Q: Bluetooth/Hotspot tethering without cable doesn't work

Hi everyone,

We've got a weird set up where Bluetooth doesn't (entirely) work.

iPhone is latest 9.3.3

OSX is 10.11.4

Setting up Personal Hotspot on the iPhone and then connecting to it via laptop Wi-Fi doesn't work. Standard "can't connect" error message and suggestion to use Wi-Fi diagnostics (also doesn't help).

Going to Bluetooth prefs on OSX and connecting there also doesn't work. Pairing doesn't work, but we CAN see the iPhone. The Wi-Fi scanner also picks up the iPhone.

If we hook up the iPhone via cable and then set up a Personal Hotspot, it does work.

Surfing the web, everything works. Disconnect the cable and it stops again.

I'm successful in pairing my own iPhone to the laptop so it seems related to the other iPhone. I'm assuming working via cable uses a direct route via the cable which is a different connection method than over-the-air bluetooth signal?

We removed the Bluetooth prefs from OSX > no change.

We reset the network settings on iOS > no change.

Any ideas?

Kind Regards, F.