The Internet has become a necessity for all of us; so much so that devices remaining connected has become a priority. Often, we need to share our internet with other devices. Mobile hotspot is the technology which enables us to do so. This feature is available on Windows 10 and 11 operating systems to share as well as receive internet connectivity. However, sometimes users experience mobile hotspot not working on their devices problem which we will rectify today.
Fix Mobile Hotspot not working in Windows 10
Here’s a brief rundown of possible reasons for the issue:
- Outdated Driver
- Hardware limitations
- Network adapter problems
- Windows Services or setting errors
Method 1 – Basic Fixes
It’s amazing to link devices without internet access to one that has an active connection, including on laptop. We’ll guide you through effective solutions to tackle mobile hotspot fails to function issue. Before proceeding further, we recommend to create a system restore point just to be safe.
1A. Enable Sharing of Internet Connection
If you are trying to use your Ethernet connection for the hotspot, you can also try to re-enable sharing of internet connection settings.
1.Press Windows Key + I to open settings then click on Network & Internet.
2.Choose the Network connection tab and click on Ethernet in your current connection tab.
3.Click on Properties section.
4.Navigate to Sharing tab and uncheck both the options.
5.Now navigate to the same settings and check both the options to re-enable the settings.
1B. Turn off Bluetooth
As many users find it helpful, if you turn it off, it may solve the problem.
1. Navigate to Settings>Devices
2. Click on Bluetooth to turn the toggle off.
1C. Disable Power Saving for Network Adapter
Power-saving mode in your Windows 10 PC can lead to several network connectivity problems, thus, we advise you to disable power saving mode as instructed below:
1. Launch Device Manager by typing it in the Windows 10 search menu and clicking on Open.
2. Now, double-click on the Network adapters section.
3. Then, right-click on Intel Wireless AC 9560 and select the Properties option as shown.
4. Then, switch to the Power Management window in the Network adapter properties window and uncheck the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
5. Finally, click on OK to save the changes.
Method 2 – Run Windows Network Troubleshooter
One of the most interesting and useful features in Windows 10 is its Troubleshooter tool. In this case, you can run the in-built network adapter and allow OS to find and fix network related issues on its own.
1.Type Troubleshoot in Windows search bar and open Troubleshooting settings.
2.Scroll down to select Network Adapter and click on Run Troubleshooter.
4.Once the process is completed, you need to choose to Apply this fix option and restart your system.
Method 3 – Reset Windows Firewall Settings
This security mechanism of Windows protects it from any malware or suspicious programs on the network and can be the cause of mobile hotspot not working problem. You can reset the Windows firewall settings:
1.Open Settings and select Update & Security.
2.On the left panel, you need to click on Windows Defender.
3.To access firewall settings, you need to click on “Open Windows Defender Security Center“.
4. Here you need to tap on the Network icon on the left side and scroll down to the bottom to choose Restore firewalls to default.
5.Just confirm that you want to reset the settings when Windows prompts.
6. Now reboot your system and check if the mobile hotspot problem is solved or not.
Method 4 – Reset Wireless Adapters
It happens sometimes, that with the latest updates of Windows, some adapter configuration needs to be reset or updated.
1.Press Windows key + R and type devmgmt.msc and hit enter to open Device Manager.
2.Here you need to double-click on “Network Adapters” section to expand it.
3. Now, right-click on the Windows Wireless Adapter and select “Disable Device”.
4.Now right-click on the Windows Wireless Adapter and choose Enable. Wait for few seconds to get the device enabled again.
Method 5 – Update or Reinstall Network Adapter Driver
You can also opt for the driver update option to solve this issue.
1. Just follow step 1 and 2 as explained in previous method.
3. Click Update driver option from context menu.
4. Choose to search automatically for drivers.
5. If Windows fails to update the driver automatically you can download the driver from the manufacturer’s website and update it manually.
Alternately, you can reinstall drivers for a fresh start.
Method 6 – Temporarily Turn Off Windows Firewall and Antivirus Software
Sometimes firewall settings and antivirus software stop you from connecting with your mobile hotspot setting. Hence, you can disable these temporarily as follows:
1.Right-click on the Antivirus Program icon from the system tray and select Disable.
2.Next, select the time frame for which the Antivirus will remain disabled.
Note: Choose the smallest amount of time possible for example 15 minutes or 30 minutes.
3.Once done, again try to access Mobile hotspot and check if the error resolves or not.
4.Press Windows Key + S then type control and click on Control Panel from the search result.
5.Next, click on System and Security.
6.Then click on Windows Firewall.
7.Now from the left window pane click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off.
8.Select Turn Windows Firewall on or off and restart your PC.
Make sure to follow the exact same steps to turn on your Firewall again once issue is solved.
Method 7 – Set up New Internet Connection
Moreover, you can set-up new internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) as last resort:
1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet.
2. Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet (as needed)
3. Click on Show Available Networks as shown.
4. For Wi-Fi, choose the network and click Connect.
Note: For Ethernet, plug in the cable for automatic connection.
Recommended: How to Enable or Disable Mobile Hotspot in Windows 11
It would be good if you first determine the problems causing this error on your system so that you can apply the most effective solution. Hopefully, above-mentioned methods helped you Fix Mobile hotspot not working in Windows 10. Also, if you have any questions regarding this tutorial then feel free to ask them in the comment’s section.