My wife and I both have Apple iPhone XRs with service from AT&T.
We both have mobile hot spot capabilities. Only problem is they are a gigantic pain in the ass to connect to.
Turn the hotspot toggle on, sometimes the device you are wanting to connect will see the hotspot. Though generally you have to toggle the hotspot on and off a number of times with the wifi connection window open on whatever device you are trying to connect.
It will eventually pop up as something to connect to. Then it is another 6-7 times selecting it on the device before it will actually connect.

I have 3 devices I try to connect to the hotspot, an Amazon Firestick, a Samsung Galaxy tablet, and an Android headunit in my truck (essentially an unbranded Android tablet). They all connect eventually but all have to do the craziness to actually connect.

If one is in range to the house wifi they all just recognize it an connect when in range and I have to do nothing.
Same goes for the hotspot in our Suburban if the devices are in range they just connect without me doing anything.

My wife’s hotspot and mine are both saved to past connected wifi with password saved and everything.
Why are these two phones so difficult to connect to??

Black: I have ATT too but not the XR (iphone 11/12 here) and never had connectivity issues that you are experiencing.

What ios version are you on? Update available?
Does rebooting the device result in the same behavior?
Have you tried resetting your phone's network settings?


KB article here if this helps: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203302

I think it's more dependent on the device that you're trying to connect. My laptop (Win) and Desktop (Win), Smart TV, will all see and connect to my Iphone 12 Pro hotspot. My ancient Android tablet will not, no matter how I try.

ETA: Verizon here.

I’ve had problems all summer using our iPhone 12 Pros as hotspots for my android tablet and kids’ computers. We’re on Verizon, but I tried an AT&T prepaid account for a month to get better speeds. Speeds were better but we still had trouble with connecting to the phones as hotspots. All of the computers lost the ability to tether via USB as well. Seems the Apple drivers disappeared it took several evenings to get them back.

On the other hand, my oldest son’s android phone suffered none of these problems except the slow speed because the nearest Verizon tower is 20 miles away.

I’m going with it’s an Apple issue.

quote:

Originally posted by sig 226:
Black: I have ATT too but not the XR (iphone 11/12 here) and never had connectivity issues that you are experiencing.

What ios version are you on? Update available?
Does rebooting the device result in the same behavior?
Have you tried resetting your phone's network settings?


KB article here if this helps: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203302

All of this has been done and everything up to date both on the phones and devices.
The phones are a bit over 2 years old and I know mine has always been like this when I try to connect to my truck and tablet.
Just this last month when we were traveling did I try my wife’s because it was such a pain to connect mine.
Her phone yielded the same results.
I got so pissed because every time we stopped for gas, bathroom food, whatever wife had to fiddle with it for like 10 minutes to connect to the Firestick.
I said screw it laid the $25 for the month to have unlimited data hotspot coming from the Suburban. Not a single connection issue. Turn the truck back on and go right to it.

We've had both Android and Apple phones on T-Mobile since 2013. Neither my wife nor I have ever had any problem connecting our tablets to our phones running a hot spot. Even when we've been roaming on AT&T's network.

We're both using iThings now.

I've never tried to connect our one Amazon Firestick to my phone. Lessee... <helps if you get the password/phase right...> No problem. Hooked right up and apps ran.

Neither of our vehicles have a WiFi-connectable head unit in them, so I can't test that.

Dunno what to tell you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

iPhone 12 Max on Verizon here - no issues using my phone as a hotspot. I connect a laptop, my wife's Chromebook and an iPad - no issues, connects right up/

My mother in law has an iPhone XR and I can’t connect to her hotspot with my iPhone 12 Pro. I’ve tried several times. Not sure what the issue is a I did not reach out to apple.

What I'd do is make an appointment and take both phones into the Apple store and let their on-site techies have a try. If it's in their wheelhouse, I've had good luck with them diagnosing and fixing on the spot.

I have a 2020 Charger with UConnect which uses AT&T for internet. My IPhone XR connects immediately and speeds are good. My only issue is when using the remote start from the phone app, it takes a long time for the car to start. The XR immediately connects to my home WiFi which is provided by Spectrum. My cell provider is Consumer Cellular. However, my Dell laptop wont recognize the XR and neither will my LG SmartTV.
I gave up trying to connect them. My main use is in my car.

I've never had an issue connecting to either of our android hotspots (also with ATT). I had an S9+ and an S21 now. My wife had a note 8+ and now has a note 10. I see it within seconds of turning on the hotspot.

If I were to troubleshoot this issue I would:
1) ... from another device use some software to analyze what the Wi-Fi network is seeing.
2) Review the connection protocols/security to verify compatibility.

To explain number #1 ~ the software sometimes called "stumbler" software will see all the WiFi in the are and relay relative signal strength (RSSI) and other better software will also reveal Signal-to-Noise Ratios for interfering signals including all AP's, microwaves, and others in the band.
For number #2 ~ if security such a WEP, WPA, WPA2 or WPA3 is mismatched you will have issues.
And taking it further you could actually "connect" but not get an IP which is related but on another network layer.

My guess is the phone isn't providing an adequate signal for the clients to respond to or if from the software you can "see" the Wifi AP (or hotspot as this is called) then perhaps the Hotspot can't see the return ACK from the client device. Note: Essentially the Hotspot is a mini AP and mini router to your LTE network.

Start with client software to look overall at the network.

Good Luck.

Make darn sure you turn off the phone wifi prior to enabling the Hotspot.

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:

quote:

Originally posted by sig 226:
Black: I have ATT too but not the XR (iphone 11/12 here) and never had connectivity issues that you are experiencing.

What ios version are you on? Update available?
Does rebooting the device result in the same behavior?
Have you tried resetting your phone's network settings?


KB article here if this helps: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203302

All of this has been done and everything up to date both on the phones and devices.
The phones are a bit over 2 years old and I know mine has always been like this when I try to connect to my truck and tablet.
Just this last month when we were traveling did I try my wife’s because it was such a pain to connect mine.
Her phone yielded the same results.
I got so pissed because every time we stopped for gas, bathroom food, whatever wife had to fiddle with it for like 10 minutes to connect to the Firestick.
I said screw it laid the $25 for the month to have unlimited data hotspot coming from the Suburban. Not a single connection issue. Turn the truck back on and go right to it.

Just curious, if you had a chance to tether one iphone to another iphone? Does it have the same behavior?

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Make darn sure you turn off the phone wifi prior to enabling the Hotspot.

I didn't. Phone was "smart" enough to turn it off, for me (Then turn it back on again when I turned the hot spot off.)

I have Samsung Android ATT devices, and never have issues with my device as a Hotspot.

Turn Hotspot on (I have a custom Network ID) go to the device I'm using and if not connected yet, go to the wifi settings and refresh and connect.

Another 'droid user, but on T-Mobile. Hotspot hosting has never been a problematic issue at any level with our Samsung phones (knock wood). Even our few Apple devices will tether.

I have an 11 promax that is a real pain to connect to. Sometimes I have to completely power off my phone and my laptop and power back on to get it to show up. Sometimes after repeated attempts it still don’t show up. This happens often. I can get out my iPad and use it as a hotspot with no problems. Both on the AT&T network.