• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help WiFi Tethering Not Working on My TF

TexasBadger

Android Enthusiast
Dec 10, 2010
284
127
Dallas Area
I still have a Droid Eris. It is rooted and makes an excellent 3G hotspot. Laptops and iPads can connect through it to the Internet, even up to 60 ft. away. My ASUS Transformer (TF) finds the hotspot and the SSID, but won't connect even when the hotspot is configured to be open and unencypted. WiFi Analyzer, running on the TF, finds the signal just fine and shows it as a very strong and stable signal, but the TF still won't connect, simply reporting that the signal is "out of range". Even trying to add a network and manually entering the SSID doesn't help.

This really screws up my travel plans. I have excellent WiFi at home and at the office and the TF connects easily to both, but I was intending to use the 3G hotspot when traveling. Maybe even when driving ... the TF would be a giant Google GPS via 3G tethering.

Does anybody have any idea how to connect a TF to a 3G hotspot?

:(
 
"I have excellent WiFi at home and at the office and the TF connects easily to both..."

Mybad.

My guess would be to mimic the settings of the networks that it is working with, channels, security, etc. If its on the exact same frequency and on the same configuraion then it would rule out any possibility that the network in question is "out of scope."
 
Upvote 0
Does your Eris create a WiFi Infrastructure Access Point or an Adhoc AP? This can affect home some devices will connect.

A Nexus One creates a infrastructure AP, but it all depends on how it was implemented and how it's identifying itself.

Get one of the WiFi analyzers from the Market for your tablet and see how it identifies your access point. That might give you an idea about why the TF won't connect.
 
Upvote 0
I still have a Droid Eris. It is rooted and makes an excellent 3G hotspot. Laptops and iPads can connect through it to the Internet, even up to 60 ft. away. My ASUS Transformer (TF) finds the hotspot and the SSID, but won't connect even when the hotspot is configured to be open and unencypted. WiFi Analyzer, running on the TF, finds the signal just fine and shows it as a very strong and stable signal, but the TF still won't connect, simply reporting that the signal is "out of range". Even trying to add a network and manually entering the SSID doesn't help.

This really screws up my travel plans. I have excellent WiFi at home and at the office and the TF connects easily to both, but I was intending to use the 3G hotspot when traveling. Maybe even when driving ... the TF would be a giant Google GPS via 3G tethering.

Does anybody have any idea how to connect a TF to a 3G hotspot?

:(

I was not able to tether my TF to my Hero via adhoc wireless. I was able to tether via bluetooth. It is a bit slower but it works.

I plan to get a EVO 3D, I hope I dont have this problem in the near future. I also had issues connecting my TF to a friends Belkin router, while at the same time I could connect to mine and my neighboors Dlink and Linksys routers.

I have not retested this since ASUS changed the wifi driver\update.

Brandon
 
Upvote 0
I'm not sure why your TF can't connect to your Droid Eris. I have a Droid Incredible that I regularly tether to my TF. I did not do anything special to get the TF to work. It's strange that other devices will connect but your TF won't. Hopefully, someone can help you out.

mbob63:

Please share your settings. I can't get wifi tether to work with my TF, and others have written in this thread that it can't be done without rooting the TF. I have tried wireless tether set both to open and to WEP, but no success.
 
Upvote 0
"I was not able to tether my TF to my Hero via adhoc wireless. I was able to tether via bluetooth. It is a bit slower but it works."

Brandon:

Please give me the step-by-step process for doing this. So far, I have tried and failed, even though my wireless tether app has a bluetooth option. I have never before used bluetooth for anything. I can get my Eris and TF to "pair" on bluetooth, but not to "connect". Consequently, the tether isn't providing the TF with Internet access.

Thanks in advance!
 
Upvote 0
mbob63:

Please share your settings. I can't get wifi tether to work with my TF, and others have written in this thread that it can't be done without rooting the TF. I have tried wireless tether set both to open and to WEP, but no success.


I didn't do anything special. I used the Verizon Mobile Hotspot app. I set up a network name and password, then activated the network. My TF instantly picked up the new network which I connected to. It works great. Are you using the Verizon service?
 
Upvote 0
mihaelb:

Please share your settings. I can't get wifi tether to work with my TF, and others have written in this thread that it can't be done without rooting the TF. I have tried wireless tether set both to open and to WEP, but no success.

I think the root is for ad-hoc networks. If you setup your phone as an access point then it should tether fine because it behaves just like a linksys router.

What are you using to wirelessly tether your phone? Ive been using "wireless tether for root users" and it runs just like a WAP, never had any issues with anything seeing it.
 
Upvote 0
I didn't do anything special. I used the Verizon Mobile Hotspot app. I set up a network name and password, then activated the network. My TF instantly picked up the new network which I connected to. It works great. Are you using the Verizon service?

