Accessing Your Vite Web Server on a Smartphone Using Wi-Fi Hotspot
Tags: vite, webdev, mobiletesting, testing
Published: 2024-01-15 15:07:44

Testing web applications on different devices is an essential part of web development. However, developers often face challenges such as troublesome network routing or restrictive firewall settings. A practical solution to this problem is using your smartphone's Wi-Fi hotspot to connect your development server (running on a laptop) to your testing device (the smartphone). This blog post will guide you through accessing your Vite web server on your smartphone using this method.

## Why Use a Smartphone Wi-Fi Hotspot?

- **Ease of Access**: Useful when a local network connection is not possible or when firewalls block access.
- **Mobility**: Ideal for developers who need to test on the go.
- **Network Isolation**: Reduces interference by isolating your development environment from other networks.

## Step-by-Step Guide

### Setting Up the Wi-Fi Hotspot

1. **On Your Smartphone**:
   - Navigate to your phone's settings and locate the Wi-Fi hotspot option. The specific steps vary between Android and iOS devices.
   - Activate the hotspot and set a network name (SSID) and a secure password.

### Connecting Your Laptop to the Hotspot

2. **On Your Laptop**:
   - Enable Wi-Fi and connect to your smartphone’s hotspot using the provided credentials.
   - Ensure your laptop is connected to the internet through your phone’s data connection.

### Accessing the Server on Your Smartphone

3. **Obtain the IP Address from Vite**:
   - Start your Vite server on your laptop by running the usual command (`npm run dev -- --host` or `vite --host`). Don't forget to add the "host" flag. 
   - Vite will display an Network IP address in the terminal window. This IP address is assigned to your laptop by the smartphone’s hotspot.

![Vite terminal output shows Network IP address of dev-server](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/lsi1jmk7yqk0sqnil728.png)

4. **Enter the IP Address in Your Smartphone's Browser**:
   - Open a web browser on your smartphone.
   - Enter the Network IP address provided by Vite, including the port number (e.g., `http://192.168.150.45:5173`).
   - Your Vite project should now be accessible on your smartphone.

## Tips for Efficient Testing

- **Monitor Data Usage**: Be aware of your phone’s data consumption, as development activities can use significant data.
- **Battery Consumption**: Hotspots can drain your smartphone’s battery quickly, so consider keeping it charged.
- **Security**: Use a strong password for your Wi-Fi hotspot to prevent unauthorized access.
- **Leverage Hot Reloading**: Vite's hot reloading feature will work as expected, allowing you to see code changes in real-time.

## Conclusion

Using a smartphone's Wi-Fi hotspot for connecting your Vite development server to a smartphone is a smart workaround for network and firewall limitations. This setup provides the flexibility to test your web applications effectively, regardless of your location or network conditions. Enjoy a seamless development and testing experience, anywhere and anytime!

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*You don't have network issues? Great, access the development server directly over local network: [How to open your vite dev server on mobile](https://dev.to/bhendi/how-to-open-your-vite-dev-server-on-your-mobile-k1k)*

*This Post was proudly enhanced with AI.* 🤖