How to Fix Android Hotspot Not Working?.
Most of us are constantly connected to the Internet, and losing this connection can be frustrating, especially if you need it to work. If your internet connection isn’t working and you don’t have Wi-Fi access, it’s usually best to use someone else’s hotspot.
But what happens when your access point is down? In this article, we’ll take a look at the 10 best solutions to get you hotspot up and running again.
Please note that this article is for Android. Read our other guide if you’re having problems with your iPhone hotspot.
1. Check Your Internet Connection
The first thing to check is that the internet connection is working on the device that is using the hotspot.
The fastest way to test your connection is to load a web page in a browser. If that doesn’t work, then you need to troubleshoot your internet connection. For example, you have reached your limit (depending on your data plan) or there is a crash in your area.
2. Restart the Wi-Fi Connection
The easiest way to restart your phone’s wireless functionality is to briefly turn on airplane mode. This can often help you troubleshoot your hotspot errors.
To turn on airplane mode, drag down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel. Select the airplane mode icon (small plane). Disable airplane mode after 30 seconds and check if your hotspot is working.
You must do this on both the receiving and sending devices, as the problem can occur on either of them.
3. Restart Your Phone
Many of us use our phones for days or weeks, accumulating multiple running programs in the background, which slows down your phone’s processing speed. This can sometimes cause bugs or errors. Often times, restarting your phone is enough to clear these errors and refresh your phone.
To restart your phone, hold down the power button for a few seconds. When the pop-up window appears, select “Disable”. Wait 30 seconds, then restart your phone and check if the hotspot is now working.
4. Turn Off Battery Saver
Several Android users have noted that Battery Saving Mode can affect connectivity to your hotspot. While it shouldn’t, it’s worth trying as it can be a quick fix for hotspot problems.
To turn off Battery Saver:
Open “Settings” and click “Connections”.
Select “Mobile Hotspot and Tethering”.
Tap Mobile Hotspot.
Tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the menu and select “Configure Mobile Hotspot”.
Disable power saving mode.
It has also been reported that the data save mode sometimes affects the operation of the access point. To turn it off:
Open settings Select Connections.
Again Select “Data Usage”.
Disable the use of traffic saving mode.
5. Turn Off Your VPN
Virtual private networks (VPNs) can affect your internet speed and cause Android hotspot connection problems. While they are great for protecting your online privacy, you can try turning them off when you need to use a hotspot and then re-enabling them.
To turn off VPN, you can directly open the VPN app and turn it off. Otherwise, follow these steps:
Open settings. Select Connections. Again select Advanced Connection Options.
Select VPN, then disable all active VPNs.
6. Turn Off Automatic Hotspot Switching
Automatic hotspot switching is a feature included in recent Android versions. When turned on, if no device is connected to the access point for several minutes, it will deactivate the access point. This can periodically disable your hotspot as your phone has been in standby mode for too long. To turn it off:
Open settings. Select Connections> Mobile Hotspot & Tethering.
Again Select “Mobile Hotspot”.
Select Turn off hotspot automatically.
Note. Some models do not have this option.
7. Check Your Wi-Fi Band
Some of the latest Android phones support the 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. However, older phones cannot access the 5GHz frequency. If your phone can only receive the 2.4 GHz band, make sure your access point is set to the standard 2.4 GHz band.
To do this:
Open “Settings” and click “Connections”. Select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Click Mobile Hotspot. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the menu and select “Configure Mobile Hotspot”.
Select Use 5 GHz band if available, or 5 GHz preferred.
Note. Not all Android phones support this feature.
8. Create a New Hotspot Without a Password
One last thing to try is to create a new hotspot without password protection. While password protection is generally recommended, it can cause problems and prevent connectivity. To see if this is the case:
Go to Settings> Connections. Select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering. Again Select Mobile Hotspot. Select Password. Remove any password and select “Save”.
We recommend changing the hotspot name to avoid memory problems for your device on this network. If your Android can now connect to a hotspot, you should add password protection to prevent security threats to your device.
9. Try Bluetooth Tethering
You might want to try a Bluetooth tethering instead of a Wi-Fi hotspot as a last resort. This is another way to share your internet with others, and the only drawback is that it is slower. If you want the internet, it’s worth giving it a try.
Open settings. Select Network & Internet> Mobile Hotspot & Tethering. Turn on your Bluetooth tethering.
10. Check Your Receiving Device
If none of the above helps, the problem with the receiving device might be a software or hardware issue. If possible, try connecting to a different hotspot or Wi-Fi to make sure your device is working properly. Or see if another device, such as a laptop or another phone, can connect to the hotspot.
If possible, the problem is most likely with the receiving device. You can factory reset your phone to completely update the software. Restoring to factory settings will erase all of your data, so please make a backup beforehand.
To restore your phone to factory settings:
Open settings. Go to general guide.
Select Reset.
Select “Factory data reset”.
Scroll down and select “Reset”.
Back Online
There is nothing worse than no internet, especially if you need to work or urgently contact someone. Hopefully one of our solutions fixed the not working access point issue. Otherwise, the problem is most likely hardware related and you need to take it to the nearest repair center (and hopefully get a free replacement!).
If this article helped you or you have another fix, please let us know in the comments below!
How to Fix Android Hotspot Not Working?
How to Fix Android Hotspot Not Working?