BT WiFi

[StewartC]

When using a BT Hotspot (I'm a BT customer running the BT App) and I try and turn on my Android phone's Hotspot facility the BT WiFi immediately cancels so I'm not able to use my laptop via the BT Hotspot. It also does this when trying to connect to the laptop via Bluetooth. Any suggestions as to why this occurs?

Stewart C

[NigelB72]

It's possibly causing a conflict. Try setting up the connection manually through your phones settings

[imjolly]

Why don't you just connect to BTWIFI using your laptop and miss out the android phone?

[StewartC]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I can connect directly to my laptop and do so where possible. However, there're buildings I use where BT Wifi is only accessible at inconvenient locations to use the laptop so placing the phone at these locations and using the hotspot facility would be the most convenient work around, thus my question.

Any further thoughts would be appreciated.

SC

[NigelB72]

I still think you're getting a conflict. You don't have to use the BT WiFi app to connect to a hotspot. You can scan for open networks through the WiFi settings on Android and once connected, just use your BT ID and password to log in 👍

[StewartC]

Thanks for your reply. When I select BT Wifi through the phone's WiFi settings all's well until I turn on the phone's 'hotspot' facility which causes BT Wifi to be dropped and the phone resets to Mobile Data.

There almost seems to be a default setting within BT Wifi that prevents streaming (for want of a better description) to another device(s). 

SC

[imjolly]

BTWIFI is intended for personal use of the Bt customer and using it as a hotspot to let others use the connection defeats the purpose and is more than likely the cause why it keeps failing

[StewartC]

Thanks for the reply. As an explanation what you're suggesting does seem very plausible. Is there a way of getting formal confirmation of this? A shame though as perched on a windowsill with the laptop isn't the best for doing work. It would be interesting to know whether the same situation exists were one to try to Chrome-cast material accessed via BT Wifi.

SC

[sno1989 · Accepted solution]

I think you'll find it's your phone that is the issue.

When in hotspot mode my Samsung disables WiFi altogether.

I also have a Motorola that automatically drops the connection once you enable hotspot and swaps to 4G/5G.

Have you tried it when connected to your home WiFi?

[licquorice]

Yes, basically the phone is trying to transmit and receive on 2 discrete wifi networks at the same time, which can't be done.