide higher speeds, but the signal isn’t as strong.
In addition, the original PlayStation 4 does not support 5Ghz, but the slim model does.
Once you are familiar with the various settings of your phone’s mobile hotspot you can turn it on.
Mobile hotspots will drain your battery faster, so it’s a good idea to have your phone plugged in.
Also, be wary of roaming options. Mobile hotspot often is not available if you aren’t connected to your carrier’s native towers.
Connecting your PlayStation 4 to your Hotspot
It’s time to connect your PlayStation 4 to your phone’s mobile hotspot now.
Turn the PlayStation 4 on and navigate to the Settings app from the home screen.
Scroll down to network and click it. Select setup internet connection now. Select easy and WiFi.
Here, you will find the name you’ve given to your mobile hotspot.
Enter the password you created after selecting your mobile hotspot’s name.
If all goes well, the connection should be made after a few verification screens.
What if my Mobile Hotspot Doesn’t Show up?
Sometimes the network’s name doesn’t appear under the automatic setup option. The good news is, there is a simple fix for this.
You’ll just have to enter the name of your network manually.
Return to the networks menu in your settings app. Select WiFi again, but this time select custom instead of easy.
Select automatic IP address settings. Click “Do Not Specify” under the DHCP hostname.
Enter Google’s of “8.8.8.8” as your DNS. Select “Do Not Use Proxy.” Alternatively, you can use the open DNS, which is 208.67.222.222.
Use this string of numbers for both the primary and secondary.
The PlayStation 4 will now ask you for an SSID. This is simply the name you’ve given to your mobile hotspot.
Enter the name of the network exactly how you’ve entered it into your phone.
The PlayStation 4 will now test your internet connection and display the download and upload speed you’ll be getting.
Advantages Vs Disadvantages
A cellular hotspot, in most cases, isn’t going to be better than a home internet connection.
It isn’t as stable, it typically doesn’t have as good of download and upload speeds, and it has limited data.
Advantages
Your cellular hotspot will often be better than a hotel broadband connection.
Hotels typically don’t have a lot of bandwidth, and there are hundreds of people on the connection at once, making it almost impossible to play games.
Setting up your mobile hotspot also means you can game when no internet options are available at all.
Disadvantages
Most cellular data hotspot plans come with limited data allowances. Consoles, especially with game downloads and updates, absolutely eat through data.
This means a mobile hotspot should exclusively be used to play games and not to download new ones.
The connection is also inconsistent when moving.
This means if you intended to pair your PS4 with a small TV and game on the go, such as in an RV, you will likely experience constant internet loss.
Buildings, mountains, and even dense trees can interfere with cellular data connections.
You also can’t use remote play via cellular data. The PlayStation 4 will detect that it is using cellular data and not true WiFi, stopping remote play from working at all, even if your cellular data plan has the required data speeds to play.
Alternative Hotspots
Cellular data providers often offer a standalone device for mobile hotspot.
These devices can be added on to your bill and used to power your PlayStation 4’s internet connection.
Depending on the carrier, you can even get unlimited data on these devices.
This means you will be able to download as many games and updates as you want without worrying about running out of data.
These devices suffer from the same problems your mobile phone’s hotspot will experience though.
It will still have problems staying connected on the move and fall victim to obstructions like trees and buildings.
There are also hotspot devices for vehicles.
These hotspot devices plug into the vehicle’s diagnostic plug, providing internet to everyone in the car.
These are available from many cellular data providers as well.