Fix: We can’t set up mobile Hotspot Error on Windows 10

Internet Connectivity is now a norm for every electronic device that comes out in the market. We even have smartwatches and TVs now that require access to the internet. There are several ways to connect a device to the internet via Mobile data, LAN, or Fiber. But there is also a way to share a device’s internet connection with other devices. It is called Mobile Hotspot. Mobile Hotspot has been around in smartphones for a while now, and many people depend on their smartphones for internet connectivity in their homes. They use the Mobile Hotspot feature in your smartphone to share the mobile data internet connection with a computer.

But mobile hotspot is not something that we see only in smartphones. In 2019, Windows released an update for the Windows 10 Operating system, which resulted in a new Mobile Hotspot feature in Windows 10. Now even Windows users can set up their Windows device as a Mobile Hotspot and share their internet connection on their desktop or laptop with up to eight other devices. However, this does not always work. Some Windows users had reported that when they tried to turn on this setting, they see an error message on the screen that reads, “We can’t set up mobile hotspot.” There are many reasons why this could be happening with a particular system, and here in this article, we will try to address all the possible reasons and provide solutions for all of them. So if you are someone who is encountering this issue with a Windows device, this article will benefit you. So without any further ado, let’s get into it.

How to fix We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error on Windows 10?

To enable this mobile hotspot feature, you need to turn on the setting for it first.

• Press Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options that show up.
• Click on “Network & Internet.”
• Click on the “Mobile Hotspot” tab present in the left of the Network & Internet settings window.
• Turn on the toggle for “Share my internet connection with other devices.”

If you have this error, then a message will pop up on the screen that reads, “We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot.” Before trying all the solutions mentioned below to fix it, make sure that you have an internet connection on your Windows device in the first place. Also, check whether something is wrong with your ISP. If everything seems fine, try the solutions mentioned below, one after the other, and surely one of them will solve the problem for you.

Enabling Virtual Adapters in the Device Manager:

Certain virtual adapters are disabled by default. You need to enable them and see if that works out your issue.

• Press and hold the Windows Key + X and choose “Device Manager” from the list of options that show up.
• In the Device Manager window, click on the View tab on top and then select “Show hidden devices.”

• Double-click on Network Adapters and expand it.
• Look for virtual network adapters here that are disabled. A disabled network adapter shows an arrow button over its icon.
• Right-click on each of these disabled network adapters and choose the “Enable Device” option in the context menu

Once you have enabled all the network adapters, try to set up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still encounter the We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error, go for the next solution.

Updating network drivers:

Outdated drivers for the network adapter can be the cause behind the Mobile Hotspot not working too. So you need to update your network drivers.

• Press and hold the Windows Key + X and choose “Device Manager” from the list of options that show up.
• Double-click on Network Adapters and expand it.
• Right-click on each of these network adapters and choose the “Update driver” option in the context menu.

• In the next window that opens up, choose “Search automatically for updated driver software,” and the computer will automatically start looking for the latest driver files on the internet.
• Just follow the on-screen instruction, and if it detects any update, it will install it on your computer.
• Do this for each network adapter, including the virtual network adapters.

There is another way to update your network adapters. You can visit your network adapter manufacturer’s website and look for the option to download the latest driver files for your version or build of Windows 10. This might take longer, though, as you will need to visit the website of each network adapter.

You can even opt for a third-party program that automatically scans your computer for any missing or outdated driver files. If your network adapter drivers are outdated, then such an application will automatically download and install the latest driver files for your network adapters.

Even after updating your network adapters, if you still encounter problems while trying to set up the Mobile Hotspot, go for the next possible solution mentioned below.

Running Network Adapter Troubleshooter:

Windows has a built-in troubleshooter utility that scans and fixes all kinds of possible errors on a Windows system. The troubleshooter also has a section for troubleshooting network-related problems.

• Press and hold the Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options that show up.
• Click on “Update & Security.”
• In the left pane of the Update & Security settings window, click on the “Troubleshoot” tab.
• In the right pane, you will see “Network Adapter” under the find and fix other problems section. Click on it and then click on “Run the troubleshooter.”

• Wait for the troubleshooter to detect your problems and then fix them.

Now try setting up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still encounter the We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error, go for the next solution.

Changing Adapter Settings:

There is an adapter setting that prohibits a computer from sharing the network with other devices. You need to make sure that it is disabled before trying to set up a Mobile Hotspot on your Windows device.

• Press and hold the Windows Key + X and choose “Settings” from the list of options that show up.
• Click on “Network & Internet.”
• In the left pane of the Network & Internet settings window, click on the “Mobile Hotspot” tab.
• In the right pane, you will see “Change adapter options” under the Related Settings section. Click on it.
• Right-click on your network adapter here and choose “Properties.”
• Click on the “Sharing” tab, and under the Internet connection Sharing section, uncheck the “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection” option.
• Click on Ok.

Now try setting up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still encounter the We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error, go for the next solution.

Changing Registry settings:

You can tweak around a few Registry settings to fix your Mobile Hotspot issue. But follow the steps carefully, though.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “regedit” in the Run dialog box and click on Ok.
• Navigate to the following path in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc\Parameters\HostedNetworkSettings\

• Here, right-click on HostedNetworkSettings and choose “Delete” from the context menu.

• Finally, close the registry editor.

Now try setting up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still see the We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error, go for the next solution.

Check wireless adapter’s hosted network support:

The Wireless adapter in your computer needs to support Hosted network for Mobile Hotspot to work. To check whether or not your wireless adapter supports hosted network, try the following method.

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “cmd” in the Run dialog box and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter key to open up the command prompt as an administrator.
• Click Yes when the User Account Control pop-up shows up on your screen.
• In the command prompt window, enter the following command:

NETSH WLAN show drivers

• Check the hosted network support details here. If it says Yes, then you are good to go. If it says No, you need to get yourself a new USB Wi-Fi adapter that supports hosted networks.

Now try setting up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still encounter the same, We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error again, go for the next potential solution.

Check the Internet Connection Sharing service:

• Press Windows Key + R to open up the Run dialog box.
• Enter “services.msc” in the Run dialog box and click on Ok.
• Look for the service “Internet Connection Sharing,” and when you find it double-click on it.
• Set the startup type as Manual or Automatic.
• Under Service status, if it shows as stopped, click on the Start button to kick start the Internet Connection Sharing Service.

• Then click on, Ok.

Now try setting up the Mobile Hotspot again. If you still encounter the same, We Can’t Set Up Mobile Hotspot error again, go for the next potential solution.

Adjust the Wireless Network Adapter properties:

You can tweak around the properties of your wireless adapter to fix Mobile Hotspot related issues.

• Press and hold the Windows Key + X and choose “Device Manager” from the list of options that show up.
• Double-click on Network Adapters and expand it.
• Right-click on the network adapter you are using and choose “Properties” in the context menu.
• In the properties window, go to the Advanced tab.
• Select “802.11d” under the Property section and “Enable” under the Value section. Then click on, Ok.
• In the Device Manager window, click on the View tab on top and then select “Show hidden devices.”
• Right-click on the Microsoft Hosted Network Adapter. Choose “Properties” in the context menu.
• In the properties window, go to the Power Management tab.
• Make sure the box next to the option “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option” is unchecked.
• Finally, click on, Ok.

Surely one of the fixes mentioned in this list works out your problem. As an additional tip, you should keep your Bluetooth turned off while turning on the Mobile Hotspot. For some reason, sometimes the Bluetooth interferes with the Mobile Hotspot.

If you have any questions or queries about this article, then comment down below, and we will get back to you. Also, be sure to check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more useful information.