Why Doesn't My Hotspot Work On My Laptop?

Laptop not connecting to a phone hotspot? Check your data plan, switch to 2.4 GHz, reset network settings, and update Wi-Fi drivers.

Your laptop refuses to join a hotspot, or it connects and drops. The good news: most cases come down to a few repeat culprits—band mismatch, drivers, plan limits, or settings. This guide walks you through fast checks first, then deeper fixes for Windows, macOS, Android, and iPhone.

Quick checks before deeper fixes

Run through these quick wins. Many connection hiccups vanish after one or two of these steps.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fast fix
Laptop sees hotspot but won’t join	Wrong password, WPA version mismatch, or band mismatch	Reenter the password, toggle the compatibility toggle on iPhone, or switch hotspot to 2.4 GHz
Connects, then drops at short intervals	Poor mobile signal or phone battery saver	Move for better signal, turn off battery saver, keep the phone charging
Hotspot name never appears	Hotspot off, hidden SSID, or phone Wi-Fi band not compatible with the laptop	Turn hotspot off/on, unhide SSID, switch to 2.4 GHz
Windows says “Can’t connect to this network”	Driver issue or cached profile conflict	Forget the network, update or roll back Wi-Fi driver, then reconnect
USB or Bluetooth tethering fails	Wrong driver or missing permission	Install the correct driver, toggle tethering mode off/on, try another cable/port
Everything works over USB, not over Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi adapter disabled or misconfigured	Enable Wi-Fi, disable Airplane Mode, and reset network settings

On Windows, the built-in troubleshooter is a smart first stop. Open Settings > Network & Internet and run the Network troubleshooter; Microsoft outlines the steps on its Wi-Fi connection help page.

Match the band and security

Older laptops often connect only at 2.4 GHz. Many phones default to 5 GHz or even 6 GHz. If your laptop can’t see the hotspot, pick 2.4 GHz in the hotspot settings. Also check the security mode. Most laptops connect happily to WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode; some choke on WPA3-only.

On Android, look for AP band inside Hotspot settings. On iPhone, turn on the compatibility toggle to prefer 2.4 GHz and WPA2 for older gear. Restart both devices after you change these options.

Forget the network and try again

Corrupt or stale Wi-Fi profiles block fresh logins. On the laptop, open your Wi-Fi list, select the hotspot, and choose Forget. Reconnect by typing the password again.

On some phones and laptops, private or randomized MAC values can confuse saved rules. Toggle the device MAC option for that SSID: set it to the real hardware MAC, reconnect, and test. Switch it back if you like once things are stable.

Refresh your wi-fi and tethering drivers

Windows updates can leave a Wi-Fi adapter in a weird state. In Device Manager, expand Network adapters, right-click your wireless adapter, and pick Update driver. If the newest driver fails, try the previous one from your laptop maker.

For USB tethering, install the phone’s USB driver or the vendor suite (Samsung brand drivers). If the laptop still won’t detect the phone, try a different cable and a USB-A port.

Confirm your plan allows tethering

Some mobile plans block or throttle hotspot data. If the laptop connects but webpages hang, sign in to your carrier account and check the plan details or usage cap. If you’ve hit a cap, speeds may drop to near-dial-up levels.

Windows fixes that solve most hotspot woes

Run the network reset

Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Network settings. Select Network reset. This removes adapters and reinstalls them with default settings. Reboot when asked, then reconnect to the hotspot.

Flush IP and DNS

Open cmd as administrator and run:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

Restart the laptop and try the hotspot again.

Turn off metered for the hotspot

Windows may treat new hotspots as metered and block background traffic. In Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, open the hotspot profile and turn off Metered connection while you test.

Mac fixes when the hotspot refuses to join

Remove the hotspot from System Settings > Wi-Fi by hitting the info icon and choosing Forget This Network. Then restart Wi-Fi. If the Mac still loops on “Incorrect password,” set the phone hotspot to 2.4 GHz with a short, letters-and-numbers password and try again.

Phone settings that often trip people up

On Android, open Settings > Network & Internet > Hotspot & tethering. Set a simple SSID, pick WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3, and pick the 2.4 GHz band if your laptop is older. Google’s hotspot help page shows menus for common Android builds.

