Using Chromecast with Android Phone Hotspot (AP isolation issue)

[colonelcack]

yeah i had a router running dd-wrt that could use the signal from my hotspot but that just seems so clunky and the router fried a while ago when i plugged the wrong power supply into it so it's not even really an option anymore...guess i'll just have to wait for someone to come up with a fix

 

[Latimer Turner]

Hey guys, I finally found a super easy way to get this to work with your phone's hotspot!! So all you need to do is download connectify (google it) onto your PC. There is a free version and a pro version (free version works just fine). Connectify basically turns your pc into a wireless router. So you just connect your phone to your PC via USB and start "USB tethering" on your phone instead of "Portable Wi-Fi hotspot", then run Connectify on your PC, follow the tutorial and set up a hotspot.

Now for the bad news for some of you. You will need a third device for this set up to work. You will not be able to use your phone, nor your PC to control chromecast. Basically because your phone and PC are the modem and router, so you will either need another PC/laptop or a tablet so set-up and control chromecast. In my case I have a tablet which is what I was going to use to control my chromecast anyway so it wasn't a big deal. To set up chromecast using your tablet, make sure you connect your tablet to the Connectify hotspot you created and then download the chromecast app and follow the instructions. Then you are good to go! I know that seems like a lot but trust me, the set up is easy and saying that Google didn't think this was even possible, its the best option we have for those of us using our phone's internet.

 

[y2whisper]

I have been using connectify for my home network and it works better than the rest. there are times where i need to restart the hotspot. Hopefully google will decide to open a way to make this easier in the future.

 

[p5stover]

connectify doesnt seem to work with a chromebook. any ideas? all i have is a Chromebook, gnex, and Chromecast which is not working... THIS SHOULD WORK GOOGLE

 

[Latimer Turner]

Wow, p5stover you are all-in with Google products huh? Your only option may be to buy a wireless router with USB input that allows you to tether your phone directly to the router. Sapido makes routers that will allow you to do this and they sell for about $60 on amazon. This kinda kills the affordability of the Chromecast, but an additional benefit is the router will boost your phone's hotspot signal giving you 5-10mbps of more speed. If you already own a wireless router with a USB input then you can get that one to work with a little hacking, but the Sapido routers have the firmware already built-in so that's the easier way. Hope that helps, good luck!

 

[droidworld]

Wow, p5stover you are all-in with Google products huh? Your only option may be to buy a wireless router with USB input that allows you to tether your phone directly to the router. Sapido makes routers that will allow you to do this and they sell for about $60 on amazon. This kinda kills the affordability of the Chromecast, but an additional benefit is the router will boost your phone's hotspot signal giving you 5-10mbps of more speed. If you already own a wireless router with a USB input then you can get that one to work with a little hacking, but the Sapido routers have the firmware already built-in so that's the easier way. Hope that helps, good luck!

Wow is this the only way I can get my hot spot working? Is this what you are currently using?. I just wish we could opperate everything from our phone without having to have wifi. I will look into this thanks for sharing!

Posted via Android Central App

 

[shaggydog]

I am successfully using my s3 as the hot spot. I can watch anything on Google Play using phone as remote. I cannot Use the s3 to cast youtube or Chrome browser. I have to use laptop as remote for those things. It says i need wifi. I will go to my brothers house and try to use his internet connection to set it up and hopefully later I can use it at my house.

 

[droidworld]

I have not been able to set mine up because of the wifi issue. I was hoping I could use everything from my phone but it appears that I need to get a router

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Groundhound]

I tried Foxfi today and it worked! I'm able to use my phone to set up a Foxfi hotspot that my CC and my laptop can connect to, allowing me to cast from my laptop to my CC. I don't normally need an app like Foxfi to use my phone for a hotspot since my phone is rooted and I have the entitlement check set to allow hotspots, but the CC would not connect that way. When I tried it with Foxfi it did work, although the free version of Foxfi times out after a while. I went ahead and purchased the full version of Foxfi and was able to use my CC on a tv where there was no wifi to connect to, only the hotspot created by Foxfi. I tested casting Chrome tabs, my desktop, and a YouTube video, all successfully.

My phone is a Motorola Razr Maxx, Verizon unlimited data grandfathered. I am running a custom rom that has the entitlement check enabled, but I don't know if that has anything to do with my success with Foxfi since it does not require root. My CC firmware version is 13300.

 

[NewAge]

I've been using my router as a repeater/bridge for my GNex for months. All home devices connect to router including Chromecast. Very easy to set up repeater bridge with dd-wrt. For you grandfathered people using your phone as a hotspot for home internet this is the best solution imo. If you have external drives or printers or wired desktops this works great to get your network back to normal.

I have cheap Linksys WRT 310N that I flashed dd-wrt on years ago. I'm thinking about upgrading it just to try out the new ac on the G2.

