[cabmandone]

You can secure a hotspot like you do your wifi with a password. Otherwise I think it's just an unsecured network. You open the hotspot (providing your plan allows for wifi hotspot) then refresh the wifi networks on the laptop and Iphone or whatever android based phone you use shows up. Connect to that network. It might warn you that you're connecting to a "metered network" or if no password is set, an unsecured network.