How do I share my mobile data via hotspot and NOT re-share my WiFi

[Android Central Question]

Previously, when I turned on personal hotspot, WiFi automatically turned off. Similarly, when I turned on WiFi, hotspot automatically turned off. This was fine.

After a recent update, when hotspot is on and my phone connects to WiFi, the hotspot stays on and my phone stupidly starts re-sharing my WiFi, instead of my mobile 4G/5G/LTE data!!! Why on earth would I want that???? If I wanted to use WiFi on other devices, I would connect straight to the original WiFi network, not hop the network traffic through the phone!!! I NEVER want my phone to reroute WiFi network it's connected to. I ONLY ever want to share my mobile data via hotspot. I see no options to change this back to old behaviour. How can I ensure my phone NEVER re-shares WiFi data and ONLY shares mobile data?

Somewhat related to this, every time my hotspot + WiFi are on simultaneously and I drive away from my house, thus disconnecting from WiFi, my phone pops up a question about whether I want to continue sharing data now that I've disconnected from WiFi and I have to pull over and dismiss the stupid question so I can get back to driving directions. I cannot find any options to stop this unnecessary question from popping up.

Does anyone know how I can fix above? Would even be prepared to roll back Android versions if I really required!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone? How can you tell you're actually sharing your wi-fi connection and not your mobile data connection? I agree, that's not how it's supposed to work, but I'd be curious to see where you find the information showing it's the wi-fi and not the mobile data connection that you're sharing.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[Mooncatt]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone? How can you tell you're actually sharing your wi-fi connection and not your mobile data connection? I agree, that's not how it's supposed to work, but I'd be curious to see where you find the information showing it's the wi-fi and not the mobile data connection that you're sharing.

On my LG phone, the hotspot setup screen has an option to share Wi-Fi. I have no clue why you'd want to use it (maybe a makeshift network extender?), but it's there.

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for that @Mooncatt! Now if only the OP would register and let us know which device they have ...

 

[Daniel Mare]

Hi thank you for your responses and sorry for my slow reply: I did not see your responses earlier, but will be sure to subscribe to see any subsequent responses.

I know it's re-sharing my wi-fi, because on my laptop connected to my phone hotspot, I Google "What is my IP address" and get an IP address from my home Internet connection, rather than one from my mobile carrier. I turn off Wi-Fi on my mobile phone and then my connected device shows the mobile carrier's IP address instead. traceroute, etc. confirms the same: definitely re-sharing my Wi-Fi connection over hotspot.

• Phone is an Oppo A74 5G (or other Model number is CPH2197)
• ColorOS V11.1
• Android version 11
• Build number CPH2197AU_11_A.12
• Kernel version 5.4.61-qgki-g57558c0
• Hardware version CPH2197_11

Above is my current OS version, not sure what it was prior to this upgrade that stupidly started sharing my Wi-Fi over hotspot.

The exact wording for the message I get when I drive away from my Wi-Fi network with hotspot turned on is:
"The wi-fi network has been disconnected. Continue sharing your network using mobile data?"
I then have to select "Cancel" or "Continue" - this overlays my Google Maps and I have to pull over to press Continue to see my driving directions again.

It's been months since this behavior started and I am getting more and more annoyed with it every day!

When I have Googled this, I actually found this wi-fi extender like behaviour was a very popular Android feature request : definitely not a feature I ever want!

Any advice about how to turn this off and revert old behaviour would be much appreciated!

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for registering and following up! That is pretty odd behavior, and may be an Oppo idiosyncrasy.

What happens if you keep mobile data on, turn off wi-fi, then turn on hotspot. Does the PC that connects to the phone's hotspot still show that it's connected to your home wi-fi, or is it connecting via your phone's mobile connection?

 

[Daniel Mare]

If I turn Wi-Fi off on my phone, hotspot connected devices use mobile data. I just have to remember to turn Wi-Fi off.

 

[Daniel Mare]

Unfortunately I don't have the Wi-Fi Sharing toggle Mooncatt has on his LG phone

 

[B. Diddy]

Sounds like the simplest solution is to remember to turn off wi-fi before you turn on hotspot. Another workaround would be to use an app like MacroDroid, IFTTT, or Tasker to create a command that does both at the same time.