Laptop to mobile WiFi connection problem

[Frank Holland]

I’m trying to WiFi connect my Huawei Ascend G510 (Android version 4.1.1) to my Windows 10 laptop. I’ve turned the laptop mobile hotspot on and the mobile picks it up. I’ve turned the WiFi on the mobile on however it won’t connect. I’ve tried the password I set up on the laptop and also my ISP password. What am I missing?

 

[SpookDroid]

Unless the phone has issues connecting to other WiFi networks, this has got to be a configuration issue on the PC side. Check that the encryption protocol you're using is supported by the phone and that the password matches (try changing it to something simple, test, and if it works, change it back to the password of your choice just to make sure). This is assuming you're trying to connect the phone TO the laptop's hotspot (I mention it because usual case is the other way around...).

 

[treetopsranch]

The router password maybe.

 

[Frank Holland]

Many thanks for your reply treetopsranch. I've tried several different passwords including the router password without success.

 

[Frank Holland]

Many thanks for your reply SpookDroid. Yes I'm trying to connect to the laptop. I tried the password change without success. The mobile is picking up the laptop as secured with WPA2, the mobile is set up to WPA2 when used as a hotspot. I've managed to connect to WiFi elsewhere in the past.
I've tried setting the IP setting to Static again without success, but then again I may well have not entered the correct IP address or Gateweay
The fact that the mobile is picking up the laptop wifi would suggest the laptop is working ok? I've messed about with the laptop network and sharing settings without success.

 

[SpookDroid]

If your phone is seeing the WiFi from your computer it means the laptop hotspot is active, but if your phone doesn't have issues connecting to other networks but does to your computer, it suggests that it's the computer's settings that are doing something weird.

Have you tried connecting other devices to the laptop? Do they see the network? Can they connect to it? Check that no firewalls or antivirus apps are blocking the connection from your phone to the laptop.

 

[hallux]

the mobile is set up to WPA2 when used as a hotspot.

This part of your post has me confused. Are you trying to do this through the hotspot setup screen? That's not where you want to do this unless you're setting your phone up to provide internet to your laptop.

 

[Frank Holland]

Thanks for the reply hallux.
I mentioned this to illustrate that my mobile has this protocol. You are, of course, quite correct.

 

[Frank Holland]

SpookDroid, thanks again for your reply and useful suggestions. Unfortunately I don’t have any other WiFi devices to test the connection. When I get a chance I’ll take my mobile to a ‘phone shop and ask them to investigate. The problem maybe with the mobile as I have a PAYG contract and they’re a bit snotty about tethering, so maybe now there is some sort of block the other way round.

 

[SpookDroid]

9k so then you're trying to tether your mobile connection to your computer? I'm confused, it sounded like you wanted to do the other way around...

 

[Rukbat]

He has wifi from his ISP through his router (or modem) to his laptop.

Frank, why not just connect the phone to the router? Why use the laptop at all? You gain absolutely nothing doing it that way. (As for a static IP address, the gateway is the address the phone sees the laptop as, and trying one number higher [if the laptop is 192.168.0.1, use 192.168.0.2] will work if that's the only thing being tethered. (If the laptop i showing the same address range (192.168.1) as the router, you may have a problem.

The problem is, though, that the laptop is probably on the same channel as the router, it's using the same address range (192.168.1) as the router, you can't change that (if you change the router's channel, the laptop follows), so you're interfering with yourself. Just connect the phone to the router and be done with it. The router can handle t2 wifi connections at once, or a wired connection and a wifi connection at the same time.

(Or are you running off a modem without a router? In which case, I suggest that you get a router. Windows tethering is iffy at best, and a dark haired man can go completely white haired from trying to get it to work.)

(The password is the one you set in the laptop - unless you're connecting to a router. The only thing you need the ISP password for is a direct connect from the device [phone (which would require an Ethernet adapter) or laptop] to the modem.)

This is one of those situations that network engineers look for alternatives to. You're trying to set up the second most difficult situation there is. (Multiple repeaters, using the same SSID on the same channel, is the most difficult.)

 

[hallux]

I wish "like" was more than just "like" for the post by @Rukbat I was thinking along the same lines but was concerned about jumping to that conclusion.

 

[Frank Holland]

Many thanks Rukbat for your comprehensive reply. The reason for not connecting directly to the router is that the laptop is too far from the router to pick up the WiFi, I live in a very old long-house which has three very thick stone walls between the two. Unfortunately for the application I wanted the mobile and laptop need to be together and preferably in my office.

From what you say it looks like I’m trying to do the impossible. None of this would be a problem if I had a mobile signal here, these days it is getting more and more restrictive.

“Windows tethering is iffy at best, and a dark haired man can go completely white haired from trying to get it to work.”

Not kidding – I’m completely white!

By profession I was an engineer and therefore used to solving problems but this one had me stumped. I’m so grateful to all of you who have tried to help me and am very impressed with Androidcentral.

 

[hallux]

It sounds like a "mesh" network is more what you need. This uses multiple WiFi access points to provide a wider "net" of coverage, each taking the signal from the previous and broadcasting it at full strength again. Google makes a pre-built kit for this, it's 3 "pucks", others like Asus have devices that support an "AiMesh" setup that you can set up when they're all in range of each other - my router supports this but I don't need it.

Alternatively - if you can get a cable out to the furthest room you can set up a different network or maybe set up as a repeater a WiFi access point so you can use WiFi in that zone.

 

[Frank Holland]

?. See below.

 

[Frank Holland]

Hallux.

?. See below.

 

[hallux]

@Frank Holland regarding...?

 

[Frank Holland]

I wish "like" was more than just "like" for the post by @Rukbat

Not sure what you meant

 

[hallux]

Just that it was quite detailed.

 

[Frank Holland]

Many thanks hallux, sounds like the way forward. I've Cat 5 wired the house so can access the router from any room or indeed feed various low current signals around the house. I prefer the repeater idea either Cat 5 wired or mains borne WiFi.