I turned on the hotspot but other devices cannot see it
Check the plan supports hotspot sharing, then switch the hotspot off and on, verify the network name, and have the other device forget the old network before reconnecting.
The hotspot is switched on, but scanning for Wi-Fi networks on a laptop or tablet turns up nothing with that name at all. This is a common issue when using an eSIM while travelling, and the cause is usually not as serious as it feels. Most often it comes down to the plan not supporting sharing, the hotspot not having switched on properly, or the connecting device still holding onto an old network in memory.
This page is written for anyone whose hotspot turns on but no other device can find the network at all, anyone who sees the network but cannot connect to it, and anyone wanting a systematic troubleshooting sequence before concluding the phone is faulty. We work through checking whether the plan supports sharing, all the way to a step-by-step fix, without citing a fixed settings menu location, since menu positions differ by brand and operating system version.
Check first whether the plan supports hotspot sharing
Not every data plan allows hotspot sharing. Some restrict use to the device the eSIM is installed on only. Before chasing any other cause, open your own plan's details page and check whether this condition is stated there. If it states sharing is not supported, no amount of correct hotspot setup will make it work anyway.
This check matters because it can save a great deal of troubleshooting time. If the plan genuinely does not support sharing, repeatedly adjusting network settings or restarting the phone will not help at all, since the restriction sits with the plan itself, not with the device's settings.
Switch the hotspot off, then back on
If the plan is confirmed to support sharing but the network still cannot be found, the first step worth trying is switching the hotspot off and back on. Sometimes the function gets stuck in an incomplete state, so it fails to actually broadcast a signal even though the screen shows it as switched on.
It helps to wait a short moment after switching off before switching back on, rather than tapping off then on immediately in succession, so the system has time to fully shut down the previous state before starting to broadcast again.
Verify the network name that is set
Sometimes the hotspot is working normally, but the network name set for it carries special characters, spaces, or a length that certain devices cannot display properly, making it look as though nothing is being found even though a signal is genuinely being broadcast. Try opening the hotspot settings menu to check the name again, and try changing it to something short using plain letters and numbers first.
Another point worth checking is whether the network name duplicates another one previously connected to, since some devices can get confused and display incorrectly when an identical name exists within signal range at the same time.
Have the connecting device forget the old network first
If the connecting device has connected to this hotspot before and run into a problem, the network's old saved information on that device may cause it to keep trying with a remembered password or setting that no longer matches. What helps is having that device forget the old network from its list first, then searching for it and connecting fresh from scratch.
This step matters especially if the hotspot's name or password has just been changed, since the old device may still be trying with the previously remembered details, making it look as though it cannot connect at all when in fact it is simply a mismatch with what was saved before.
Check how many devices can connect at once
Each device model and operating system version carries a different maximum number of devices it can connect to a hotspot at once. If other devices are already connected up to that maximum, a new one trying to join may find the network but fail to connect. Try disconnecting a device not currently in use first, then attempt the new connection again.
The exact maximum number differs by model and operating system, and we cannot give one universal figure applying to every device. Check the hotspot settings menu on that specific device directly, or the manufacturer's own documentation.
Distance and obstructions between devices
A hotspot broadcasts Wi-Fi over a limited range, and the signal weakens quickly with a thick wall or obstruction between the devices. If the connecting device is too far away or too much stands in the way, it may not find the network at all even with the hotspot working normally. Try moving both devices closer together, then search again.
If the hotspot works fine with one device but not another
Sometimes a hotspot connects fine with one device, such as a laptop, yet cannot be found at all on another, such as a travel companion's tablet. This pattern suggests the problem probably is not the hotspot itself, but rather the Wi-Fi settings or saved network information on that specific device that cannot find it.
In this case, focus on troubleshooting the specific device that has the problem, such as checking Wi-Fi is genuinely switched on, having that device forget the old network and search again, or restarting just that one device before touching the hotspot's own settings, since the hotspot is already working normally for the other device.
Try restarting the phone sharing the hotspot
If every setting adjustment has been tried and nothing has improved, restarting the entire phone sharing the hotspot is another step worth trying, since it clears the internal state of every radio and lets them start fresh. Sometimes a problem that simply switching the hotspot off and on cannot fix disappears after a full restart.
It helps to restart the phone sharing the hotspot first, then try restarting the connecting device too if it still has not improved, since testing one device at a time makes it clearer which side is actually causing the problem.
If the hotspot works sometimes but not consistently
If the hotspot connects sometimes and not others in an inconsistent pattern, rather than never being found at all, that symptom usually points to an unstable cellular signal on the phone itself, rather than a problem with the hotspot's own settings. Notice whether it worsens only in certain areas or at certain times.
