How to Fix Hotspot Not Working on Nothing Phone (1,2)

Nothing is a young brand in the smartphone industry. It currently has only two products in its smartphone portfolio, the Nothing Phone 1 and the Nothing Phone 2. Despite the small portfolio, the company has already gained millions of users. Users love the Nothing Phone 1 / Phone 2 for their unique design and attention to detail.

Nonetheless, just like every other phone out there, the Nothing Phone 1 and Phone 2 also run into issues sometimes. One such issue that users have been experiencing lately is the hotspot not working on Nothing Phone (1,2).

Reasons Behind Hotspot Not Working on Nothing Phone (1,2)

There are several reasons why your Nothing Phone 1 or Phone 2’s hotspot is not working. These can range from your usage pattern to misconfigured settings. Here are some of the most common reasons:

Data Plan Restrictions: It’s possible that the hotspot won’t perform as intended due to data plan restrictions. Sometimes, internet service providers will place limits on how often you can use a hotspot.
Data Limit Settings: Overusing a mobile data plan or implementing strict data limit settings can cause the hotspot to not work.
Data Saver Function: When enabled, the Data Saver feature reduces app data use and may interfere with hotspot functionality.
Wi-Fi Hotspot Auto-Off Feature: Disruptions in hotspot operation are possible as a result of the auto-off option.
Wi-Fi Frequency Band: Picking the wrong Wi-Fi frequency band, like 5 GHz when 2.4 GHz is more universally supported, might hinder hotspot performance, especially for older devices.
Data Roaming Settings: When using the hotspot outside of the home carrier’s service area, the data roaming settings may have an impact on the device’s performance.
Outdated Software: If the phone’s software is out of date, the hotspot function may not work properly.
Device Compatibility: The Nothing Phone (1,2) hotspot feature may not work properly with all devices.
Device Overheating: Overheating is another potential cause of temporary hotspot disruption.
Insufficient Battery Level: Hotspot may not work when your battery level is too low.

If your phone is getting too hot, try taking it out of its back case for a while to let air circulate and cool it down. If you don’t want your phone to overheat, you should keep it out of the sun and away from any other sources of heat.

Reduce the stress on your device by turning off unnecessary features and apps that are still active in the background. If you’re using a lot of your device’s resources for an app or game, try pausing it for a while.

If your device has high-performance modes activated, you may want to disable them temporarily by switching to a regular or power-saving mode. If you can, relocate to a cooler area or turn on a fan or air conditioner to help bring the temperature down.

When your phone starts to overheat, don’t plug it in to charge; doing so will just make things worse. Restarting your Nothing Phone can occasionally fix minor heating problems. If the phone heats up too often, you should contact Nothing Support.

Fix 2: Charge your Nothing Phone

The hotspot’s performance may suffer if your phone’s battery is critically low or isn’t charging properly. If you want your phone’s features, including the hotspot capability, to work properly, you need to make sure it has enough battery.

Make sure your phone has enough charge to act as a hotspot by checking the battery. If your phone’s battery is low, you may want to plug it in for a charge. To ensure compatibility and the fastest charging speed, always use the cable that comes with your Nothing Phone.

Be sure the charging port on your phone is free of any dirt or debris that could impede the charging process. When you’ve finished charging your phone, make sure to restart it and try using the hotspot again.

Fix 3: Turn ON Mobile Data & Hotspot

When you turn on Mobile Data and Hotspot on your device, you can connect several devices to the internet wirelessly. To make this work, you’ll need to enable your device’s mobile data network and set up a Wi-Fi hotspot so that other devices can connect to it and access the internet. Follow the steps below to turn on Mobile data and Hotspot:

Mobile Data:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on SIMs.
Turn ON the toggle next to Mobile Data.
You can also turn ON the mobile data from the Quick Settings panel.

Hotspot:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Turn ON the toggle next to Use Wi-Fi Hotspot.
You can also turn ON the hotspot from the Quick Settings panel.

Fix 4: Check your Internet Plan

Making sure you have an active and adequate internet subscription is as simple as checking your plan. It’s possible that the problem stems from the particulars of your data plan, specifically its hotspot functionality.

If you have an active internet plan, make sure that your ISP is not restricting hotspot usage. Many ISPs often restrict hotspot internet access for various unknown reasons. Contact your ISP for better clarity on this.

Fix 5: Check your Mobile Data Limit

Overusing your mobile data plan might cause connectivity troubles, so knowing your data limit is important. By increasing or turning off the data limit, you can make full use of your mobile data plan and use hotspot, too. Follow the steps below to turn off the data limit.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on SIMs.
Tap on Data Warning and Limit.
Turn OFF the toggle next to Set Data Limit.

Fix 6: Turn OFF Data Saver

The Data Saver function limits the amount of data that your apps may consume, but turning it off removes those limits. In particular, this can help resolve the issue of your hotspot connection being limited by the data saver. Follow the steps below.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Data Saver.
Turn OFF the toggle next to Data Saver.

Fix 7: Disable “Turn Off Wi-Fi Hotspot Automatically”

By turning off the feature that would otherwise shut down the hotspot after a certain amount of time, you can be confident that all connected devices will have a constant data connection. This option ensures that your hotspot never goes down. Follow the steps below to disable it.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Turn ON the toggle next to Turn Off Wi-Fi Hotspot Automatically.

Fix 8: Use 2.4 GHz AP Band

By choosing the 2.4 GHz AP Band, you may restrict your Wi-Fi access point to just using that particular frequency range. Although the 5 GHz band may seem exciting, most older devices don’t support it.

The 2.4 GHz band is more compatible with older devices and provides a stronger signal overall. Switch to 2.4 GHz and see your hotspot work like a charm. Follow the steps below to switch to the 2.4 GHz AP band.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Tap on AP Band.
Select the 2.4 GHz band.

Fix 9: Use WPA-2 Personal Security

In order for your Nothing phone to connect to your hotspot, you must adjust the security settings accordingly. Enabling WPA-2 Personal security will protect your hotspot from unauthorized access and allow only approved users to connect to it.

Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA-2) is a wireless encryption protocol with a high level of security that will protect your hotspot from intruders.

The selected security standard protects your online activities by requiring authentication from any device joining your hotspot.

Your Nothing phone can connect to your hotspot safely and conveniently if you set up WPA-2 Personal security on it. Follow the steps below to enable WPA-2 Personal.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on Wi-Fi Hotspot.
Tap on Security.
Select WPA-2 Personal and enter a password.
Check to see if the hotspot is working now.

Fix 10: Turn ON Data Roaming

When you leave your usual service provider’s coverage region, you can still use your phone to connect to cellular networks by enabling data roaming. If your network has bad coverage where you are, this is a huge help.

However, you must be aware of the possibility of additional charges from your carrier for data consumption while roaming. Follow the steps below to turn ON data roaming.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on SIMs.
Turn ON the toggle next to Roaming.

Fix 11: Check for Software Updates

Software updates are crucial for your device to function properly. Software updates usually incorporate bug fixes and performance improvements to make your hotspot experience better. If there is a pending software update, you should install it right away. Simply follow the steps below:

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on System.
Then, tap on Software Update.
Tap on Check for Updates. Your phone will now check for any available updates. If an update is available, tap on Download and Install.
Once the update is installed, restart your phone and see if the hotspot is working now.

Fix 12: Enable “Mobile Data Always Active”

If you’re using a Wi-Fi connection and still want to use your mobile data, you can do so by enabling “Mobile Data Always Active” under the developer options. The ability to switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data without losing any data is a significant boon to connectivity. This has helped many users fix the hotspot issue on their Nothing Phone. Follow the steps below.

Open the Settings app on your phone.
Scroll down and tap on System.
Tap on Developer Options.
Turn ON the toggle next to Use Developer Options.
Scroll down and turn ON the toggle next to Mobile Data Always Active.

Use Bluetooth or USB Tethering Instead

Even if the Wi-Fi hotspot isn’t working, you can still share your internet data by tethering your device to it over Bluetooth or a USB cable. This can sometimes provide a more stable and reliable connection compared to the Wi-Fi hotspot. Follow the steps below.

Tether Over Bluetooth

Tethering over Bluetooth allows you to share your phone’s cellular data connection with another device that also has Bluetooth. To set it up, follow these steps:

It’s important that the device you’re trying to pair with your Nothing phone also be Bluetooth-enabled.
Connect the device in question to your Nothing Phone via Bluetooth.
Now, open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on the toggle next to Bluetooth tethering.

Bluetooth tethering allows you to share data from your phone to another Bluetooth device. The Bluetooth-enabled device can now use your phone’s data connection to connect to the internet. However, Bluetooth tethering might not be as fast.

Tether Over USB

USB tethering is a feature that lets you connect your phone to a computer or another device through a USB cable in order to share your phone’s internet connection. This is faster than Bluetooth tethering and even your typical Wi-Fi hotspot. To set it up, follow these steps:

Note: USB Tethering might not work with Apple devices such as a Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

Connect your Nothing phone to the device you want to share your data with using a compatible USB cable.
Now, open the Settings app on your phone.
Tap on Network & Internet.
Then, tap on Hotspot & Tethering.
Tap on the toggle next to USB tethering.
A notification should pop up saying, “Connected as a…” Tap on the notification and select USB Tethering.

USB tethering allows you to transmit your phone’s mobile data through a USB cable. Any device you connect to your phone by USB will be able to use the internet through your mobile device.

Contact Nothing Support

Alas, Bluetooth tethering and USB tethering are not as convenient as the Wi-Fi hotspot. If you are still unable to use the Wi-Fi hotspot even after trying all of the solutions mentioned above, you should contact the Nothing Support team for further assistance.

The Nothing Support team should be able to guide you through the next troubleshooting steps to fix the issue. If there is a hardware issue with your device, you can send it in for a repair or ask for a free replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the hotspot not working on my Nothing Phone 1 / Phone 2?

There are several reasons why this might be happening. Some of the most common reasons are outdated software, data limits, data saver mode, incompatible AP band, or even an inactive internet connection.

What are some alternatives to the hotspot on my Nothing Phone 1 / Phone 2?

There are two alternatives to the hotspot on your Nothing Phone 1 / Phone 2. The first one is Bluetooth tethering, which transfers data over Bluetooth but is slower than a regular hotspot. The other one is USB tethering, which transfers data over a USB cable and is much faster than both options.

Which AP band should I use on my Nothing Phone 1 / Phone 2?

Most modern devices support both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz AP bands. However, older devices, that is, those from three to four years ago, might not support the 5 GHz AP band. So, it is recommended to use the 2.4 GHz AP band for wider compatibility, although it is slower than 5 GHz.

Is USB tethering as fast as a Wi-Fi hotspot?

USB tethering transfers data over a USB cable, which makes it faster than any wireless tethering protocol, including Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth tethering. It’s like using Ethernet from your internet router.

Can I use USB tethering with any device?

USB tethering is compatible with all devices except those from Apple. This includes Macs, iPhones, and iPads. You cannot currently share data via USB tethering to these devices.

Final Words

That’s how to fix the hotspot issues on your Nothing Phone (1,2). Make sure to turn on the mobile data and hotspot settings to be able to use the hotspot. Also, make sure you are entering the correct authentication password on the device you are trying to access the hotspot. The hotspot is indeed a great feature that can come in handy several times.

We hope that this article has helped you through the steps to fix the hotspot issue on your Nothing Phone (1,2). If the issue persists, you should contact the Nothing Support team. Which one of these solutions worked for you? Do you know of any other solutions that might work? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading till the end!