Hotspot problem - sometimes not visible.

[kiel.basa]

Hi,

I'm having issues with connecting to my iphone's hotspot. It's simply not always visible. If I leave the computer and let it idle for an hour i.e. iphone's hotspot is not on the list anymore and I have to reconnect (turn it off and back on). Same thing happens if I restart Macbook, I can't see my hotspot, while other's phone hotspots are visible. ?
I'm using wifi connection - bluetooth is not working (it appears and after it's connected, disappears immediately) but I already found on forum that's being resolved and the solution is not found yet.

It never happens with my old iphone and old macbook pro 2011. I started to have issues after changing to brand new equipment...
Not to mention that bluetooth hotspot worked flawlessly on my previous hardware. Now even wifi does not work as it should.
What's wrong here, anyone knows where the problem is?
Is it Macbook's fault, or something wrong with Iphone?

Macbook Pro 2021 m1, Iphone 12mini


thanks

 

[MacInWin]

If I leave the computer and let it idle for an hour

Does the computer go to sleep in that hour, or is it still lit up and running? Sleeping will sometimes drop connections unless you set it up to stay connected. On the Mac, System Preferences/battery on the Power Adapter options, put a check in "Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off" to keep the CPU ticking over and ready to respond to any signals from the iPhone. The iPhone will query the connected device to see if it's still there periodically and if there is no answer, it drops the connection. I find the better way to use an iPhone Hotspot is to connect the iPhone to the Mac with a USB-lightening cable, not WiFi. Too many ways the WiFi can go wrong (interference, signal dropout, etc.).

 

[kiel.basa]

Thanks. There were never any problems with connecting my old Iphone to my old Macbook. It always stayed connected,using bluetooth in that case, but this one doesn't seem to work at all on the new equipment. Once I turn the bluetooth on and Iphone shows up on the available networks' list, I click connect, but right after that Iphone dissappears from the list and the connection is lost.

The problem is that I don't have a lightning ->usb-c cable.

 

[MacInWin]

The radio frequencies used by WiFI can be interfered with by other devices in the same band, making it become unreliable. Those devices include Bluetooth, wireless remotes, home automation, wireless landline phones, etc. And if you are close enough to your neighbor, it could be their device causing the issues. So, has anything changed that could be adding to the possible interference?

It could be the iPhone, of course, does it reliably connect to WiFi otherwise? And it could be that if you have WiFi calling set on, that the WiFi is being used to cover your telephone side as well as trying to be the connection for the Mac.

The cable should be readily available, so I would look into that. Did the iPhone not come with a charging cable? I don't know where you are, but Apple has this one:

USB-C to Lightning Cable (1 m)

The USB-C to Lightning Cable connects any iPhone, iPad, or iPod with Lightning connector to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) enabled Mac. Buy now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

 

[Rod]

A cable is a must really. Perhaps your iPhone is older, before the introduction of USB-C connections on the M1 MacBook models. I take it that means you don't sync or backup your iPhone to your MacBook either?
I didn't have one myself till I bought a new iPad. I did buy a USB to USB-C adaptor though. These are really handy and worth the price from Apple while third party Lightening to USB-C cables are becoming more available.