Personal hotspot problem with IOS 6

So here's my solve path for the personal hotspot missing issue after upgrading to iOS6 from iOS 5.1.1. This is on a iPhone 4S. I have the 4GB data plan plus tethering (personal hotspot).

Summary of fix

- The issue wasnt the phone. It was fixed by Level 2 AT&T by messing with network/account settings. My plan didnt change to 5GB - the 4GB plan I was on is the same now its working. I didnt get a new SIM card, or a new phone. So my suggestion if you face this problem is call AT&T, and escalate the problem up through their support.

Steps Tried

- Turn phone off and on

- Reset network settings

- Restore phone using itunes back to factory defaults. Setup as a new phone.

- Restore phone and recover backup

- Do a reset on the phone (hold down top button and front button).

- Called AT&T and was transferred to Apple. Apple escalated up to a Level 2 support person. Transferred back to AT&T Level 2 support (who fixed the problem).

- Note - apple support and AT&T support apparently cannot be on the same call at the same time (some bogus rule). So they will transfer you back and forth but cant be on at the same time.

- Initially AT&T Level 1 said it was Apple problem (a punt - they couldnt work out how to fix). Apple Level 1 said it was AT&T's problem, so its important to get to Level 2 so they actually try to fix.

So like I said at the top, the key is getting AT&T to fix your account, not the phone issue. They will ask you to turn the phone off, then back on a few times, then reset network settings again. It was the network settings reset that finally fixed it for me, after they monkeyed with account settings a few times.

Good luck!

how do u reset network settings!!!!!

Settings--> General--> Reset--> Reset Network Settings

I had the same problem: I was using a Toshiba laptop with Windows 7 for 6 months successfully using my Iphone 4s as a hotspot to browse the web and send/receive emails. When I loaded IOS6, my laptop would still connect, but would have limited to no connectivity listed on the little icon in the lower corner of the screen and I could not surf the web or send emails.

I just Reset Network Settings and it seems to be back to normal now.

What really ***** is that the techs at Verizon could not help, and I opted to get a separate personal MiFi hotspot because my business depended on it.

Is there no other option but to reset your phone? I did it two weeks ago and lost everthing (somethnig went wrong at backuping on iTunes) and really do not want to go through that again!

Please somebody, I need my hotspot and it stopped working after updating on iOS 6.0 😟

Try to connect via bluetooth instead until Apple solves this bug. It worked for me connecting my iPad 3 using my iPhone 4 as a hotspot at least.

How did you get escalated to the Level 2 with AT&T? I've spoken with both Apple and AT&T and to no avail. Also I put my sim card in a phone that hasn't been updated to 6.0 and hotspot worked with no problem. At&t's first response was that i did need to upgrade but i told them no. So you saying that it is a network issuse with a Level 2 associate?

The way it worked for me is AT&T told me it was an Apple issue. So transferred me to Apple. Apple then said they would talk to a Supervisor. The supervisor said it was an AT&T issue and transferred me back - to the Level 2 support folks.

Id just keep talking to them until your issue is fixed. Dont let them hang up on you (they wont) until the hotspot is on and working.

J.

If your personal hotspot button seems to have disappeared from your iPhone 4 settings after ios 6 upgrade, this is the fix that worked for me:

go to General > Cellular> Personal Hotspot>select 'On'

Before upgrade, Personal Hotspot showed under the Bluetooth option. But after the upgrade, I first had to go to the path i've described above in order to get it back to the first page of settings.

Every upgrade comes with a price...

Today was my first time after upgrading my iPhone 4S to iOS6 to use Personal Hotspot. I was connecting from my MacBook Pro (still running Snow Leopard) via WiFi. I have done this before without problems. The WiFi connection links up but no network traffic. I initially thought it to be a DNS issue and reset my DNS to use my carrier's settings (Telus Mobility Canada) and that did not make any difference.

I then paired up my iPhone 4S and my MBP via Bluetooth and things worked (albeit slow, but that is a Bluetooth limitation).

I followed Trusty Wrench's suggestion to reset the Network Settings on my iPhone...

Settings--> General--> Reset--> Reset Network Settings

After doing that, my Personal Hotspot via WiFi worked again.

Now I wonder what other issues may be lurking with my iOS upgrade. I have clients who are waiting for me to give them a green light to upgrade. I'm still not there yet to give them an okay.

From my experience, ios 6 personal hotspot works best for only apple devices (iphone, ipod, macs, and ipad). I have to trick it to connect my blackberry via personal hotspot.

Maybe i'm wrong but you can try it... If you want to connect your blackberry it's simple! After joining your personal hotspot, try to browse a web from your blackberry, suddenly it will connect... But you must keep on browsing... Otherwise your blackberry connection will be dropped!

I hope this can help, i don't if this is a bug or maybe not

Paul.

I have been having this problem since updating to iOS6 and I actually get SIGNAL when I am making an outgoing call.

The service provider said they had no solution

I am as frustrated as you.

The reason I first get an iphone because of its "working" personal hotspot across ALL devices. (it was working for years!!! until last week after iOS6?!) I need my blackberry for work (which pay off my bill), but would love to have another phone for my life (which I used to LOVE APPLE) if Apple cant solve their problem.

I am giving them a 30days hope to fix the problem or I will move on with a Galaxy.

What a big mistake... iOS6

Time for us to THINK DIFFERENT?!

personal hotpot WAS NOT missing...

but thanks, I have tried your suggestion and talked to my service provider... still no luck...

Exactly same problem here. Daily use on iPhone 4, no problem using tethering on my laptop. However, switch to iOs 6 gives 50% trouble (limited connectivity on the laptop). Only remedy so far is to reboot the phone. WHAT A BUMMER. I expect things "to work out of the box".

Maybe I should switch to a product designed for humans.

***APPLE BUG ***

Okay guys here is what I was able to discover:

Known values:

1) Iphone 4

2) Verizon Carrier

3) Setting->General-About (click on MSID or PRL or ERI line to show Carrier version = Verizon 13.0)

4) Firmware 3.0.04

5) Version 6.0 (10A403)

Sympton:

Issue can't tether/personal hot spot from WiFI. I changed the password, changed my cellphone name, rejoined and still not working.

However:

If I tether via USB or Bluetooth it works flawlessley ... therefore, this is an Apple only issue ... Please fix something is broken on the Wifi side ...

Devices tested Dell Precision M4400 Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit

Kindle Fire Tablet (No bluetooth test)

Regards,

-Melo