In our modern world, internet connection is available pretty much anywhere in the world. Sometimes, however, you just might not have access to a dedicated home internet connection and must rely on mobile data to get things done.
This might raise a question for many modern-day VR enthusiasts – Can you connect and use Oculus Quest / Quest 2 headset with a mobile hotspot connection?
The short answer is that yes, you can use a mobile hotspot for the Oculus Quest / Quest 2 headsets. Just make sure your mobile plan allows hotspot access and you have decent signal strength when creating the WiFi network for your headset to use.
Let’s dive into the topic in a bit more detail.
Does it Matter if You have an iPhone or an Android-Based Device?
As long as you have a smartphone that is capable of creating a hotspot, it doesn’t matter which brand mobile phone you use.
Any iPhone (iOS), Samsung, Xiaomi, or other Android-based devices will be able to create a mobile hotspot that both the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 headsets can use like any other WiFI network.
If you are unsure how to create a mobile hotspot on your specific phone, just google “[your phone brand and model] + create hotspot”. This article from PCMag.com describes how to set up hotspots for iPhone and Android devices.
How Much Mobile Data Will You Use?
Mobile plans often have a weekly/monthly limit regarding how much mobile data you can use (after which the mobile data speed is capped). If that is the case for you as well, you are quite certainly interested in how much data do the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 headsets actually use.
When installing games using a mobile hotspot, then do take into account that game/app installation file sizes might vary from ~50 MB up to several gigabytes. For example, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, one of the largest games for the Quest, is around 8 GB.
You can find more information about different game install sizes from this article.
When it comes to playing online games with your Quest / Quest 2, the data usage will of course vary from game to game. I measured the data use when playing Rec Room and based on my test, It was using about 350 MB for an hour’s worth of play.
If your mobile data is limited and you plan to play online games, I would recommend you to do a test session (10-15 minutes) and measure the data usage for the specific game. You will then at least get an estimation of what to expect for future gaming sessions.
PS! With a data usage limit on your mobile plan, streaming movies or videos (e.g Youtube) is pretty much out of the equation. You’d be surprised how quickly this can use up all your data for the month.
Network Requirements & Troubleshooting Hotspot Connection
Although most mobile service providers allow creating hotspot access by default, make sure that your mobile plan supports hotspot and you have not topped your mobile data limits
The Oculus Quest / Quest 2 headsets can also be quite picky in terms of the quality of the WiFi network. When your mobile signal strength is weak and intermittent, you are very likely to have problems with game installations and also face lagging issues within online games.
Network connection speed is not as critical (provided that the connection is generally stable). You can play several online games with your Quest / Quest 2 headset even with a connection speed of below 1Mbps.
Regarding the hotspot creation, when testing with my Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, I had to change the hotspot broadcast channel to 5GHz instead of the default 2.4Ghz. With the latter option my Quest headset, for some reason, did not find the hotspot. If you are having problems, make sure to test this out yourself.
Another sure thing to try out when your Oculus Quest / Quest 2 can’t connect or find your hotspot is to reset the network settings on your phone and recreate the hotspot. This has proven to solve various hotspot connectivity issues for so many people and might just do the same for you!
Did You Know? If you have completed the initial setup of your Quest / Quest 2 headset and pre-downloaded some games suitable for offline use, then you don’t need an internet connection at all. Both the Quest and Quest 2 headsets can work perfectly fine offline.
HARDWARE USED FOR TESTING AND WRITING THE ARTICLES:
* Meta Quest 2 (My “daily driver” headset, which I absolutely love & recommend)
* Lenovo Legion 5 Pro (AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060, 16GB RAM)
* TP-Link Archer C6 (budget dedicated router for Air Link, see my full setup tutorial)
ESSENTIAL QUEST 2 COMFORT ACCESSORIES:
* VR Cover Foam Replacement (one of the easiest & cheapest ways to improve headset comfort)
* BoboVR M2 Head Strap (reduce pressure on your head and improve the overall fit of the headset)
