How to Enable/Disable a Personal Hotspot (Android)

Overview

Step-by-step guide on how to turn on the Personal Hotspot on your Android device (Samsung, Google Phone, Motorola, and others). Please note that hotspot enabled cell phones are to be used for official City of Buffalo business only. 

Troubleshooting

Confirm with your supervisor and/or M.I.S. that your cell phone plan includes hotspot capabilities.

Steps

Step 1: Unlock your Android cell phone by entering your PIN, password, pattern, or using your fingerprint or face recognition.

Step 2: Access the Settings app Swipe down from the top of your phone's screen to open the notification shade. Then, tap on the gear-shaped icon (⚙️) to open the Settings app.

Step 3: Navigate to the "Network & internet" settings In the Settings app, scroll down or swipe left to find and select the "Network & internet" option. It might also be labeled as "Connections" on some devices.

Step 4: Access the "Hotspot & tethering" menu Within the "Network & internet" settings, look for an option called "Hotspot & tethering" or "Hotspot" and tap on it. This is where you can manage all hotspot-related settings.

Android-hotspot-toggle

Step 5: Enable the Mobile Hotspot In the "Hotspot & tethering" menu, you should see an option labeled "Mobile Hotspot" or "Wi-Fi Hotspot." Toggle the switch next to it to turn on the hotspot feature. When it's activated, the switch will turn blue or change to the "On" position.

Step 6: Configure Hotspot settings (Mandatory) You must configure other settings here, such as the hotspot network name (SSID) and password.

  • Network Name (SSID): Change the name of your hotspot network to something more recognizable, or you can leave it as the default value.
  • Password: Password requirements: 

    - 10 Characters minimum
    - Need letters, numbers and special characters.
    - 2 Special characters, 2 Capital letters.
    - Cannot have staff's member name or email in the password.

Example password:  ?TemP1234!

Step 7: Connect other devices to the hotspot Once your hotspot is enabled and configured, connect to your hotspot simultaneously to the number of city owned devices that you will connect to. City owned devices are the only devices that are allowed to connect to the hotspot. In most cases, hotspot device connection should be set to one (laptop).

  1. On the device you want to connect, go to the Wi-Fi settings.
  2. Look for your phone's hotspot network name (SSID) in the list of available Wi-Fi networks.
  3. Tap on your phone's hotspot network name and enter the hotspot password when prompted.
  4. Once entered correctly, the device should connect to your phone's hotspot, and you'll see a status notification on your Android phone indicating the number of connected devices and data usage.

Step 8: Disable the hotspot (when no longer needed) When you're finished using the hotspot, it is critical to turn it off to save battery and prevent unauthorized access. Simply go back to the "Hotspot & tethering" menu, and toggle off the "Mobile Hotspot" switch.

That's it! You've successfully turned on the hotspot on your Android cell phone and connected other devices to share your mobile data connection. Remember to monitor your data usage if you have limited data to avoid unexpected overage charges.

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