With the Chromecast we can view streaming videos and videos saved in the memory of our smartphone directly on the TV, without having to configure Miracast each time or get a compatible Smart TV. The Chromecast is accessible to all devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network or to the same modem but if we do not want to provide the Wi-Fi password to guests who come home, in this guide we will show you how to activate guest mode on Chromecast, accessible without having to provide any network password; in this way we will be able to exploit its potential by keeping the other network devices safe (which will be invisible to our guests).
In the second part of the guide we will show you instead how to use the Chromecast when traveling and / or when we are at the hotel, bypassing the limits of public Wi-Fi hotspots or the network provided by the hotel.
ALSO READ: Chromecast guide with 16 tricks and applications to use it to the fullest
How to activate guest mode on Chromecast
To activate the guest mode on the Chromecast, get a smartphone connected to the Wi-Fi network where the Chromecast is present and install the app on it Google Home, available for Android and iOS. Once the app is installed, open it, tap on the Chromecast device already configured, press the gear icon located at the top right, open the menu Guest mode and enable the voice of the same name.
After activation we will not have to do anything else, the Chromecast is immediately ready to receive multimedia streams from compatible smartphones, even if not connected to the Wi-Fi network to which the Google dongle is connected.
To be able to send a video or a stream in streaming from a guest phone, it is sufficient to be connected to the Internet (via LTE or another Wi-Fi network) to open an app compatible with Chromecast (for example YouTube) and, as soon as it appears at the top the symbol Broadcast, we tap on it and select Device nearby.
Pairing requires entering the PIN code, generated by the Chromecast within the Google Home app or visible at the top right of the screen to which the dongle is connected (without any video playing).
The PIN code is changed automatically every day, so that every device connected up to that moment will necessarily have to see the new PIN in order to re-access the Chromecast.
If we no longer want to take advantage of the guest mode, simply re-enter the menu seen above and deactivate the check mark.
NOTE: : if the Chromecast is not visible to guests in the house, let's make sure we're close enough to it (for the first connection we recommend less than 5 meters) and check that you are connected to the Internet, that you have the GPS active (in High precision) and to activate Bluetooth, so as to be able to find the Chromecast present in the room even without a Wi-Fi network.
How to use the Chromecast in the hotel or on the go
Guest mode could also be used when we travel and go to a hotel room, so you can watch the movies and streaming streams saved on the hotel TV.Unfortunately, in this case there is a technical drawback, namely that the Chromecast must still be connected to a Wi-Fi network with Internet access in order to function properly.
To use the Chromecast in a hotel or while traveling without connecting to unsafe hotspot networks or networks shared with other users, we recommend that you use the hotspot of our smartphone for the purpose, as well described in our guides on how to activate hotspot on iPhone or as use hotspot on android.
Once the hotspot has been activated on the smartphone, let's "use it" to connect the Chromecast to the Internet, so as to unlock all its features; once connected, simply activate the Guest mode on it to be able to transmit our videos, our channels and streaming contents from the phone to the TV, without having to go through the Wi-Fi network of the hotel (which we can easily ignore when we use the Chromecast).
Thanks to the Hotspot apps for Android this functionality of using the Chromecast from the cellular data network can become easier and more effective.
A good alternative to the method just seen provides for use (when we travel) of a portable LTE router, so as to be able to connect the smartphone and the Chromecast to the same Wi-Fi network in a classic way, eliminating the need to use the Guest mode.
One of the best portable routers that we can use for the purpose is the Huawei E5573Cs-322 150 MBps WiFi Router (47 €).
By inserting a SIM with adequate data offer (at least 20 GB to take advantage of streaming streams and watch videos online) and by charging the internal battery (lasting several hours), we will have a personal Wi-Fi network to connect the smartphone, the Chromecast and any other device which requires a personal and non-interceptable Internet connection.
The connection speed is linked to the LTE signal: the stronger the signal, the faster the connected devices will navigate.
If we want to look at alternative LTE routers to Huawei, we invite you to read our guide to Best portable wifi, 3G and 4G LTE routers, even for travel. If the destination of the trip is abroad, we recommend that you read the warnings contained in the article on Costs for Internet data roaming, SMS and calls abroad.
Conclusions
With the Chromecast guest mode we will be able to offer the Google dongle also to guests who come to our home, without necessarily having to provide the Wi-Fi password; if we really want provide a Wi-Fi network to guests, we advise you to configure a guest network from the modem or router present in the house.If we are traveling, it can be very useful to use the guest mode to quickly connect to the Chromecast without going through the hotel hotspot, but we will have to learn how to use the phone's Wi-Fi hotspot or get an LTE travel router (very convenient and practical).
Se durante il viaggio (specie all'estero) vogliamo vedere i canali televisivi el paeseni, vi raccomandiamo di leggere la guida su How to see TV channels on Chromecast (without antenna), so you can view the country's television channels anywhere in the world (watch out for mobile data consumption!).
If, on the other hand, we notice that the video or audio on the Chromecast proceeds jerkily or does not work as it should, we can try to solve by reading our guide on Chromecast doesn't work or jerks: how to fix.