If it worsens only in certain areas, try moving to a spot with a stronger signal before sharing the hotspot again, since an already weak cellular signal tends to make the onward sharing to other devices unstable as well.
Summary table: possible causes and fixes
| Possible cause | Fix |
|---|---|
| Plan does not support hotspot sharing | Check the plan's details page for this condition first |
| Hotspot stuck in an incomplete state | Switch off, wait a moment, then switch back on |
| Network name has characters some devices cannot display | Change it to a short name using plain letters and numbers |
| Connecting device holds mismatched saved network info | Have that device forget the old network then search again |
| Maximum connected-device count already reached | Disconnect a device not currently in use first |
| Too much distance or obstruction | Move both devices closer together |
Summary table: network is visible but will not connect
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Password entered but always shown as wrong | Recheck the password set in the hotspot menu; it may have been mistyped or noted down wrong from the start |
| Connects briefly then drops immediately | May be right at the device limit, or the signal is too weak |
| Connects but has no internet access | Check the plan still has remaining data and has not expired |
Steps to troubleshoot systematically
- 1Confirm the plan genuinely supports hotspot sharingRead the plan's details page for this condition before anything else.
- 2Switch the hotspot off, wait a moment, then switch it back onGive the system time to fully close the previous state before broadcasting again.
- 3Check the network name has no unnecessary special charactersTry a short name using plain letters and numbers.
- 4Have the connecting device forget the old network before searching againClears any old, possibly mismatched, saved connection data.
- 5Move the devices closer together and try againReduces the effect of distance or obstruction in between.
Checklist before concluding the hotspot is broken
- Confirmed the plan supports hotspot sharing
- Switched the hotspot off and back on
- Checked the network name that is set
- Had the connecting device forget the old network
- Checked how many devices are already connected
- Moved the devices closer together and tried again
Common mistakes
When every step has been tried and it still does not work
If everything has been checked — the plan supports sharing, the hotspot has been switched off and on again, the network name checked, the connecting device made to forget the old network, and the devices moved closer together — and it still will not connect, message us on LINE or by email. It helps to prepare details beforehand, such as both device models, the plan name in use, and exactly what is happening, since that lets us check more precisely than a general description of it not connecting.
The frequency band is the most overlooked cause
When the hotspot is on but nothing can see it at all, the first thing to suspect is which frequency band it is broadcasting on. Many current phones default to sharing on the faster band, which is good news for a recent laptop and an immediate problem if the device trying to join is older. A device that only supports the older band will not show that network in its list at all — not visible but refusing to connect, simply absent — which is exactly what makes people conclude the hotspot is broken.
The clearest sign of this is when some devices list the network normally while another sees nothing, even sitting right beside it. If that is the picture, stop restarting things in circles and go looking for the band setting in the hotspot screen. What it is called differs by manufacturer and OS version: some phones offer the bands as a direct choice, others hide it behind wording about a mode that works with more devices.
Compatibility modes, and the names they hide behind
Many phones carry a switch that puts the hotspot into a mode older devices can find more easily. The frustrating part is that no two manufacturers name it the same way, and its position in the menu moves between OS versions, so step-by-step directions written for one handset rarely match the one in your hand. The productive approach is to open the hotspot settings screen and read every option present, looking for wording about compatibility, broader device support, or frequency.
If flipping that switch makes the network appear at once, the problem was never the plan or the signal — it was compatibility, plainly. Make a note that this pair of devices needs that mode, so you do not rediscover it from scratch on the next trip.
When the network is set not to broadcast its name
Some phones offer an option to hide the network name. It is the kind of setting people switch on once and forget entirely. The result is a hotspot that is genuinely running and genuinely usable, yet never appears in anyone else's network list — the name and password have to be typed in by hand, exactly, before a device can join. If you have recently changed handsets or updated the OS and the hotspot suddenly vanished, this is worth checking.
Hiding the name adds little meaningful security and costs you effort every time a new device needs to join. While you are troubleshooting, turn the hiding off so that variable is out of the equation.
Hotspots that switch themselves off when nobody joins
A great many phones turn the hotspot off automatically if nothing connects within a certain window, to save battery. The behaviour causes real confusion: you switch it on, walk to another room for the laptop, come back and find it off, and conclude the phone is faulty when it is doing exactly what it was designed to do. How long that window is varies by brand and version, and some phones let you extend or disable the behaviour from the same settings screen.
Battery-saver behaves similarly. Some phones refuse to start a hotspot at all while the battery is low, or shut one down when it drops past a threshold. If you are about to share a connection for any length of time, put the phone on a charger from the start, because sharing drains a battery noticeably faster than ordinary use.
