How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (2024)

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (1)
  • Personal hotspots and mobile hotspots provide fast internet on the go, but they’re prone to connection issues, just like Wi-Fi at home or on a public network.
  • You can resolve most hotspot issues with simple solutions like restarting your phone or turning off battery-saving mode.
  • Fixing hotspots differs across all devices (iOS and Android), and device versions might also be a factor.

Hotspots are great when you need quick access to the internet, but there are times when connecting to it can go awry. Just like home Wi-Fi, personal and phone hotspots are prone to network issues. We’ve looked into common hotspot issues you may encounter and provided some tips and tricks to help you get back into your network.

Personal Hotspots vs. Phone Hotspots

A phone hotspot is exactly as the name states: It’s a hotspot hosted on a smartphone. On the other hand, personal hotspots use a dedicated device to set up a hotspot using a cellular network. It’s important to know which device you’re using to host your hotspot before troubleshooting.


Hot Names for Hotspots: There are alternative names for personal and phone hotspots. Personal hotspots are also called “mobile hotspots,” while phone hotspots can be called “cellular hotspots” or “phone tethering.”

Reasons Why Your Hotspot Isn’t Working

There are many reasons why your hotspot may not be working. If you’ve turned on your hotspot but can’t connect to it, then it may be because of one of the following reasons:

  • Your device is in battery-saving mode. Hotspots use cellular data to function, so having your phone reserve battery might interfere with its ability to connect to other devices.
  • You’ve reached your data limit. If your hotspot plan has a data cap, reaching or exceeding your data limit will prevent you from properly hosting a personal or phone hotspot.
  • Your device needs a software update. Some smartphones delay phone updates until the user manually restarts their phone. Keeping your phone up to date means less hassle when troubleshooting your hotspot.

Common Fixes for Hotspot Issues

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (2)

You don’t have to be an IT professional to fix your hotspot. Rather, several common fixes for hotspots can get them working almost immediately. Below, we break down all the ways you can quickly fix your hotspot, whether it’s a personal hotspot or a hotspot on your iPhone or Android smartphone.

Make Sure Your Hotspot Is Turned On

While it might seem like a no-brainer, it’s easy to toggle your hotspot off or on with the tap of a finger or a click of a button. Ensure it’s on first before worrying about anything else.

For iPhone and iPad

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (3)
  1. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot.
  2. Toggle Allow Others to Join to enable your iPhone or iPad hotspot.

For Android

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (4)
  1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering.
  2. Toggle Wi-Fi hotspot on to enable your phone’s hotspot.

Choose Your Connection Method: There are multiple ways that iOS and Android devices can connect to a hotspot. If connecting via Wi-Fi doesn’t work, try using Bluetooth or USB tethering.

Check Your Data Usage

If you have a data cap on your cellular plan, it could be why your hotspot is running slow or not working correctly. Make sure you still have enough hotspot data remaining in your monthly cycle by checking your cellular data settings.

For iPhone and iPad

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (5)
  1. Go to Settings > Cellular.
  2. Check to see if you’ve reached or exceeded your monthly data cap (if your plan has one).

For Android

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (6)
  1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet.
  2. Tap the cog button next to your cellular service.
  3. Check to see if you’ve reached or exceeded your monthly data cap (if your plan has one).

Turn Off Battery-Saving Mode

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android smartphone, both types of operating systems have built-in battery-saving modes that can prevent you from using your hotspot to its full capability. Make sure your phone is charged and this mode is not active to get the most from your hotspot.

For iPhone and iPad

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (7)
  1. Go to Settings > Battery.
  2. If Low Power Mode is on, toggle it off. You can also go to your phone’s control center to check if Power saving is enabled. If it is, toggle it off.

For Android

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (8)
  1. From your home screen, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver.
  2. If Use Battery Saver is on, toggle it off.

Update Your Phone to the Latest Software

Software changes on your phone can make advanced features, such as hotspots, more effective. Always update your phone with the latest software to get the most out of your hotspot.

For iPhone and iPad

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (9)
  1. From your home screen, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. Choose the updates that you want to install and tap Install Now. Some updates might require that you enter a password before installing.
  3. You can also toggle Automatic Updates to On to always stay up to date.

For Android

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  1. From your home screen, go to Settings > System > System update.
  2. Tap Check for update to see if there are any new updates.

Other Fixes for Hotspot Issues

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (11)

While the methods above are good fixes for hotspots (especially hotspots through a phone), they might not get your hotspot up and running. If you need another solution, try some of these other fixes for hotspot issues.

Restart Your Device

You can solve some hotspot issues by simply restarting your phone. Alternatively, you can turn on Airplane Mode and then turn it back off to reset your network connection. This way, you can reset your device without turning it off completely.

Use the 2.4 GHz Frequency for Your Hotspot

If your hotspot uses the 5 GHz frequency, changing to the 2.4 GHz frequency might help smooth out your connection and prevent your devices from disconnecting. The 2.4 GHz frequency has better connection capabilities, though it is much slower than the 5 GHz band.

Reset Your Network Settings

In a few cases, resetting your network settings could also fix hotspot issues. Try forgetting your current network in the settings and reconnecting to it with your credentials. This process works for both iOS and Android devices.

Make Sure Your Phone Is Not Connecting to Other Networks

If you see that your hotspot is on but you don’t see your device, check to see if your device is connected to another network. If it is, disconnect from that network and connect to your hotspot using the password provided by the hotspot owner.

