Laptop Not Connecting to Mobile Hotspot: 6 Ways to fix it

Many reported that the laptop was not connecting to the mobile hotspot. This can occur due to your sharing or DNS settings. Additionally, the hotspot settings on your phone, or missing necessary services, can also cause this problem. Regardless of the cause, the steps below will help you fix it in no time.

What can I do if my laptop is not connecting to a mobile hotspot?

Before we start, check hotspot connection settings ensure devices are allowed to connect and set a channel for the network. Also, try disabling the Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter.

1. Change sharing settings

1. Press the Windows key + S and type network connections. Select View network connections.
   
2. Locate your hotspot connection, right-click it and choose Properties.
   
3. Navigate to the Sharing tab and enable all settings in Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).
4. Save changes.
5. Repeat the steps again, but this time disable all Internet Connection Sharing settings.

2. Reconnect to the network

NOTE

Try this solution only if you were able to connect to the mobile hotspot earlier. In case you are encountering the problem on the very first attempt, move to the next solution.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings, head to the Network & Internet tab, and click on Wi-Fi.
2. Choose the Manage known networks option.
3. Locate the mobile hotspot, and click the Forget button next to it.
4. Once done, head back to Wi-Fi settings, and choose Show available networks.
5. Now, click on the mobile hotspot here, and enter the password for it to establish a connection.

3. Check if the critical services are running

1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type services.msc in the text field, and hit Enter.
2. Locate and double-click on the WLAN AutoConfig service to launch its Properties.
3. Now, choose Automatic as the Startup type, click on the Start button if the service is not running, and then click OK to save the changes.
4. After you are done, check if the laptop is now connecting to the hotspot.

4. Restore DNS settings to default

1. Press the Windows key + S and type network connections. Choose View network connections.
   
2. Locate your hotspot connection and choose Properties.
   
3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
   
4. Enable Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
   
5. Save changes, disable your hotspot connection, and enable it again.

5. Change hotspot security settings

1. Open the Settings app on your mobile phone and select the Connections option.
   
2. Now, choose Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
   
3. Tap the Mobile Hotspot option.
4. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner and select Configure Mobile Hotspot.
   
5. Next, tap the Security dropdown and select WPA2.
6. Finally, tap the Save option and try connecting again.
   

6. Change the Wi-Fi frequency

1. Open the Settings app on your mobile phone and Choose Connections.
2. Now, select Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
   
3. Tap the Mobile Hotspot option.
4. Next, click the three vertical dots in the top right corner and choose Configure Mobile Hotspot.
   
5. Tick the radio button for Show advanced options.
6. Finally, select the dropdown under Broadcast channel, select 2.4GHz, and tap the Save button.
   

With that said, we can conclude this article. Feel free to tell us in the comments section below if you have anything to add or take.