Can You Use Verizon Jetpack for Home Internet?
If you already use Verizon Wireless for your phone plans, or if you are considering switching onto the Verizon network, you may be wondering if Verizon also offers any home internet options.
While Verizon does not have any satellite or cable home internet options, it does offer a type of add-on for all Verizon plan users which is the Verizon Jetpack.
Can You Use Verizon Jetpack for Home Internet?
You can use a Verizon Jetpack for your home internet. You can simultaneously connect multiple devices directly to a Verizon Jetpack over Wi-Fi, but the Jetpack cannot be used with ethernet ports and you may experience slower connection speeds after you reach a certain usage limit with your Jetpack.
A lot of people have questions about how a Verizon Jetpack works, let alone what the Jetpack really is.
Here, we look at commonly asked questions about this home internet option, like what sets it apart and whether or not it be connected as a home internet router.
What Are the Benefits of a Verizon Jetpack?
There are a lot of reasons to choose a Verizon Jetpack for your home internet option.
For one, if you already use Verizon for your phone services, you’ll find that adding a Jetpack to your plan is simple and won’t cause you any extra hassle.
Aside from that, though, you may find that a Verizon Jetpack is fairly cheap and extremely versatile.
Verizon Jetpacks Are Installation-Free
When you sign up for a Verizon Jetpack, you’ll just receive the small Jetpack device which is light, small, and transportable.
Verizon Jetpacks are meant to be portable, so you can take them anywhere you and your other devices go.
A lot of people like to have these Jetpacks so that they can take vacations or go camping and still have the security of reliable internet coming along with them.
Because they are made to be portable, Verizon Jetpacks require no installation when you bring them home.
The only setup required is turning the Jetpack on and connecting your devices to the Jetpack with the Jetpack’s provided Wi-Fi password.
If you do decide to rely on a Jetpack for your home internet, though, you may like to plug the device in and keep it constantly on in a central location in your home.
However, this is a much simpler process than the installation of some other home routers.
Verizon Jetpacks Are Inexpensive
Verizon Jetpack devices themselves may vary their price based on how new the model is, but you can usually expect the initial payment for the device to be around $99.
After that, you will just pay for the amount of data you need monthly.
If you already have a phone service plan with Verizon, you can add on a Jetpack device for as little as $10 a month.
If you have an unlimited data plan on Verizon, you can add on the Jetpack for $20 a month, and if you have an unlimited plus data plan, you can add on the device for $30 a month.
Keep in mind, though, that when you add a Jetpack onto your existing plan, you will essentially be adding another “phone line” to your plan, and that line will only get the same amount of data as the other lines on your plan.
For example, phones on a Verizon unlimited plan do technically have access to unlimited data, but internet speeds will slow down for each device after the device uses 15 gigs of data.
This same principle applies to Verizon Jetpacks, so, if you add a Jetpack to your Verizon unlimited plan, your Jetpack will have access to unlimited data, but the speed of your Jetpack’s connection will slow after it uses 15 gigs of data.
If you don’t already have a Verizon service plan, you can still get a Verizon Jetpack and a plan made just for using the Jetpack, meaning you do not have to have any other phone line on the plan to use it.
There are a couple of different stand-alone plans for Jetpack devices that all allow you access to unlimited data, but the difference between each is the point at which you will experience slower internet speeds.
These plans include:
- The “Essential” Plan for $20 a month with reduced speeds after 15 gigs used
- The “Plus” Plan for $40 a month with reduced speeds after 50 gigs used
- The “Pro” Plan for $60 a month with reduced speeds after 100 gigs used
- The “Premium” Plan for $80 a month with reduced speeds after 150 gigs used
Those who want to go beyond the “premium” plan can also add an additional 5 gigs of data to their plan for $35 a month, an additional 10 gigs of data to their plan for $70 a month, and so on.
So, unless you want to go beyond that premium plan, you can get away with using a Jetpack for your home internet for much less than $100 a month.
There are also prepaid plans for Verizon Jetpack users.
These plans offer those without a regular Verizon service plan access to a Jetpack, though these plans come with reduced connection speeds right from the start.
There are 3 types of prepaid Jetpack plans, including:
- A 6 gig plan at $35 monthly
- A 16 gig plan at $45 monthly
- A 30 gig plan at $65 monthly
What Are the Disadvantages of a Verizon Jetpack?
While Verizon Jetpacks are inexpensive and versatile, there are some downsides to choosing a Jetpack as a home internet option, such as the lack of ethernet options and the reduced speeds with the Verizon data plans.
Verizon Jetpacks Do Not Include Ethernet Options
A lot of people like to use ethernet connections at home with desktop computers and laptops.
However, Jetpacks do not come with the option of using an ethernet cable, and this may be a missing essential for those people.
Similar to an ethernet connection, though, you can connect a Jetpack to a device via a USB cable for a slightly faster connection than regular Wi-Fi.
Verizon Jetpacks Reduce Home Internet Speeds with Data Limits
While the Verizon Jetpacks do offer inexpensive service plans, those plans come with some strings.
There are no true unlimited data plans for Verizon Jetpacks, and all plans will slow down the connection speeds of the Jetpacks after a certain amount of data usage.
So, if you would like a home internet option with plenty of fast, unlimited internet access, a Jetpack may not be right for you.
However, if you’d like a cheap home internet option and do not plan to use more than a set amount of gigs per month, you may consider the Verizon Jetpack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect my Jetpack to a router?
No, you cannot connect your Verizon Jetpack to a traditional home internet router, nor can you connect devices to your Jetpack as if it were a traditional router.
However, you can connect one device at a time to the Jetpack via a USB cable for slightly faster speeds than wireless connections.
Does Verizon Jetpack have unlimited data?
Yes, you can get unlimited data Verizon service plans with a Jetpack device.
However, these plans come with reduced connection speeds after a set amount of gigs are used by the Jetpack.
What is the difference between Verizon MiFi and Jetpack?
Both Verizon MiFi and Jetpack devices are Mobile Hotspot devices that can connect multiple devices to the Verizon Wireless network at once.
However, Verizon MiFi devices are able to connect up to 30 devices, while Jetpacks are limited to 10, and are considered more suited for office use rather than home use.
Does the Verizon Jetpack have an ethernet port?
No, the Verizon Jetpack does not have an ethernet port.
However, you can connect a device to the Jetpack with a USB cable, similar to ethernet.