If your phone or other devices can’t connect to the internet through your PC, the quickest likely cause is that the Windows Mobile Hotspot feature is blocked or misconfigured. The problem addressed here is Mobile Hotspot not working in Windows 10 — this article explains the common causes and gives clear fixes so you can share your PC’s internet again.
Most issues come from disabled services, driver or adapter problems, sharing settings, or conflicts with VPN/firewall. Read on to learn 12 concrete reasons why Mobile Hotspot fails and step-by-step solutions to resolve each one.
Key Takeaway
The fastest reliable fix is to check the Mobile Hotspot toggle in Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot, then ensure the WLAN AutoConfig and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) services are running, update or reinstall your Wi‑Fi driver, and disable VPN/firewall temporarily to isolate conflicts. If that doesn’t work, run network reset and repair commands (including sfc /scannow and DISM) to restore system networking components.
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Mobile Hotspot is switched off or misconfigured | Turn on Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot and select the correct internet source and network name/password. |
| Airplane mode is enabled | Turn off Airplane mode in Settings > Network & Internet > Airplane mode. |
| Wi‑Fi adapter disabled or driver issue | Enable adapter in Network Connections and update/reinstall driver in Device Manager > Network adapters. |
| Required services (WLAN AutoConfig / ICS) stopped | Start and set WLAN AutoConfig and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) to Automatic in services.msc. |
| Hosted network not supported by driver | Run netsh wlan show drivers and update adapter driver if “Hosted network supported: No”. |
| VPN or proxy interfering | Disconnect VPN and disable proxy in Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. |
| Metered connection or sharing restrictions | Turn off Set as metered connection in Wi‑Fi/Ethernet properties or change share source. |
| Power management is disabling adapter | In Device Manager uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. |
| Firewall or antivirus blocking sharing | Temporarily disable firewall/antivirus or allow hotspot sharing in settings. |
| Connected devices exceed limit or IP conflicts | Disconnect some devices, reboot clients, or run ipconfig /release and /renew on clients. |
| Windows updates or corrupted system files | Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth; consider uninstalling problematic update. |
| Network profile or virtual adapter problems | Use Network reset in Settings > Network & Internet > Status or disable/re-enable virtual adapter in Device Manager. |
Detailed Fixes for “Mobile Hotspot not working in Windows 10”
Below are the 12 reasons with clear explanations and step-by-step fixes.
1) Mobile Hotspot is switched off or misconfigured
Why it causes the problem:
If the Mobile Hotspot toggle is off, Windows won’t broadcast an SSID. If the “Share my internet connection from” option points to the wrong adapter, connected devices see no internet.
How to fix:
- Open Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot.
- Toggle Share my Internet connection with other devices to On.
- Under Share my Internet connection from, choose the correct source (Wi‑Fi or Ethernet).
- Click Edit, set a recognizable Network name (SSID) and Network password, then Save.
- On client devices, search for the SSID and connect using the password.
Tip: If the toggle is greyed out, proceed to the service and adapter checks below.
2) Airplane mode enabled
Why it causes the problem:
Airplane mode disables all radios (Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth), preventing the hotspot from signaling or connecting.
How to fix:
- Open Settings > Network & Internet > Airplane mode.
- Ensure Airplane mode is Off.
- Alternatively click the notification center (bottom-right) and turn off the Airplane mode tile.
Note: Some keyboards have a hardware switch; check those too.
3) Wi‑Fi adapter disabled or driver issue
Why it causes the problem:
If the Wi‑Fi adapter is disabled or its driver is outdated/corrupt, Windows cannot host or share Wi‑Fi.
How to fix:
- Press Win + X, choose Device Manager.
- Expand Network adapters, find your Wi‑Fi adapter.
- If the icon shows disabled, right-click and choose Enable device.
- To update driver: right-click the adapter > Update driver > Search automatically.
- To reinstall: right-click > Uninstall device, then reboot Windows to reinstall automatically.
Advanced driver check:
- Run netsh wlan show drivers in Command Prompt (admin); look for Hosted network supported: Yes/No.
Tip: Download the latest driver from the adapter manufacturer if Windows can’t find one.
4) Required services (WLAN AutoConfig / Internet Connection Sharing) stopped
Why it causes the problem:
Mobile Hotspot relies on WLAN AutoConfig to manage Wi‑Fi and ICS to hand out network access to connected clients.
How to fix:
- Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Find WLAN AutoConfig, double-click:
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- If not running, click Start.
- Find Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), double-click:
- Set Startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start).
- If not running, click Start.
- Reboot and test Mobile Hotspot.
Note: On some systems, ICS starts only when hotspot is enabled — starting it manually helps detect permission issues.
5) Hosted network not supported by driver / hardware limitation
Why it causes the problem:
Older or some vendor drivers state that hosted network is not supported, which blocks Mobile Hotspot functionality.
How to fix:
- Open an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Start > Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin)).
- Run: netsh wlan show drivers
- Check Hosted network supported: If No, update the Wi‑Fi driver from the vendor website.
- If an updated driver still reports No, consider installing a newer USB Wi‑Fi adapter that supports hosted networks or using an external mobile hotspot device.
Tip: For adapters that support AP Mode (Access Point), drivers might use a different term — check vendor docs.
6) VPN or proxy interfering with sharing
Why it causes the problem:
VPNs create virtual network interfaces or route traffic differently. The Mobile Hotspot shares a specific interface — when VPN routes traffic through its tunnel, client traffic may not be forwarded.
How to fix:
- Disconnect any VPN client and test the hotspot.
- If you need VPN, change its settings to allow split tunneling or enable “allow LAN access” in the VPN client.
- Disable proxy: Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy > turn off Use a proxy server.
