Smart phone use as a wi-fi "hot spot"

We have two phones with hotspots, a phone that only tethers, a air card that plugs right into the computer and two hotspots. Except that they are on diffeent carriers, you can't tell the difference in use.

Now it's harder to put the aircard or tethered phone any distance away where it may get a better signal. On the other hand they have no wireless to be hacked into either.