Hotspot

[flipper26]

I've tried to setup a personal hotspot using an iphone 11. I can see the iphone on my laptop and have even connected my iphone to my laptop but am not able to get a connection. I have more than enough data so that's not the issue. My APN is sp.mb.com and have also tried isp.sp.mb with user name/password both blank. I've tried turning wi-fi off and on, turning the phone off and on but nothing is working. I've never had a problem before with other providers in creating a personal hotspot - connected immediately. Does PM not allow this? Any other suggestions?

[hTideGnow]

HI @flipper26   do you have any VPN created?  Check the VPN screen.  

[Anonymous]

@flipper26 

are there any other APN settings from the previous provider stored on the device? try deleting them or just reset the network settings

1. From the home screen navigate to Settings>General>Reset
2. Tap Reset Network Settings
If prompted enter your passcode
3. Tap Reset Network Settings
4. Restart your phone

leave the apn settings alone and test

[flipper26]

Yes, on a previous service provider I created a personal hotspot using this iphone and the same laptop (didn't even have to use the USB to connect them). It worked straight away and very quickly. Have only had an issue since moving to Public Mobile but will work through all the suggestions people have provided. 

[CalgaryBen]

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@flipper26 wrote:

I've tried to setup a personal hotspot using an iphone 11. I can see the iphone on my laptop and have even connected my iphone to my laptop but am not able to get a connection. I have more than enough data so that's not the issue. My APN is sp.mb.com and have also tried isp.sp.mb with user name/password both blank. I've tried turning wi-fi off and on, turning the phone off and on but nothing is working. I've never had a problem before with other providers in creating a personal hotspot - connected immediately. Does PM not allow this? Any other suggestions?

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A Personal Hotspot APN of either isp.mb.com or sp.mb.com should work -- I just tried both successfully to provide a data connection to my laptop, but I think PM recommends using isp.mb.com for hotspotting.  A wrong APN will still allow my laptop to connect to the iPhone hotspot, but with no internet connection to the outside world.

It sounds to me like a laptop-to-iPhone connection issue here.  Are you certain you've connected this laptop to this iPhone's WiFi hotspot in the past?  Did you set up the laptop to cache credentials?  Do you have a different device (e.g. iPad or another iPhone) that you could connect to your iPhone's hotspot, to see if that works?

My iPhone (Gen2 SE) creates a 2.4 GHz hotspot (channel seems to be dynamic) with WPA2 PSK (CCMP) and WPA3 SAE (CCMP 128) encryption, so having a laptop/WiFi adapter compatible with that is required.  My laptop is, and has no problem connecting to the iPhone (obviously on PM) providing a hotspot.

[softech]

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@flipper26 wrote:

Thanks for your reply but in my original post, I have already rebooted the phone, and connected the lightning cable to the laptop. 

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@flipper26  if you already have the cable, just share the internet

Tether an iPhone to Your Mac via USB

Tethering your iPhone to a Mac over a USB connection is pretty straightforward. Here's what you need to do:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using the included Lightning-to-USB cable.
2. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone, tap on Personal Hotspot, and toggle on Allow Others to Join.
3. On your Mac, open System Settings and click Network from the left pane.
4. Here, you'll see iPhone USB under Other Services.

If you’re already connected to Wi-Fi, the status symbol under iPhone USB will be a yellow dot with the status “Attached.” When you disconnect from Wi-Fi, the status will change to a green dot with “Connected.” You should now be able to access your phone’s internet on your Mac.

In case you don't see the iPhone USB service in the Network menu, click on the three-dots icon in the bottom right and select Add Service. Choose iPhone USB as the interface, and click Create.

[hycm53]

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@flipper26 wrote:

Thanks I will check out this link. 

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Please update if that can help you. From your posts, I think it's windows problem, not your iPhone or PM end.

[pmbc]

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@flipper26 wrote:

Thanks for your reply but in my original post, I have already rebooted the phone, and connected the lightning cable to the laptop. 