See If Your Device Is Within the Hotspot Range

Where you set up your hotspot determines its connection range. If your phone suddenly disconnects from the hotspot, check to see if your device is within range of the hotspot. Moving closer to the hotspot might help solve connection issues.

Move Any Objects That May Interfere With the Connection

Solid walls or other objects may interfere with your hotspot’s connection. Move any objects between you and the hotspot device away if you can. You can also move your hotspot device to a different location free of interfering objects.

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com (2024)

FAQs

How to Fix a Hotspot That's Not Working | BroadbandNow.com? ›

Restart Your Device

How to fix hotspot not working? ›

Verify standard Android device settings
  1. Verify mobile data is enabled and ensure healthy network coverage bars are at the top.
  2. Turn off power saver mode on the user's device.
  3. Turn off data saver mode.
  4. Disable the device's VPN.
  5. Set a higher data limit for the user's device.
  6. Change to a different Wi-Fi band.
Jun 5, 2023

How to reset a hotspot? ›

There are a couple of different ways to reset your hotspot device, the quickest and easiest method is to use hardware buttons. In this case, you'll simply find and press the reset button, located on the back of your hotspot or underneath its battery cover.

Why is my hotspot not working, connected but no internet? ›

Verify your WiFi password and other settings

Sometimes the wrong information can be cached, or the settings can become corrupted, leading to having your hotspot connected but no internet. On your computer, head to your WiFi connection settings and delete the profile associated with your hotspot.

How do I fix my bad WiFi hotspot? ›

How to fix a hotspot that is not working
  1. Restart and turn off battery saving mode. A simple restart can solve more problems than you think. ...
  2. Adjust your Wi-Fi or VPN settings. ...
  3. Check for software updates. ...
  4. Lower the frequency band on your phone. ...
  5. Reset your network settings.
Feb 25, 2023

How do I get my hotspot back to work? ›

On an Android phone, open your settings and tap Connections. Select Hotspot & tethering and toggle on Mobile hotspot.

How to reset T-mobile hotspot box? ›

Turn the device on. Insert a paperclip into the Factory Reset Pinhole. Press the Factory Reset Pinhole for 6 seconds and release. The device will reset and restart.

Why is my personal hotspot disabled? ›

Check that Personal Hotspot is turned on in Settings > Personal Hotspot. If you can't find or turn on Personal Hotspot, check that your wireless carrier enabled it and that your wireless plan supports it.

How do I fix no network connection? ›

Try these common fixes first.
  1. Restart your router. This fix works so often that it's always worth trying first. ...
  2. Switch Wi-Fi bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) ...
  3. Test your Wi-Fi on different devices. ...
  4. Try a different Ethernet cable. ...
  5. Improve the position of your device and/or router.
Jan 4, 2024

How do I fix no service on my hotspot? ›

Restart the Hotspot device or phone. Restart the devices you are trying to connect to the Hotspot. Delete the Wi-Fi profile on the connecting device and re-add it.

How to reset network settings? ›

Network reset removes any network adapters you have installed and the settings for them. After your PC restarts, any network adapters are reinstalled, and the settings for them are set to the defaults. Select Start > Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset.

Why does it say "connected but no internet"? ›

There can be a number of reasons for having no internet, even when the Wi-Fi symbol shows that you're connected. The most common cause is a problem with your router or modem, or a loose cable, but your internet can also fail because of a more technical reason.

How do you reset or reboot your hotspot? ›

Remove the back cover by using the space provided on the corner of the hotspot and lifting the cover up. Locate the RESET button below the battery compartment. Using a paper clip or other pointed object, press and hold the RESET button for 5 seconds. Your Mobile Hotspot will be reset.

How do I get my hotspot to work better? ›

  1. Improve your cell reception. Hotspots receive their internet signal from cell towers, causing your cell reception to have a big impact on your hotspot speeds. ...
  2. Stay close to the hotspot. ...
  3. Eliminate Wi-Fi obstructions and interference. ...
  4. Make sure you're not out of data. ...
  5. Update everything. ...
  6. Restart everything. ...
  7. Related articles.
Oct 23, 2023

Why there is error in hotspot connection? ›

There are numerous reason the a hotspot to produce an error: Insufficient signal strength: If your mobile device is not getting a strong enough signal from your mobile network, it may not be able to activate the hotspot feature. Check the signal strength on your device and move to an area with better signal coverage.

Why isn't my T-Mobile hotspot working? ›

Ensure hotspot is plugged in to charger and powered on (Make sure to use the charger that came with hotspot) Ensure hotspot has at least 3 bars of service (move closer to window to improve service) Ensure you are within 15 feet of the hotspot Restart your Chromebook, iPad, or laptop and try to connect again Ensure ...

Why is my hotspot saved but not connected? ›

It might also be an issue of how many devices you can connect to said router or a device limit imposed by the router settings, etc. Check the password, check the auto connect, then check the router settings. First check your signal strength, if it's poor, move closer to the router.

Why is my T-Mobile hotspot blinking green? ›

When the green LED is blinking, your Franklin T9 Hotspot is powered on and operating normally.

Why is my mobile data not working? ›

A no-data connection error can result from a basic software glitch, damaged hardware, or even a network-wide outage that renders the entire mobile network unavailable.

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