If you’re a straight talk user then there’s a high chance you must have come across an issue that has been eating you up. You can’t share your hotspot. Straight talk is a mobile Wi-Fi provider that allows the use of hotspots to give accessibility to the internet.
This means that you can connect devices like your tab, laptop, etc., to your phone and get direct access to the internet. In a world of evolving technology and long term connectivity, this system stands out. Imagine just being able to use your Wi-Fi at any time.
However, recently Straight Talk hotspots have started malfunctioning. The malfunction causes an inability for you to be able to use the Straight Talk Hotspot. This may seemingly disrupt your workflow. So we’re here to walk you through why the issue may occur and how you can troubleshoot this problem. Let’s jump right into Straight Talk Hotspot Not Working – How to fix it!
Why Straight Talk Not Working?
- Wrong Data Plan.
- Violation of Agreement.
- Network Issues.
- Too Many Devices Connected.
- Miscellaneous.
1) Wrong Data Plan
The first issue that comes to mind is using the wrong data plan. Previously, Straight Talk users were not allowed to use their device as a Wi-Fi hotspot. This meant that they could not connect to other devices. This worked because your phone has a specific IP address and the addition of new devices adds multiple IPs to one single access network.
Straight Talk’s algorithm searches for these IP addresses and then shuts them down. However, after 2019 October, Straight talk removed this issue and now allows hotspot usage with its $55 ultimate unlimited data plan. Thus, if you’ve got a different plan, we recommend getting an upgrade to this one. This plan essentially gives you 10 GB of hotspot data for 30 days.
2) Violation of Agreement
Alternatively, Straight Talk will refuse to work in case you’ve violated their terms of the contract. The company cancels your service if you violate the terms of the contract that it has. One of the key terms of this contract is the prohibition of using the Straight Talk hotspot for streaming videos and gaming! Make sure not to hop on Call of duty or Netflix when using their hotspot.
3) Network Issues
Thirdly, your Straight Talk Wi-Fi may not be working because of a server or network issue. This occurs due to the company’s home networks facing an outage. At such a time check if your device has a strong connection or not.
4) Too Many Devices Connected
Every single Wi-Fi has limited bandwidth. In the case of Straight Talk hotspots, the bandwidth is limited to 5 devices at a time. If you try to connect any more devices, you’ll face issues. The algorithm of Straight Talk is built to block out more users than that. Also, the more the devices that are connected, the slower the speed each network will face.
5) Miscellaneous
We’re also aware that there may often be accidental issues that may often occur. If your hotspot isn’t working, we recommend checking the hotspot option. It may get accidentally switched off at times. Additionally, check the Wi-Fi option as well. If this option is turned off results in loss of total connectivity.
Finally, your Straight Talk hotspot may not work due to slow net speeds as well. So we recommend not panicking and figuring out what the issue is. After you’re done with this, let’s take a look at the steps that can be taken to solve your issue!
Possible Fixes For The Straight Talk Hotspot Not Working Problem
- Restarting Your Device.
- Enabling the Hotspot Option.
- Physically Move Your Device.
- Disconnect All Your Devices.
- Reduce Network Usage.
- Disabling Any VPNs.
- Factory Reset Your Device.
1) Restarting Your Device
It’s worrisome when your Straight Talk Hotspot stops working. Not only can it disrupt the flow of your work, but it can also lead to greater problems by using your downloads, or transfer of important information! That’s why the first action to take is to restart your device.
Before you reconnect to the internet, wait for a couple of seconds. This helps your system reset and allows for the device to reconnect to the wireless network systems. Oftentimes several reasons may fail connectivity and rebooting your device is the simplest troubleshooting method.
2) Enabling the Hotspot Option
To use your Straight Talk phone as a Wi-Fi Hotspot, you’ll need to enable the Wi-Fi hotspot setting immediately. It’s pretty simple to do this. Enter your phone’s settings and click on the portable hotspot option or mobile networks settings. Enter the Hotspot menu after this.
You’ll see multiple settings like the security status where you can select between WPA2 personal and WPA3 personal settings. The device identification refers to how you want the device to be viewed. Next comes the AP band selection which can be between 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz. Finally, you can either hide the SSID or not. Set up a strong password for your hotspot and you’re good to go! After affirming the settings, turn the hotspot on.
3) Physically Move Your Device
As simple as it sounds, it can make a world of difference for your connectivity. You see all of our devices use a wireless system to connect to cell towers. The presence of an electromagnetic disruption tends to intervene with the flow of the wireless network you’re using.
These EM devices are often geared to block out network signals. For instance, treadmills, garage doors, surveillance cameras, lights, etc., can all block your network signal. Moving your phone to a different location removes it from this EM field and allows it to connect to the internet again!
4) Disconnect All Your Devices
Oftentimes as we mentioned, we aren’t very aware of how many devices we connect to a network. If this number exceeds 5 you’re going to have trouble staying connected.
Thus, check the number of devices running on your connection If Straight Talk’s network shuts down, disconnect all devices and then restart your phone. Connect a single device to check if it is working or not. We suggest that 9/10 times if your Straight Talk Hotspot is Not Working, this is how to fix it.
5) Reduce Network Usage
Network usage is a real issue that we may often face when using a Wi-Fi connection as well. Straight Talk’s system is no different than this. High amounts of network usage can skyrocket while downloads, uploads and seeding.
Thus, if you’re experiencing slow seeds we recommend killing all downloads immediately, things like app updates from the Google Play Store, downloads on chrome, etc. Additionally, prevent your device from streaming high-quality content like 4K videos.
Stop seeding any torrents you may be using. Any content for which you have cookies also eats into your network usage. This allows you to free up a lot of bandwidth and restore functionality.
6) Disabling Any VPNs
Let’s be honest, all of us use VPNs now and then. But unfortunately, if you’re looking to use one, we recommend you connect to public Wi-Fi instead. Straight Talk takes VPNs very seriously. Its algorithm is built to prohibit multiple usages anyway. This is why using a VPN on Straight Talk is not an option.
The computer algorithm will hit the kill switch and cut your access immediately. The reason for this is simple. VPNs create a proxy IP and bounce your location using a different IP address all across the globe. Thus, using a VPN means telling Straight Talk you’re using more than 5 devices for every website you visit beyond the 5th one.
7) Factory Reset Your Device
The final option is to factory reset your device. The Reason this one is at the end of our list is that it’s not something you’d like doing. Factory resetting your device will lead to the loss of personal data. We recommend you back it up beforehand. To reset a Straight Talk device, turn it on and hold the Wi-Fi/WPS and 3G keys for 20 seconds. Release the keys after this and your phone is restored to its factory settings.
Contact Straight Talk’s Customer Care
If you’ve tried everything we’ve asked you to do until now and your Straight Talk Hotspot is Not Working, this is how to fix it. Contacting customer support is the last option. Alternatively, before you start on this wild goose chase, contact customer support once. The reason for it is that they can help you figure out what the issue is. You can then choose the solution that fits the bill and apply it yourself.
Straight Talk’s customer support page indicates that in case you encounter problems with the device’s hotspot or you forget the password, factory reset the device. Additionally, they also give you a guide to learn about how strong the network is. If your network is red, then you have no connectivity. If it is yellow, you have moderate connectivity and if it’s green the signal is strong.
We recommend that you first try to understand the issue that’s going on and the reason why your Straight Talk Wi-Fi hotspot is not working. Then you can apply one of the numerous troubleshoot options we’ve mentioned to fix the issue. We hope this article helps you out. If your Straight Talk Hotspot is Not Working, this is how to fix it.