Why your phone can't see another phone's Wi-Fi network: full diagnostics and fixes

Are you trying to share your smartphone's internet connection with another phone, but the other device stubbornly refuses to detect the Wi-Fi network you're creating? This problem is familiar to many, especially when you urgently need to share mobile data, but your device refuses to cooperate. The reasons can range from simple configuration errors to hardware limitations. In this article, we'll explore the issue. all possible scenarios, why the phone does not detect the Wi-Fi hotspot from another phone, and we will give step-by-step instructions for every situation - from checking the obvious to deep diagnostics.

It is important to understand that the mechanism for distributing Wi-Fi between phones depends on many factors: version Android or iOS, device model, carrier, and even regional restrictions. For example, some Samsung Galaxy with firmware for the USA they block distribution on certain frequencies, and iPhone may limit the number of connected devices. We won't limit ourselves to general advice like "restart your phone" — instead, we'll offer systems approach, which will help identify the root of the problem.

Before diving into technical details, answer two key questions: 1. Does the second phone see? any other Wi-Fi networks (e.g. home router)? 2. Does the problem occur only with a specific pair of devices or with all of them?

Answering these questions will narrow the range of possible causes by 50%. Now let's move on to diagnostics.

1. Checking the basic hotspot settings on the sending phone

Start with the obvious: make sure the hotspot on the first phone is actually enabled enabled and configured correctly. Errors here are more common than it seems. For example, on Android 12+ After the update the network name may be lost (SSID), and on iPhone — automatically disable distribution when the screen is locked.

On Android:

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → Hotspot & Tethering.
2. Activate the switch Wi-Fi hotspot.
3. Click Setting up an access point and check:
   • 🔄 Network Name (SSID): must not contain Cyrillic or special characters (for example, #, @).
   • 🔒 Security type: select WPA2-PSK (Not WPA3, if the second phone is older than 2018).
   • 📶 Frequency range: try changing from 5 GHz on 2.4 GHz (or vice versa).

On iPhone:

1. Go to Settings → Tethering.
2. Turn on Allow others.
3. Check it out Wi-Fi password - it must be at least 8 characters long (on iOS 16+ the password cannot consist only of numbers).

After the changes restart the access point (Turn it off and on again.) If the second phone still doesn't see the network, proceed to the next step.

2. Issues with compatibility of Wi-Fi frequencies and standards

One of the most common reasons for a hotspot to become invisible is Wi-Fi band incompatibility between devices. Modern smartphones support two main bands:

• 📡 2.4 GHz - long-distance, but overloaded (they use old devices).
• 🚀 5 GHz - fast, but with a shorter range (may not be detected through walls).

Many phones (especially budget ones) Xiaomi Redmi, Realme or Samsung A-series) by default, they distribute Wi-Fi only in 2.4 GHz, while the flagships (iPhone 13+, Galaxy S22+) are trying to use 5 GHz for speed. If the second phone doesn't support the selected band, the network simply won't appear in the list.

Solution:

1. On the sending phone, in the hotspot settings, find the option Network range (or Band) and change it to an alternative one.
2. If there is no option, try specifying the channel manually: for 2.4 GHz select 6 or 11 (less loaded), for 5 GHz — 36 or 48.

3. Operator restrictions or regional blocking

Some mobile operators (especially in the US, China, and EU countries) programmatically block Wi-Fi distribution on certain tariffs or for specific phone models. For example, Verizon And AT&T may limit hotspot on iPhone with SIM cards for tablets, and China Mobile - on Huawei without global firmware.

How does this manifest itself:

• 📵 The hotspot turns on, but turns off automatically after 30 seconds.
• 🔄 It appears in the list of networks, but when connecting, it gives an authentication error.
• 🚫 A notification appears on the screen: "Internet sharing is prohibited by the operator."

What to do:

1. Call your carrier and confirm whether tethering is allowed on your plan. Sometimes you may need to activate the "Modem/Hotspot" option (a paid service).
2. Try inserting a SIM card from a different operator (for example, Tele2 or Yota (they often don't block distribution).
3. On Android Check for firmware updates—sometimes locks are removed in new versions.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone With iOS 15+ The operator may be hiding the blocking notification. To check, go to Settings → Tethering and look at the text under the switch - if it says "Contact [operator name]", then the distribution is blocked.

4. Software glitches and settings conflicts

If the hardware settings are correct, but the phone still can't see the network, the software is to blame. Common causes:

• 🤖 Wi-Fi service failure on the receiving phone (especially after an update Android).
• 🍎 Restrictions iOS to connect to "unsafe" networks (if the hotspot name contains non-Latin characters).
• 🛡️ Conflict with VPN or firewall (eg. AdGuard or 1.1.1.1 may block local networks).

Diagnostics and correction: