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Using Win10 as Mobile Hotspot

Anonymous
2020-05-06T04:01:40+00:00

I'm working towards using my mobile phone for my home internet instead of DSL. But since I have limited data, I think my best option is to connect my phone to my 2-in-1 tablet as a mobile hotspot, then connect all of my other devices to my tablet as a second hotspot.

(Confusing, I know... I wish that Windows had called it something other than Mobile Hotspot)

Doing this let's me use a rate limiting app on my tablet, and it lets my girlfriend connect her phone as a backup hotspot for when I run out of data.

I've gotten this to work, but only intermittently.

First, I went to Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections, right-clicked on my WiFi connection (that shows the phone's hotspot), then Sharing, then checked "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection".

Then I went to my Roku and logged in to the tablet, which had a "Fair" signal. I turned on Pandora and it played for 1 song, but after that it came up with "No Connection". When I tried to reconnect, it showed a network connection, but no internet.

I tried the same thing with my wifi thermostat, and it had the same issue: there was a network connection, but no internet.

So I came back to the tablet and went over every setting on both the tablet and the phone... I disabled Windows Defender and it would work for a few minutes, then stop again. But then I discovered that if I just disconnect the tablet from my phone's hotspot and reconnect, then everything will work... but only for a few minutes.

After several attempts, though, now I'm getting an error on my tablet when I turn on Mobile Hotspot that says "We can't set up mobile hotspot" (with no further explanation). I have Windows Defender back to the default settings, I've turned off my rate limiting app, but I get the same error. My tablet is able to use my phone's hotspot with no problem, though, so the issue is only with using the tablet's hotspot.

I can connect all of my devices directly to my phone and use the internet with them with no problem, but I would much prefer to connect to the tablet so that I can rate limit and set up prioritized connections.

Can you guys and gals tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Internet and connectivity

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-05-06T06:10:48+00:00

    Update on "We can't set up mobile hotspot"

    I read a dozen articles on it, but none worked. Then I went to Device Manager > Network adapters, found my wifi adapter (Intel Wi-Fi 6 blah blah blah), right-click and Disable device... Yes I'm Sure, wait a minute, then right-click and Enable device.

    Now I can turn on Mobile Hotspot again! Yay!! No idea what I've done to force me to have to toggle enabling on it, though.

    And, everything still disconnects and says "No connection" after a few minutes. So one issue fixed, but not the main one.

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  2. franco d'esaro 24,991 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2020-05-06T19:14:22+00:00

    Hi,

    you have not carefully followed the procedure that I indicated in my previous post.

    The Sharing tab of your internet connection should be set up like this:

    When using the Windows 10 Integrated Mobile Hotspot feature, the check boxes on the Sharing tab must remain cleared otherwise the mobile hotspot will not work.en using the Windows 10 Integrated Mobile Hotspot feature, the check boxes on the Sharing tab must remain cleared otherwise the mobile hotspot will not work.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-05-07T03:25:24+00:00

    And I'm still having an issue with "We can't set up mobile hotspot".

    I've disabled the hotspot from my phone and turned my regular DSL back on. I still had Mobile Hotspot turned on on my tablet, but with no devices connected to it. I double checked that ICS was turned off on every adapter, and I had disabled the rate limiting app that I was using. Then I went and watched the Roku with it connected to the wireless router that's using DSL.

    An hour later I came back to find that it's disconnected. I tried to connect, and got the same "We can't set up mobile hotspot" error. So it clearly has nothing to do with the phone's hotspot or with devices connected to it.

    I THINK that it disconnects and starts giving this error every time the tablet turns the screen off.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-05-06T16:35:49+00:00

    Thanks for the reply, Franco!

    I went through that yesterday and it did work, but only for a short period. To make sure we're talking about the same thing, I went to:

    Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center

    I have 2 connections listed:

    Network 3  (no idea what this is, but Properties shows IPv4 Connectivity has internet but IPv6 does not; I think it's just a virtual adapter for my rate limiting app)

    Public network

    Access type: Internet

    Connections: Ethernet 3

    Mobile

    Private network

    Access type: Internet

    Connections: Wi-Fi (Mobile)

    "Mobile" is the one from my phone, of course, so I clicked on it to open Wi-Fi Status. Then I clicked on Properties near the bottom, then Sharing.

    Here I have "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection" checked, and I do NOT have "Allow other network users to control..." checked. Then there's a select menu that says "Home networking connection:" I have 2 options here:

    Ethernet 3

    Netgear (name of my router)

    I don't have either of these selected. Yesterday it had "Wi-Fi" as an option and I'd selected it, so I'm not sure why it's gone now.

    Should I select Ethernet 3? I started to, but it gives a warning that "Your computer may lose connectivity with other computers on your network".

    Also, just to add to the fun... when I got up, "Mobile Hotspot" on my tablet isn't working again. Same problem as last night, it just says "We can't setup mobile hotspot". I keep the tablet plugged in 24/7, and under Power & Sleep Settings I have the Screen to turn off after 15 minutes and Sleep at Never. I haven't tried toggling the adapter yet, but I suspect that will "fix it" again. But I can't do that every morning, what's making it happen?

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  5. franco d'esaro 24,991 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2020-05-06T07:47:24+00:00

    Hi Jason Carlton,

    try to enable / disable ICS: Go to Network Connections, access the properties of the network adapter connected to the internet> Sharing tab, enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) then confirm by pressing OK (skip this step if ICS is already enabled). Return to the Sharing tab, disable ICS and confirm by pressing OK then go to Settings> Network and Internet enable the Mobile Hotspot and try again.

    Note: When using the Windows 10 Integrated Mobile Hotspot feature, the check boxes on the Sharing tab must remain cleared otherwise the mobile hotspot will not work.

    If the problem persists, try temporarily uninstalling any third party Firewall / Antivirus or VPN software and try again.

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