Everything You Can Do with a Fire TV Stick without Wi-Fi
It can seem pointless to try and use your Fire Stick when you don’t have a home Wi-Fi connection, but the device still has its uses, in fact, you might be surprised at what you can still do with it. As it was noted above, you can still watch content on some of the pre-installed apps, however, the number of available programs is limited. There are other things you can do with your Fire TV Stick despite not having an internet connection, including not only what’s listed below, but also it can be used to connect to a projector, which we have a full guide on how to do.
Use Kodi with a Fire Stick
Kodi is a popular content streaming platform that is compatible with Fire TV Stick. The app is easy to download and install its content on your Fire Stick. Once the app is installed you can watch Kodi’s movies and shows as each one is downloaded. You can watch the content you’ve downloaded offline, but without an internet connection, you can’t access Kodi’s online library.
Play Android Games
Not all games, once downloaded, need an internet connection. If there are games you want to play but don’t want to pay for Wi-Fi, you can download them onto the Fire Stick. Once you’ve installed the game, you can use the Fire Stick to play them on your television. However, if the game requires an internet connection during play it won’t work on the Fire TV Stick.
Use Other Apps Through the Fire TV Stick
Without an internet connection, you won’t see the Prime Video home screen but you can still access some of the apps. It does take a couple of steps, but it’s necessary if you want to watch the included content. If the app doesn’t need Wi-Fi, you can use Device Settings to see what your options are. The steps are simple, but you will still only be able to pick and choose from the content and apps that do not need an internet connection.
Use a Hot Spot
Chances are you have at least one device that also functions as a hot spot. If you don’t have the dedicated equipment, your smartphone will also work. It’s not hard to use your mobile device to connect your Fire TV Stick to the internet, and you’ll have access to all of the included movies, shows, and games. Before you use your mobile device as a Wi-Fi hotspot for a Fire Stick, it’s a good idea to find out what your data usage limits are. You’ll also want to find out how expensive it is to go over your data plan because some retailers will let you increase the GB on your phone plan, but not all of them. In other words, it’s possible that it’s actually cheaper to have Wi-Fi installed in the home.
Subscribe to Freetime Unlimited
FreeTime Unlimited is a yearly subscription service that’s affordable and great for families with kids and no internet. Children, and adults, can read online books, play games, and watch movies that you’ve previously downloaded. You will need to create a hotspot if you don’t have Wi-Fi or turn yours on to download the content. Once the installation is complete, you can disable the internet connection. It’s a safe way to let children use a Fire TV Stick, while still controlling the content kids have access to.
Use Miracast
Your device must support Miracast and if it does, you can screen mirror from your phone to the Fire TV Stick. For example, if you’re watching a movie on your Apple device you can send the content to the television where the stick is connected. Miracast only works with specific mobile devices, primarily those with a 4.2 Android operating system and higher. You’re also using the phone’s Wi-Fi data so you’ll want to watch for over-usage fees.
Conclusion
One option is to use your mobile device for a hotspot or mirror screening, however, this may wind up costing a lot of money due to data usage rates.