Yes, I am on Verizon. I have a rooted Droid Eris running XTRSense 5.01. It came with Wireless Tether 2.02, which (unfortunately) sets up an Adhoc network. I apparently need to find an app that will set up an Access Point, which I think is the same thing as an Infrastructure network. So far, no luck. :(
 
Upvote 0
I think the root is for ad-hoc networks. If you setup your phone as an access point then it should tether fine because it behaves just like a linksys router.

What are you using to wirelessly tether your phone? Ive been using "wireless tether for root users" and it runs just like a WAP, never had any issues with anything seeing it.

I have a rooted Droid Eris running XTRSense 5.01. The ROM came with Wireless Tether 2.02, which (unfortunately) sets up an Adhoc network. I apparently need to find an app that will set up an WAP, which I think is the same thing as an Infrastructure network. So far, no luck. :(
 
Upvote 0
the funny thing is...i have a droid x, it put 2.3 on it, but before that i did the verizon 3g hotspot app HACK. i just assumed it carried over to my 2.3 rom because i`ve connected to it after i loaded 2.3. but for the last couple of days, it will NOT connect!
its so frustating also. so...i am going to get the 2.3 that has root (and pray i dont lose netflix). wish me luck! or...if someone can give me some insight as to why it doesnt connect any longer that would be great also :)
 
Upvote 0
To all in this thread......

The TF (in stock form) will only connect to infrastructure wifi hotspots. It will not connect to adhoc wifi.

There are some older Android phones, including my Droid 1, that can only create an adhoc connection - thus, no dice w/ the TF.

If someone says..."Hell, I just fired up the included wifi hotspot app on my phone, and it just worked." <-- That means their phone is broadcasting as a true infrastructure wifi AP (which is what the TF wants to see).

The only workaround (currently), if you are trying to tether a phone that will only do adhoc wifi, is to downgrade your TF's firmware to an older version, root it, and then install a special apk file that will give your TF the ability to see adhoc wifi connections. The whole (lengthy) process is detailed on XDA.

Otherwise, if your phone is rooted, you can use a wireless tether app to tether via BT, which gives a very slow connection. Works fine on my Droid 1, but is painfully slow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TexasBadger
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
To all in this thread......

The TF (in stock form) will only connect to infrastructure wifi hotspots. It will not connect to adhoc wifi.

There are some older Android phones, including my Droid 1, that can only create an adhoc connection - thus, no dice w/ the TF.

If someone says..."Hell, I just fired up the included wifi hotspot app on my phone, and it just worked." <-- That means their phone is broadcasting as a true infrastructure wifi AP (which is what the TF wants to see).

The only workaround (currently), if you are trying to tether a phone that will only do adhoc wifi, is to downgrade your TF's firmware to an older version, root it, and then install a special apk file that will give your TF the ability to see adhoc wifi connections. The whole (lengthy) process is detailed on XDA.

Otherwise, if your phone is rooted, you can use a wireless tether app to tether via BT, which gives a very slow connection. Works fine on my Droid 1, but is painfully slow.

Gunner:

For whatever reason, bluetooth tethering isn't working for me. I can pair, and the tethering app seems capable, but the TF wrench only gives me choices for the paired Eris of "rename" or "unpair". Not very helpful! My TF keyboard dock arrives tomorrow. Any chance that I will be able to tether via USB?
 
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
mihaelb:

Please share your settings. I can't get wifi tether to work with my TF, and others have written in this thread that it can't be done without rooting the TF. I have tried wireless tether set both to open and to WEP, but no success.

sorry I took a while to respond, and it looks like the above posts found the problem (an ad-hoc network as opposed to a 'regular' infrastructure network).

For the record, both my Nexus One (running Android 2.3.4 currently, and previously worked fine on 2.3.3 as well), and the TF are stock.

1. On the phone, I just went to settings>wireless & networks>tethering and portable wi-fi hotspot and enabled the portable wi-fi hotspot by putting a checkmark in it. In the settings for the hotspot, it's using WPA2-PSK.
2. After waiting 10 seconds, I went to the wireless network list on the TF (tap the bottom-right of the screen to bring up the list, then tap on the upside-down pyramid, then tap on wi-fi to show all the networks). Whatever name you gave your phone's portable wi-fi hotspot should just show there as if it's a wireless router. when you tap on it, it should prompt you for your WPA (or WEP) passphrase.
 
Upvote 0
Gunner:

For whatever reason, bluetooth tethering isn't working for me. I can pair, and the tethering app seems capable, but the TF wrench only gives me choices for the paired Eris of "rename" or "unpair". Not very helpful! My TF keyboard dock arrives tomorrow. Any chance that I will be able to tether via USB?

Are you using Wireless Tether for Root on your phone? Are you sure you have correctly switched the app to BT mode? And started the BT tethering service? I used that app on my D1 and my TF connected to it just fine.

I don't know if USB tethering will work. Have yet to try that. Although I doubt it would work thru the dock's USB port. It would likely have to be routed through the tablet's data port.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones