Having an iPad or iPhone is great because these gadgets have so many features. For example, did you know that you can share your device’s Internet connection with other devices without having to turn on your Personal Hotspot? It is known as the Instant Hotspot feature.
Difference between Personal and Instant hotspots
Don’t be confused. Personal and Instant Hotspots are different. If you want to use your Apple device as a Personal Hotspot, you need to input the correct hotspot password and then connect your devices to it. This way you get to share the cellular connection. With the Instant Hotspot feature, you no longer need to key in your hotspot password each time you want to share. Once you have set this feature up, your device will simply use the Apple ID to authenticate if the devices you are using are allowed to share your Internet connection.
Common error messages Concerning Hotspot
Using the Instant Hotspot is very easy. However, there are times when it fails. Here are some steps that you can follow to address issues with your devices Instant Hotspot. You may also use these tips in order to fix your Personal Hotspot problems.
These are the error messages that you may see should your Apple device’s Instant or Personal Hotspot fail:
- Unable to start personal hotspot
- Remote hotspot failure
Check if your service allows tethering
First, check if your iPhone or iPad plan allows tethering. This means that your service provider supports personal hotspot. You may contact the carrier that provides your service so you can confirm this information. Ask about the details of your wireless plan.
Check if your devices are logged on to the right account
Next, check if all of your devices are logged on to the same Apple account. The device that you are going to use as a hotspot must use the same Apple ID as the devices that you plan on sharing your Internet service with.
Check if your device’s Wi-fi and Bluetooth are on
Finally, check if your Bluetooth and Wi-fi are enabled on all the devices involved. If not, go to settings and switch them on. You can also go to the menu bar and click on the Wi-fi and Bluetooth icons to quickly switch them on or off.
Reboot your devices
If, after following these, the hotspot feature is still failing, try restarting your device. While this may seem too simple, there are times when the feature simply doesn’t launch. If restarting doesn’t work, go to the next step.
Update your devices
The iOS of your device may be outdated. You need to get the latest version. You can do this wirelessly by going to the Settings menu. Select the General option. Look for the Software Update option and click this.
Make sure that your computer is also updated. If your Mac is running on Mac OS Mojave, go to the Systems Preferences menu to check for any updates. Select Software Update from the menu. If your Mac is still running on an older version of the operating system, go to the App Store and click Updates. This should automatically download the latest OS or update for your existing OS.
Restart your Wi-fi and Bluetooth
Restart your wi-fi and Bluetooth. Switch off the wi-fi on your Apple device. Wait for a few seconds then switch it back on. You can do this by going to the Settings menu and selecting wi-fi. Turn your Bluetooth off and on as well. You can do this by, again, going to the Settings menu and selecting the Bluetooth option. Swipe it off, wait a few seconds, then swipe it back on. If you are using your Mac, click on the wi-fi and Bluetooth icons found on the menu bar. Once these have been disabled, wait for a few seconds then quickly click them back on. Check if this addressed your hotspot issue.
Re-login to your Apple account
Log out of your Apple account. On your Apple device, go to the Settings menu. Find your account name then scroll down to click the Sign Out option. Sign back in after a few seconds. You will be required to enter the Apple ID and corresponding password that you use on your gadgets. Be ready to plug in the verification code if you enabled the two-factor authentication on your device. If you are using a Mac, simply go to System Preferences on the Apple menu. Find the iCloud option and sign out from your account. After a few seconds, sign back in, you will need to enter the credentials of your Apple account. You will also be asked if you want to keep the copy of the iCloud data stored. Once you have signed back in, check if your hotspot issue has been fixed.
See if the problem is with the Network setting
Reset the network setting your Apple device. To reset the network setting, go to the Settings menu. Choose the General option. Go to Reset and find the “Reset Network Settings” option. Click on this. Remember that doing this will erase your Wi-Fi password so make sure that you secured this information before resetting. Once you have reset the network setting, check if your hotspot is functioning properly.
If all these steps did not address your hotspot problem, it may be time to call the customer support team of Apple. They will give you more steps to follow to troubleshoot your hotspot issue.
