What causes mobile hotspot not working on Windows?

Common causes of mobile hotspot not working include: WiFi adapter not supporting hosted network, Mobile Hotspot service not running, Network adapter sharing conflict, Metered connection preventing hotspot, Virtual adapter disabled in Device Manager, Firewall blocking hotspot traffic.

How do I know if I have mobile hotspot not working issues?

Common symptoms of mobile hotspot not working include: "We can't set up mobile hotspot" error, Hotspot turns on but other devices can't find it, Devices connect but get no internet through hotspot, Hotspot turns off by itself after a few minutes, Mobile hotspot toggle grayed out, Hotspot was working but stopped after Windows Update.

Can RescuePC fix mobile hotspot not working automatically?

Yes, RescuePC Toolkit includes automated scripts that can diagnose and fix mobile hotspot not working issues with one click, without requiring technical knowledge.

Fix Mobile Hotspot Not Working on Windows

Symptoms

You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:

•"We can't set up mobile hotspot" error
•Hotspot turns on but other devices can't find it
•Devices connect but get no internet through hotspot
•Hotspot turns off by itself after a few minutes
•Mobile hotspot toggle grayed out
•Hotspot was working but stopped after Windows Update

Common Causes

⚠WiFi adapter not supporting hosted network
⚠Mobile Hotspot service not running
⚠Network adapter sharing conflict
⚠Metered connection preventing hotspot
⚠Virtual adapter disabled in Device Manager
⚠Firewall blocking hotspot traffic

Solutions

Solution 1: Reset Network Adapter

1Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings
2Click "Network reset" at the bottom
3Click "Reset now"
4Your PC will restart
5After restart, try enabling Mobile Hotspot again
6Note: you'll need to reconnect to WiFi networks after reset

Solution 2: Enable Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter

1Open Device Manager
2Click View > Show hidden devices
3Expand "Network adapters"
4Find "Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter"
5If disabled (down arrow icon), right-click > Enable device
6If missing, the WiFi adapter may not support hotspot

Solution 3: Start Hotspot via Command Line

1Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2Run: netsh wlan show drivers
3Check if "Hosted network supported" says Yes
4If Yes: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=MyHotspot key=password123
5Run: netsh wlan start hostednetwork
6If No: your WiFi adapter doesn't support hotspot (hardware limitation)

FIXES THIS IN 5 MINUTES

Fix Mobile Hotspot Not Working Automatically

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