Names and passwords the other device cannot handle
A hotspot named in Thai, containing emoji, or peppered with punctuation can render incorrectly — or not appear at all — on certain devices, particularly non-phones such as televisions, games consoles and cameras, which tend to support a narrower character set. The same goes for a password that is too short or contains characters the other device cannot type. While troubleshooting, set a short plain-ASCII name and a straightforward letters-and-numbers password to rule this out.
Encryption standards are another sticking point. Some older devices do not support the newer security standard and will either not see, or not successfully join, a network that insists on it. If your phone lets you choose the hotspot's security level, switch to the more broadly supported option as a test and see whether the device finds it.
Dual-SIM phones: which line is actually being shared
If your phone carries both your home SIM and a travel eSIM, hotspot sharing follows whichever line is set as the mobile data line, not the one you have in mind. Two things can follow. Either it shares happily but consumes your home SIM's data, potentially with roaming charges, or the selected line has no working data at all, in which case the hotspot starts but has nothing to share and connected devices get no internet.
Before concluding the hotspot is broken, open the SIM or mobile network settings and confirm the data line is the plan you intend to use. Where that lives differs by manufacturer, but it is generally near the roaming toggle and the choice of which SIM places calls.
A VPN running on the sharing phone
A VPN active on the sharing phone can produce odd symptoms. Often the network still appears and devices still join, yet pages will not load on the connected device, or some apps work while others hang. The exact behaviour depends on the VPN app and how it is configured, and they differ. The quickest test is to switch the VPN off briefly and try again; if everything comes right, you have found the cause.
When the device joining is a laptop
A problem that looks like the phone's fault is sometimes entirely the laptop's. A computer's network list often sits on the results of an earlier scan and does not always refresh promptly. Toggling the laptop's Wi-Fi off and on, or flipping airplane mode once, usually forces a fresh scan and reveals a hotspot that has just been started. If it still does not appear, restarting the computer achieves more than pressing rescan repeatedly.
If the laptop is several years old, the band question returns. Some older Wi-Fi cards support only the original band and will never see a hotspot broadcasting on the newer one. Nothing is wrong with the plan or the phone in that case; it is simply hardware from different eras.
Other ways to share when Wi-Fi hotspot will not cooperate
Wi-Fi is not the only route. If you need the laptop online right now and cannot finish troubleshooting, other methods often work faster. Each has its own limits, and support for them varies by the model and operating system on both ends.
| Sharing method | Strengths | Limits worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi hotspot | Several devices at once, no cable, and almost every kind of device can join | Depends on band and compatibility, and uses the most battery of the three |
| USB tethering | More stable and often faster, and it charges the phone while you work | One device only, needs a cable that actually carries data, and some systems want a driver first |
| Bluetooth tethering | Lower power draw, adequate for light work such as mail and messages | Clearly slower than the other two, and unsuitable for online meetings or large files |
Support for each method depends on the models and operating systems at both ends
Pros
- A USB cable removes the whole question of bands and invisible networks
- A wired link usually holds steadier where the Wi-Fi spectrum is crowded
- The phone runs cooler and lasts longer than when broadcasting a hotspot
Cons
- It serves one device at a time, so it does not suit a group
- You must carry a cable that genuinely carries data; a charge-only cable will not work
- Some computers need configuration or a driver before the first use
Televisions, consoles and other non-phone devices
Non-phone devices are usually the hardest to get onto a hotspot, because the limitations stack: a narrower set of supported bands, a restricted character set, and an interface that makes typing a long password painful. Some also expect a network to behave like a home network, or to present a page where terms are accepted, so they behave differently from a phone.
An order of attack when nothing can see it at all
When no device can see the hotspot, working in order beats pressing buttons at random. The sequence below starts with what is easy to check and commonly at fault, and moves towards changes that disturb more settings. Do one at a time and test after each, so you learn which change actually fixed it.
| What you are seeing | The cause to suspect first | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| No device sees the network name at all | The name is set to stay hidden, or the hotspot has already switched itself off | Open the hotspot screen to see its real state, turn off name hiding, and plug in before trying again |
| Newer devices see it, older ones do not | The band in use is not supported by the older device | Switch the band or enable the broader-compatibility mode, then rescan |
| The name appears but the password is rejected | Characters the device cannot type, or a security standard it does not support | Set a letters-and-numbers password, and lower the hotspot's security level if the phone offers the choice |
| It connects but nothing loads | The data line is not the plan you meant, or a VPN is running on the sharing phone | Check the data line in the SIM settings, then switch the VPN off briefly as a test |
| It connects but drops whenever the phone is left alone | Power management suspends the link when the screen goes dark | Plug in, turn off battery saver, and keep the phone somewhere it will not overheat |
Work from the symptom you can actually see rather than the one you assume
- 1Confirm the sharing phone is online itselfLoad a web page on the phone that will do the sharing. If it cannot reach the internet itself, the problem is not the hotspot but the plan's connection, which is a different repair.