On iPhone, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot, set a fresh password, and toggle Allow Others to Join. If nothing shows up on the laptop, switch off Personal Hotspot, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on.

Reduce interference and power limits

Keep the phone within a few feet of the laptop for the first test. Move away from crowded Wi-Fi areas and microwave ovens. Disable Bluetooth on the laptop during testing; some chipsets share antennas and lose range when Bluetooth is busy.

Pause vpn, firewall, and security apps

VPN clients and third-party firewalls can block new networks. Quit them for a minute and test. If the hotspot flows again, add the hotspot as a trusted network and reenable your tools.

Try usb or bluetooth tethering

Wi-Fi isn’t the only route. With USB, connect the phone, wake it, then enable USB tethering on the phone. With Bluetooth, pair the phone and laptop and turn on Bluetooth tethering on Android or use Personal Hotspot over Bluetooth on iPhone.

Windows mobile hotspot not working

If you’re trying to share your laptop’s internet with your phone, turn on Mobile hotspot in Settings > Network & Internet. If it starts and stops right away, restart the Windows Mobile Hotspot Service in services.msc, then set it to Automatic.

Hotspot not working on my laptop fixes

Work through this order for a clean path to success:

Switch the hotspot to 2.4 GHz and WPA2 or mixed WPA2/WPA3.
Forget the SSID on the laptop, then reconnect with the new password.
Toggle private MAC settings off for this SSID on both devices and retry.
Update or roll back the laptop’s Wi-Fi driver and reboot.
Run a Windows network reset or refresh macOS Wi-Fi settings.
Test USB tethering to rule out radio issues.
Check your mobile plan for hotspot caps or blocks.

Deeper checks when nothing else works

Pick a cleaner channel

Some phones let you set the hotspot channel. If nearby networks crowd channel 149 or 36 on 5 GHz, a 2.4 GHz channel like 6 or 11 may connect more reliably on old hardware.

Shorten the hotspot name and password

Overlong SSIDs or special characters in the password break older drivers. Keep the SSID under 20 characters and the password 8–16 characters with letters and numbers only for one test run.

Reset network settings on the phone

On both Android and iPhone you can reset network settings without wiping photos or messages. This clears saved Wi-Fi and APN rules. After the reset, set up the hotspot from scratch and try again.

Where to change common settings

Use this cheat sheet to find the exact menu on each platform.

Task	Windows	Phone
Forget hotspot	Settings > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks	Android: Wi-Fi list > tap SSID > Forget iPhone: Settings > Wi-Fi > info > Forget
Pick 2.4 GHz	Not in client; change on the phone hotspot	Android: Hotspot > AP band iPhone: Personal Hotspot > the compatibility toggle
Reset network	Settings > Network & Internet > Network reset	Android: System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset Network Settings

Speed tips after you connect

Turn off background updates on the laptop, pause cloud sync, and avoid large downloads. Keep the phone plugged in and away from heat. If speed is poor, move to a window or higher floor for a cleaner mobile signal.

Security basics for hotspot use

Keep a strong password, use WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3, and avoid open hotspots. Change the hotspot password if you share it. When done, turn the hotspot off to save data and battery.

Still stuck?

Test with another laptop or tablet. If that device works, the issue sits on your laptop. If nothing connects, contact your carrier to review plan limits and provisioning, then reach your phone maker for a software check.

What common errors usually mean

“Connected, no internet” means the laptop reached the phone, yet data isn’t flowing. Turn off Wi-Fi on the phone to force mobile data, confirm browsing works, retry the laptop. If the phone browses fine, renew the laptop’s IP.

A 169.254.x.x IP on Windows signals DHCP failure. Forget the hotspot, reboot the phone, reconnect, and check for a private IP. If pages still stall, set temporary DNS such as 1.1.1.1 and test again.

“Cannot join network” on macOS often points to band or password trouble. Shorten the hotspot name, set a fresh password, stick to 2.4 GHz, and try again. If you run a VPN, quit it until the Wi-Fi link is stable.

When sharing your laptop’s connection

Windows can broadcast a hotspot using your laptop’s Wi-Fi. Share Ethernet or 5G modem data. If clients drop after sleep, disable Fast Startup and update the Wi-Fi driver.