Android can’t connect to iPhone hotspot [RESOLVED for me at least]

Context for the post:

”Hello, l've been on iPhone 13 for a while swapped from my Galaxy Note20 Ultra. I have the T-Mobile carrier but l've been trying to connect my iPhone hotspot to my Samsung phone. Once magically it did connect, just once I don't know how it did it. But after that it's been

'connection failed' despite accepting the password and irritably making me re-entering it again, and again.

Does anyone have any way they could fix this? I've tried everything, Bluetooth connectivity, WiFi connectivity and it doesn't work! I'm so frustrated... I really wanna use my Samsung device, what should I do?”

[Solution]

For those who have experienced connectivity issues when trying to connect your iPhone's hotspot to a Samsung device, I've found a solution that worked for me after countless headaches.

Earlier today, while tinkering with my old MacBook, I decided to see if I could connect my iPhone's hotspot to it, and it worked like a charm. Then it hit me: the problem connecting to your Android device likely stems from your iPhone not sharing all the necessary network details, such as IP address, Gateway, Network Prefix, DNS, Metered network status, or MAC address type.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how I resolved it:

1. You'll need a computer (there isn't an app or website that can provide all necessary network details).

2. Connect your computer to your iPhone's hotspot using the hotspot's password.

3. In your computer's advanced network settings, locate the IP address of the hotspot and note down all the important details mentioned earlier.

4. Now, take your Samsung phone, enter the hotspot password, and when the connection fails, tap the gear icon for settings, then select 'View more' and find 'IP settings.'

5. Only modify the following settings: enter the IP address, Gateway, set the Network Prefix Length to 24, DNS 1 to 8.8.8.8, leave DNS 2 unchanged, ensure Metered network is automatically detected, and change the MAC address type to 'PHONE MAC' for it to work correctly.

6. Once you've successfully made these changes, your phone might briefly show confusion as it processes this new data from your iPhone (acting as the hotspot). It took about 30 seconds for my Samsung to transition from 'connected without internet' to 'connected.'

If you have any questions about this process, feel free to message me. I hope this solution helps as much as it did for me, as dealing with this was a real hassle, but I'm thrilled to be able to use my Samsung device now!