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Help me use my phone as a hotspot

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    Help me use my phone as a hotspot

    The institutional internet I use is really ropy at the minute, so I'm trying to set up my phone to use it as a wi-fi hotspot for my laptop. But despite following the standard instructions (such as these - https://www.lifewire.com/use-your-an...otspot-2377915) it won't work. My laptop sees the hotspot and can connect to it, but there is no internet. My phone can't see the network and I don't understand why not. How does this stuff work?

    #2
    I use an iphone, but it refuses to work as an internet hotspot if the phone itself is connected to the local wifi - the hot spot has to work from my phone's data. I have no idea if this is your problem, but it's usually what scuppers me and I spend ten minutes trying to work out what the problem is before I finally remember to switch wifi off in the settings.

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      #3
      Thanks. That doesn't solve the problem but it helps. How very unintuitive.

      I think the issue is that my phone doesn't seem to want to use its own data, and I don't know how to fix that.

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        #4
        I've never been able to hotspot using wifi, only mobile data.

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          #5
          Yes, when I get caught with this one, it is because the wifi is still on the phone (and the wifi is down, which is why I'm using the phone as a hotspot in the first place). Your best way of checking is to plug the phone into the laptop USB and make sure Wifi is switched off on both.

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            #6
            Is Cellular Data On in the settings?

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              #7
              Is that the same as Mobile Data? If so, yes.

              WiFi is off on the phone, but if I switch it off on the laptop then the laptop won't see any networks at all. I plugged phone into the USB but it didn't give me any more options. I tried pairing the laptop and phone using bluetooth but that didn't work.

              The thing is, my phone will only connect to the internet by connecting to a Wifi i.e. I have to connect to the same wifi as I do with my laptop. I think that's the problem. How does it connect to its own data? The phone can only connect to the net if Wifi is on, but then the hotspot disappears. If I turn Wifi off and hotspot on then the network appears on my laptop, and I can connect to it, but it isn't connected to the intenet. Does this make sense?

              I was going to ask O2 but they seem to have removed their 'ask an advisor' facility. I did post on their user forum.
              Last edited by delicatemoth; 14-04-2020, 10:55.

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                #8
                It's possible your mobile plan doesn't allow hotspot usage. Do you have any other device to test it with?

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                  #9
                  I'm afraid not. Hopefully the forum post might get some answers. Thanks to everyone who's tried to help.

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                    #10
                    Do you have the terms of your plan anywhere?

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                      #11
                      All I can find is what's contained in MyO2 - monthly rate, minute allowance, data allowance. No mention of being able or unable to hotspot. O2 are actually a bit thick, they still have my old name despite me changing it nearly five years ago and telling them that more than once.

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                        #12
                        *small voice* I turned it off and back on, and that sorted it. Thank you everyone.

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                          #13
                          I've done this once when I was on my way to work as there was a long delay waiting for the train. I had my work laptop with me so used my phone's data and turned it into a hotspot for the laptop.

                          It got through the vast majority of the month's data allowance in a matter of minutes. Laptops can be thirsty things it seems.

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