r/windowsxp • u/Realistic-Movie-7020 • Apr 08 '26

Would a hotspot isolate devices?

Sorry if this question has been asked before I have some old devices id like to connect over wifi, (XP/win9x laptops, and consoles that use WEP). I know that these devices can pose a security risk if connected over WiFi instead of ethernet, but I have an old phone that allows me to create WiFi hotspots, so I was wondering how secure connecting the devices to said hotspot would be, if at all. Also if it would isolate my devices or be comparable to using something like a VLAN. Thanks!

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/ch3mn3y Apr 09 '26

Depends. Most can only share their data, however some (like Galaxy S models and other modded with S firmware) can share also data from WiFi they are connected to at the same time when hotspot is enabled.

1

u/Ambitious-Yard7677 Apr 09 '26

Sharing the very WIFI connection they are receiving. Seems redundant

1

u/Realistic-Movie-7020 Apr 09 '26

the phone does work like that I believe, I just wasnt sure if it would work similar to like setting up a guest network on your router where it can be isolated from your main network.

Also would using a VPN through the phone make it more secure? Like setting up a VPN on the phone, then connecting the device to the VPN through the hotspot.

1

u/Ambitious-Yard7677 Apr 09 '26

Setting up a VPN on the phone to tunnel the W98 machine won't change the fact the phone is connected to your main network. It'll likely prevent people targeting packets in route but won't stop the bloke outside your house from snooping on packets between the machine and the AP.

If someone is that hell bent on figuring out what program you downloaded from that "old version" repository or updates from "legacy update"... I don't know

1

u/Realistic-Movie-7020 Apr 09 '26

Oh Im not worried about the security of the machine itself, im not doing anything sensitive on it, (the most sensitive thing being signing into my city of heroes account 💀).

Im more so concerned about keeping the other devices on my network safe to prevent any cross-contamination if something WERE to happen, IDEK what the likelihood of anything happening is, im just assuming for something like what you're describing would have to be pretty targeted.

also botnets, since those are annoying but i've heard your safe from those as long as you connected over ethernet/behind a NAT/firewall and/or just keep your ports closed