Note: Corporate VPN clients may block ICS by design; consult IT if on a managed device.
7) Metered connection or sharing restrictions
Why it causes the problem:
Windows may restrict hotspot sharing on metered networks or certain connection types (e.g., cellular) or when sharing source is unsuitable.
How to fix:
- Identify the internet source: Settings > Network & Internet > Status.
- If sharing a Wi‑Fi network set as metered: Settings > Network & Internet > Wi‑Fi > Manage known networks > click the network > Properties > turn off Set as metered connection.
- For cellular connections, ensure your carrier plan allows tethering.
Tip: Mobile Hotspot can still work on metered connections, but Windows may limit background traffic.
8) Power management disabling the adapter
Why it causes the problem:
Windows may turn off the Wi‑Fi adapter to save power, especially on laptops, causing intermittent hotspot failures.
How to fix:
- Open Device Manager > expand Network adapters.
- Right-click your Wi‑Fi adapter > Properties > Power Management tab.
- Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
- Click OK and reboot.
Tip: Also change Power Plan settings — Control Panel > Power Options > Edit plan settings > Change advanced power settings > Wireless Adapter Settings > Power Saving Mode > set to Maximum Performance.
9) Firewall or antivirus blocking sharing
Why it causes the problem:
Security software can block network sharing, NAT, or DHCP services required for connected devices to get an IP and internet.
How to fix:
- Temporarily disable firewall: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection > select your active network > Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (test briefly).
- If third-party antivirus/firewall installed, disable it temporarily and re-test hotspot.
- If hotspot works, configure firewall to allow NetNat, svchost, or ICS components or add exceptions for the hotspot network.
Warning: Re-enable firewall after testing. Only keep exceptions if you trust the network.
10) Connected devices exceed limit or IP conflicts
Why it causes the problem:
Windows Mobile Hotspot supports a limited number of clients (commonly up to 8). IP conflicts or DHCP failures on the virtual adapter will prevent clients from getting internet.
How to fix:
- Disconnect some devices and test connectivity again.
- On a client device experiencing issues, run:
- Windows client: open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew.
- Mobile client: toggle Wi‑Fi off/on.
- On host PC, you can restart the hotspot in Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot by toggling off/on.
- Consider rebooting the host PC altogether to reset the virtual adapter (Microsoft Wi‑Fi Direct Virtual Adapter).
11) Windows updates or corrupted system files
Why it causes the problem:
A recent update can change network components or drivers; corrupted system files can break services that Mobile Hotspot depends on.
How to fix:
- Run system scans:
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
- sfc /scannow
- After SFC completes, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run:
- Check Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history and uninstall any suspect update: Uninstall updates.
- If drivers broke after an update, roll back the driver: Device Manager > Network adapters > right-click adapter > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
- If necessary, perform a Network reset: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset (this reinstalls adapters and resets settings — you’ll need to reconnect to Wi‑Fi networks).
Note: DISM may take several minutes with internet access.
12) Network profile or virtual adapter problems
Why it causes the problem:
The virtual adapter that Mobile Hotspot uses (Wi‑Fi Direct or Microsoft Wi‑Fi Direct Virtual Adapter) may be disabled, misconfigured, or showing errors.
How to fix:
- Press Win + X > Network Connections; look for entries like Microsoft Wi‑Fi Direct Virtual Adapter or *Local Area Connection 12**.
- If disabled, right-click > Enable.
- In Device Manager, expand Network adapters and look for virtual adapters; uninstall them and reboot to let Windows recreate them.
- If problems persist, run Network reset in Settings > Network & Internet > Status.
Tip: Removing virtual adapters is safe; Windows will recreate them when needed.
Preventive tips and advanced diagnostics
- Keep your Wi‑Fi drivers up to date from the adapter manufacturer rather than relying solely on Windows Update.
- Before major Windows updates, create a system restore point so you can revert if networking breaks.
- For advanced logging: open Event Viewer > Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WLAN-AutoConfig to see related errors.
- Use netsh wlan show hostednetwork (legacy) and netsh interface ip show config to inspect interfaces and IP settings.
- If you need persistent, high-quality tethering, consider a dedicated travel router or use your smartphone’s hotspot feature.
FAQ
Q: Can I share an Ethernet connection over Wi‑Fi using Mobile Hotspot?
A: Yes. In Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile hotspot, set Share my Internet connection from to Ethernet then enable the hotspot.
Q: Does Mobile Hotspot support 5 GHz networks?
A: Windows chooses the band based on adapter capabilities and driver support. Many adapters default to 2.4 GHz for compatibility; check your adapter specs or driver settings for band control.
Q: How many devices can connect to Mobile Hotspot?
A: Windows Mobile Hotspot typically supports up to 8 devices. If more clients needed, use a dedicated wireless router or USB tethering.
Q: Is Mobile Hotspot secure?
A: By default Mobile Hotspot uses WPA2-Personal with a password; change the SSID/password in Settings > Mobile hotspot and use a strong password. Avoid using it on public networks without a VPN.
Q: My hotspot worked before a Windows update — what now?
A: Run sfc /scannow, DISM /RestoreHealth, update/reinstall drivers, and if needed uninstall the recent Windows update via Settings > Update & Security > View update history > Uninstall updates.
Conclusion
Most Mobile Hotspot problems in Windows 10 are fixable by turning the hotspot on properly, ensuring the WLAN AutoConfig and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) services are running, updating or reinstalling Wi‑Fi drivers, and removing conflicts from VPNs or firewalls. These steps will resolve the majority of cases of Mobile Hotspot not working in Windows 10 — follow the detailed checks above and you should regain hotspot functionality quickly.
