My laptop can't see my phone's Wi-Fi, but other devices can: A full breakdown of the problem

You turned on mobile hotspot On your smartphone, other devices have successfully connected to the network, but your laptop stubbornly ignores your access point. Does this sound familiar? This problem is more common than you might think—and the causes lie not only in your phone settings, but also in your laptop configuration, Wi-Fi adapter drivers, or even security protocols, which devices use differently.

Unlike stationary routers, Internet sharing from a phone (tethering) operates using simplified algorithms, which sometimes leads to conflicts with the PC. For example, iPhone can use by default 5 GHz for a hotspot, and older laptops simply don't support this frequency. Or Android- the smartphone automatically assigns a channel 13, which is banned in some countries (including Russia)—and Windows blocks such connections. Next, we'll look at all possible scenarios—from the mundane to the exotic—and give step-by-step solutions for each of them.

1. There is a problem with the access point settings on the phone.

Start by checking your mobile hotspot settings. Even if other devices connect, that doesn't guarantee compatibility with your laptop. Here are the key points:

• 📶 Frequency range: Make sure your phone is distributing Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz (most laptops only support this range). iPhone This is configured in Settings → Tethering → Maximum Compatibility (enable this option). Android Look for the "Network Range" option in the hotspot settings.
• 🔒 Security type: Laptops under Windows 7/10 may not support WPA3 — install WPA2-PSK (AES)On . Samsung And Xiaomi This can be changed in the access point's advanced settings.
• 📡 Channel number: Channels 12-14 are banned in Russia and the EU. If the phone automatically selects such a channel, Windows will ignore it. Manually set the channel 1-11.

On Android The path to the settings usually looks like this: Settings → Connections → Mobile hotspot and tethering → Set up a mobile hotspotOn . iOS: Settings → Personal Hotspot → Wi-Fi Password (the range switch is also hidden here).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware versions Android (For example, MIUI 14+) after changing the hotspot settings, it is required reboot the phone, otherwise the changes will not be applied.

2. The laptop does not support modern Wi-Fi protocols

If your laptop was manufactured before 2015, there's a high probability that its Wi-Fi adapter isn't compatible with the protocols used by modern smartphones. For example:

To check the protocol version on a laptop:

1. Click Win + R, enter msinfo32.
2. Go to Components → Network → Adapter.
3. Look for the line "Radio Type" or "IEEE Standard" - this will indicate the supported protocol.

If the adapter is older 802.11n, there are two solutions: update the drivers (which we will discuss later) or buy external USB Wi-Fi adapter (For example, TP-Link TL-WN823N for ~1000₽).

3. The Wi-Fi adapter drivers are outdated or corrupted.

This is the most common reason why a laptop does not "see" a phone's hotspot. Symptoms:

• 🔄 The list of networks only displays old connections; new ones do not appear.
• ⚠️ The Wi-Fi icon in the tray has a red cross through it.
• 🖥️ In the "Device Manager" there is an exclamation mark next to the adapter.

How to check and update drivers:

Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc)

Expand the "Network Adapters" tab

Find a device with the words "Wireless" or "Wi-Fi" in the name

Right-click → "Update Driver"-->

If automatic update does not help:

1. Download the driver from official website of the laptop manufacturer (not with Windows Update!). For Lenovo — support.lenovo.com, For HP — support.hp.com.
2. Remove the old driver via Device Manager → Uninstall device (check "Delete the driver software for this device").
3. Install the downloaded driver and restart your laptop.

⚠️ AttentionAfter uninstalling the driver, the Wi-Fi adapter will disappear from the list of networks. This is normal—it will return after a reboot and installation of the new software.

For laptops ASUS And Acer the utility often helps MyASUS or Acer Care Center - they automatically select the latest drivers.

4. Conflict with Windows power settings

Windows 10/11 By default, the Wi-Fi adapter is disabled to save battery life. This can cause the laptop to not see new networks, including the phone's hotspot. Check:

1. Open Control Panel → Power Options → Change plan settings → Change advanced power settings.
2. Find the section Wireless Network Adapter Settings → Power Saving Mode.
3. Set value "Maximum performance" for both states (battery and mains).

Also check the settings of the adapter itself:

1. Open device Manager, find your Wi-Fi adapter.
2. Go to the tab Power management.
3. Uncheck the box Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.

Critical detail: On some laptops (eg. Dell Latitude 7000 series) after changing these parameters, a complete power off (not a reboot!) is required for the changes to take effect.

5. Blocking by antivirus or firewall

Antiviruses like Kaspersky, ESET NOD32 or built-in Windows Firewall They may block connections to "untrusted" networks, which they consider mobile hotspots. How to check:

• 🛡️ Temporarily disable your antivirus and try connecting again.
• 🔥 In Windows Firewall (Control Panel → Firewall → Advanced Settings) check the rules for outgoing connections - sometimes they are blocked there DHCP requests.
• 📋 In the antivirus settings, look for the "Network Protection" or "Network Control" section - add your phone's hotspot to it exceptions.

For Kaspersky Internet Security:

1. Open the program, go to Settings → Security → Firewall.
2. Find the tab Rules for packages.
3. Add a new rule to allow traffic for IP addresses 192.168.43.1 (standard hotspot address on Android).

⚠️ AttentionIf the connection works after disabling your antivirus, don't leave it disabled! Add your phone's network to the exceptions list as described above.

6. IP addressing issues (DHCP)

If the laptop "sees" the phone's network, but cannot connect (it says "Failed to obtain an IP address"), the problem is DHCP protocolThe phone should automatically assign an IP address to the laptop, but sometimes this doesn't work. Solutions:

• 🔄 Restart the hotspot on your phone (turn the modem mode off and on).
• 🖥️ On your laptop, run the following in the command line (Win + R → cmd):

  ipconfig /release
  ipconfig /renew

• 📱 On your phone, change the hotspot settings IP range (for example, with 192.168.43.x on 192.168.1.x).

If nothing helps, assign the IP manually:

1. On your laptop, open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change adapter settings.
2. Right click on Wi-Fi → Properties → Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
3. Install:
   • IP address: 192.168.43.100
   • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
   • Default gateway: 192.168.43.1
   • DNS: 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS)

After that, try connecting again. If the network works, the problem is definitely with the phone's DHCP.

7. Hardware malfunctions or interference

If all software methods have been tried and the laptop still does not see the hotspot, it is possible hardware problems:

• 📶 Interference from other devices: Microwaves, wireless headphones, or nearby Wi-Fi networks on the same channel can jam the signal. Try changing the channel on your phone (for example, from 6 on 11).
• 🔌 Faulty Wi-Fi module: If the laptop does not see any network, the adapter may be faulty. Check it in Device Manager - If it is marked as "Unidentified Device", it requires repair.
• 🔋 Weak signal: The phone can distribute Wi-Fi at minimum power. Android try turning on the mode Maximum speed in the hotspot settings (this will increase the transmission power).

To diagnose hardware problems:

1. Connect to laptop external Wi-Fi adapter (even the cheapest one). If it works, the problem is in the internal module.
2. Test your laptop on a different hotspot (ask a friend to share Wi-Fi from their phone).
3. If the laptop doesn't see not a single one network, including the home router, most likely the Wi-Fi module is broken.

⚠️ Attention: On some laptops (eg. MacBook Pro (Until 2017) The Wi-Fi module is soldered to the motherboard. Replacing it will cost 50-70% of the device's cost—sometimes it's cheaper to buy an external adapter.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

netsh wlan show drivers