Smartphone charging station connectivity

A method relaying wireless local area network (WLAN) communication by a charging station, the method comprising:

• detecting, by the charging station, a coupling or a connection to a user device;
• in response to detecting the coupling or the connection to the user device, configuring power and charging circuitry to charge a battery of the user device;
• configuring WLAN radio circuitry of the charging station to relay one or more WLAN communications sent and received to and from the user device, the WLAN radio circuitry configured to provide a greater antenna gain than one or more antennas included in the user device;
• and
• relaying the one or more WLAN communications between the user device and one or more devices connected to a wireless local area network effective to enhance one or more or a range, reliability, or throughput of the one or more WLAN communications.

A user device comprising:

• a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory comprising instructions for a communication manager application, the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the user device to:
• detect a connection or a coupling of the user device to a charging station;
• in response to the detection, configure the WLAN transceiver as a WLAN access point;
• and
• relay one or more WLAN communications with a wireless local area network using the charging station, the charging station having WLAN radio circuitry configured to provide a greater antenna gain than one or more antennas included in the user device.