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fair enough my bad.  Have you tried rebooting the laptop?  Obviously not ideal but simplest places to start is to reboot the devices.  Have you tried connecting other devices to the hotspot to see if you're seeing the same issue?

[flipper26]

Thanks, I will have a look. 

[flipper26]

Thanks I will check out this link. 

[flipper26]

Thanks for your reply but in my original post, I have already rebooted the phone, and connected the lightning cable to the laptop. 

[pmbc]

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@flipper26 wrote:

Mobile is working fine on the phone itself. No, I can't connect from the laptop. I can see it as an available network but it won't let me connect, can't even get to the enter password stage. If I choose connect automatically tells me I can't access it and if I choose manual it just grinds and grinds. 

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Couple things I would try,

- old fail safe, try to reboot the phone and see if that makes any difference

- make sure wifi is turned on, on the phone

- you could try to connect via USB/lightning cable to see if you can connect with a wired connection to the phone

[hycm53]

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@flipper26 wrote:

Yes, as I said in my post, I can see "iphone" in available networks but it won't let me connect to it. Can't even get to the enter password stage. 

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I guess you may need reset windows settings, follow these steps:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/cant-connect-to-windows-11-hotspot/ca3ab2b8-f8...

[softech]

@flipper26  carrier profile is very important to iPhone, it is the full APN settings  there, all the hidden details  (unlike Android, we can update it anyway we like)

1. Make sure that your device is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network.
2. Tap Settings > General > About.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to install your carrier update.

[flipper26]

Mobile is working fine on the phone itself. No, I can't connect from the laptop. I can see it as an available network but it won't let me connect, can't even get to the enter password stage. If I choose connect automatically tells me I can't access it and if I choose manual it just grinds and grinds. 

[flipper26]

The APN was already correctly set, IOS is the most current. Not sure where I update the Carrier profile (on iphone everything is current). 

[softech]

@flipper26  check this info post, could be very helpful (thanks @CalgaryBen )

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/FYI-iOS-and-APNs/m-p/323395/highlight/tru...

[flipper26]

Yes, as I said in my post, I can see "iphone" in available networks but it won't let me connect to it. Can't even get to the enter password stage. 

[softech]

@flipper26   

do you see any app related with Hotspot is tooged off for Mobile data?

[hycm53]

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@flipper26 wrote:

I've tried to setup a personal hotspot using an iphone 11. I can see the iphone on my laptop and have even connected my iphone to my laptop but am not able to get a connection. I have more than enough data so that's not the issue. My APN is sp.mb.com and have also tried isp.sp.mb with user name/password both blank. I've tried turning wi-fi off and on, turning the phone off and on but nothing is working. I've never had a problem before with other providers in creating a personal hotspot - connected immediately. Does PM not allow this? Any other suggestions?

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If you use Windows 11 then go to "Network & Internet" , click "WIFI", click "Show available networks", click "Your name's iPhone", click "connect". 

[softech]

@flipper26 did you try the 2 suggestions above?

network reset and the one about  PERSONAL HOTSPOT / APN -> sp.mb.com and leave username password blank

and update your iOS and Carrier profile

[pmbc]

@flipper26 Creating a hotspot should absolutely work.  Some things to test,

- mobile data is working OK on the phone itself?

- Are you able to connect to the hotspot from the laptop?  Does the phone show 1 device connected to the hotspot?  Does it show connected but no internet or does it just not connect to the hotspot?  You might want to try changing the password for the hotspot and re-entering that password on the laptop for the hotspot.

[flipper26]

Thanks but I've done that several times already. 

[Handy1]

@flipper26  On iPhone go to settings > cellular >personal hotspot >toggle allow others to join 

[softech]

@flipper26  first PM does not block Personal hotspot

try this

Some other suggestion if rebooting the phone didn't help

1. Try to reset the network settings

2.  To to reseat the sim card.  Turn off the phone, remove the sim for a minute before you put it back in and setup Hotspot again

3. Check APN, go Settings -> Cellular -> Cellular Data Network -> PERSONAL HOTSPOT / APN -> sp.mb.com , and  Leave Username and Password blank.