- 2Plug in and turn off battery saverRule out the phone quietly disabling the hotspot while you test, one of the most common reasons people chase the wrong cause.
- 3Rename with a plain name and passwordChange the name to a short plain-English string with no spaces or emoji, set a straightforward letters-and-numbers password, and restart the hotspot.
- 4Switch the frequency bandFind the band option, or the broader-compatibility mode, in the hotspot settings and switch it to the other value — the label and location differ by brand and OS version — then have the other device scan again.
- 5Check the name is not hiddenIf a hide-the-name option exists, switch it off while troubleshooting; a hidden network never appears in anyone's list no matter how healthy everything else is.
- 6Refresh the joining deviceToggle Wi-Fi off and on, or flip airplane mode once, to force a fresh scan. On a computer, a restart usually accomplishes more than repeated rescans.
- 7Try a different deviceIf another device sees it normally, the fault sits with the first device rather than the phone or the plan, which changes the direction of the repair entirely.
A checklist before blaming the plan
People often conclude the plan does not permit sharing before ruling out anything on the device side. Work through this list first, and if it still will not go, get in touch — we can then help at the right level instead of asking you to repeat what you have already done.
- The sharing phone can itself load a page, not merely show signal bars
- It is on a charger with battery saver switched off
- The network name is plain English and not set to be hidden
- The frequency band has been swapped at least once
- The joining device has had its Wi-Fi toggled or has been restarted
- The line set as mobile data is the plan you mean to use
- Any VPN on the sharing phone has been switched off as a test
- A second device has been tried to see whether the symptom repeats
What to have ready when you contact us
If you have run through everything and it still will not work, messaging us with the details saves a great deal of back and forth. What helps most: the model and OS of both the sharing phone and the joining device, which country you are in right now, a plain description of the symptom — nothing appears in the list, or it appears but will not connect — and the list of what you have already tried. Reach us on LINE at https://lin.ee/skDPoNx (@esimonline) or by email at esimonline.asia@gmail.com.
ຄຳຖາມທີ່ພົບເລື້ອຍ
Why can no other device find the hotspot at all once it is switched on?+
The most common cause is the plan not supporting hotspot sharing, followed by the hotspot being stuck in an incomplete state. Check both of these first.
What should be checked before troubleshooting the device itself?+
Check whether the current plan supports hotspot sharing first. If it genuinely does not, no correct device setting will make it work.
Does having a device forget the old network delete other data on it too?+
No. It only clears that single Wi-Fi network's saved connection details. Other data on the device is unaffected.
How many devices can connect to a hotspot at once at most?+
The maximum differs by device model and operating system. Check the hotspot settings menu on that specific device directly.
If every step has been tried and it still will not connect, what next?+
Message us on LINE or by email with both device models and exactly what is happening. We can help look into it with the information available.
Does changing the hotspot's name or password often help fix the problem?+
Not without real need, since every previously connected device then has to forget the old network and be reconfigured. Change it only when genuinely necessary.
Why does my laptop see the hotspot while an older tablet sees nothing?+
That pattern points almost immediately at the frequency band. The phone is probably broadcasting on a band newer devices support and the older one does not, so it never appears in the list even side by side. Change the band, or enable the broader-compatibility mode, in the hotspot settings; the option is named differently by each manufacturer and OS version.
The hotspot switches itself off a few minutes after I start it. Why?+
Many phones close the hotspot automatically when nothing has connected within a set window, to save battery, and power-saving modes produce a similar effect. Put the phone on a charger, turn battery saver off, and connect the other device sooner after switching it on. Some phones let you adjust or disable the behaviour in the same settings screen.
Does USB tethering work with an eSIM plan?+
Tethering by cable uses the same data connection as the Wi-Fi hotspot, so if your plan permits sharing, this route works too. Support still depends on the phone model and the computer's operating system — some setups need configuration before the first use — and the cable must genuinely carry data rather than only charge.
Can I name the hotspot in Thai?+
You can, but it is a poor idea if non-phone devices need to join. Some televisions, consoles and cameras render Thai characters incompletely or as unreadable symbols, to the point where they cannot connect. While troubleshooting, use a short English name and change it back once everything works.
Does a VPN on the sharing phone affect things?+
It can. The usual symptom is that devices join successfully but pages will not load, or only some apps work. The behaviour depends on the VPN app and its configuration. The fastest check is to switch the VPN off briefly and retry; if that fixes it, either configure the VPN to allow sharing or leave it off while you share.
Instagram and TikTok have no web share button, so we open your phone's share sheet or copy the link instead.