And for the person asking about upload speeds for video conference. I get over 10mbps upload and more often than not my upload and download speeds are the SAME! That being usually in the 20s but its slowed down since rollout.

 

[Janelle Spratley]

Hi,
I am really struggling with this... I completed the inital setup using another device and when I disconnected and attempted to use my phone it would not work ... did you get yours to work via your hotspot on your cell ?

Signed,
NerdyNelle

 

[Groundhound]

Hi,
I am really struggling with this... I completed the inital setup using another device and when I disconnected and attempted to use my phone it would not work ... did you get yours to work via your hotspot on your cell ?

Signed,
NerdyNelle

When using your phone as a hotspot you still need another device (pc, laptop, another phone, etc.) to cast/control the Chromecast. When I set up my Chromecast for this, I activated the Foxfi hotspot on my phone and had my laptop connected to the phone's hotspot, then I turned on the Chromecast and set it up with the laptop. The setup process connects the Chromecast with the phone hotspot, so then both the Chromecast and the laptop are connected to the phone hotspot, and casting is done via the laptop.

 

[JoshOnAndroidCentral]

I use my GS3 with Foxfi, unlimited data plan and have no issues running chromecast from my laptop to my tv using wireless hotspot on phone.

 

[Shelly McDavid]

I just started using internet service from toast.net it starts at $30 a month but I'm on the 50 a month plan. I was hoping to use my old Clear device since they went out of business and farmed their products out to Sprint but I ended up having to buy a new router for about $60 actually a hotspot device by Sprint made by Sierra. not only do I get a very strong signal at 4G LTE but they also have an excellent support group.an actual person in Toledo Ohio answers the phone and they are knowledgeable and friendly and they also called me twice to discuss my device and to make sure I received their device and then also a week later to see how it was going. Then they called me to let me know that I was going over my plan and showed me how to review my data usage. There is no contract, no trying to upsell or bundle other services. Just what I was looKing for since I don't have cable TV. reminds me of Clear when they first started.

 

[Shelly McDavid]

Oh and the reason I came here is that I cant get my chromecast to work either but I think it is a DHCP issue after reading several articles. however I think I will try the Connectify solution since I can't seem to get around the no signal issue. my chromecast device is definitely connected to my hotspot as well as my phone and my laptop and my PC. am I just spinning my wheels here should I just wait for Google to fix the problem?

 

[Bob Harrison 115]

I was having trouble using my Galaxy S4 Zoom as the hotspot and Lenovo S6000 tab as the setting up device, and my laptops are at my missus house so some ideas mentioned here were a no go. The Chromecast setup on my tab found the chromecast but when I proceeded with the setup it said it couldn't connect make sure the device is in range (or similar). After reading this thread I had another go, I went into wifi settings on the tab and the chromecast showed up, so I connected directly to the 'cast and then ran thesetup app again. First try failed; I'd renamed the 'cast which may have been the issue. 2nd attempt worked (leaving its name default) and I got a message to say I was connected to a different wifi (the 'cast) and My device would Auto connect to My hotspot on completion. Job done!

 

[Bob Harrison 115]

Sorry its long winded. Connect tab to hotspot and run chromecast setup app. Select chromecast that's found on your hotspot network; standard setup will probably now fail. Go into wifi settings and connect directly to the chromecast. Run the setup app again, hopefully it will complete the setup and tell you its swapping your wifi connection back to your hotspot.

 

[Raffi Rincon]

Here's a solution:

Requirement:
a friend's smartphone

Note: I don't think you'll be able to cast from your phone, but you should still be able to cast from your laptop, other mobile device, etc.

1) turn on your phone's hotspot
2) download the chromecast app on your friend's phone
3) run the app on your friend's phone to setup the Chromecast
4) when the app asks you for the network you want to connect to, just choose your phone's hotspot

 

[Jejoma]

Here's a solution I found on the web. This enables you to use Chromecast through a tethered hotspot. A second mobile will be needed to set it up the first time but after that you only need your own phone. This second mobile does not need a sim card - it can be any old smartphone you have laying around.

I'd love to be able to credit the poster but they posted under the tag of yournamehere! They definitely work as I have used them. To be honest, Google should really be putting them out.

Hopefully the instructions are attached (They are quite long).

Good luck!

 

[Gr8erpx]

I kinda disagree with you on the speed thing shiloh...We have LTE at over 30 down...that's plenty fast enough, as soon as I get my device I'll try to hotspot it and see how it does. I'll try it on my GN as well and see how it does with 8mbs down.

Lately I have been getting about 50 down consistently. I feel that the Chromecast unit is archaic and useless without a standard Wi-Fi network with internet connection. I connect to the internet with my Blu-ray player through the hotspot on my Samsung and I get beautiful hd picture with no problems.