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Steve H.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: LG Mobile Hotspot / Internet sharing not working, USB/Bluetooth tethering, “Hotspot won’t turn on,” connected but no internet, APN/carrier blocks.

LG hotspot not working? Common reasons + safe checks (carrier plan, mobile data, APN, VPN, Data Saver, Wi-Fi sharing)

Technician avatar Technician
Hi — we’ll go slowly and keep it safe. When an LG phone can’t share internet, it’s usually one of a few things: mobile data isn’t actually working, the hotspot setting is off or restricted, a VPN/Data Saver is blocking sharing, or the carrier plan is limiting tethering.

Trust moment: I don’t want you changing lots of settings at once. We’ll do calm checks first so nothing gets worse or confusing.

To start: did this begin after anything changed — a system update, a new SIM, switching carriers, or traveling?
Customer
Yes. After an update last week, my laptop connects to my LG hotspot but there’s no internet. I’m not very technical and I really need this.
Technician avatar Technician
You’re not alone — this is a common “it looks connected but nothing loads” problem after updates or carrier changes.

First, one simple check on the phone itself: can your LG open a normal website using mobile data (Wi-Fi turned off)? If the phone can’t browse on mobile data, the hotspot won’t be able to share it.
Customer
On the phone, internet works when Wi-Fi is off. So mobile data is okay.
Technician avatar Technician
Great — that rules out a bigger network outage.

Next safest check: when you turn on Mobile Hotspot, does it stay on, or does it switch itself off? And on your laptop, does it show “Connected, no internet” or does it keep reconnecting?
Customer
The hotspot stays on. The laptop says “Connected, no internet.” Sometimes it shows a little warning sign.
Technician avatar Technician
That usually means the laptop is connected to the hotspot Wi-Fi, but the phone isn’t passing internet through.

Two very common “quiet blockers” (and they’re safe to check):
• Is a VPN turned on on the LG phone? VPNs can stop tethering from working properly.
• Is Data Saver or Battery Saver enabled? Sometimes those reduce background sharing.

I’m not asking you to install anything — just tell me if you see a VPN key icon or saver mode in the quick settings.
Customer
I do see a little key icon sometimes. My grandson set up a VPN for “safety.” Battery saver is usually on too.
Technician avatar Technician
That’s a helpful clue. VPN + saver modes are a frequent reason seniors see “hotspot connected but no internet.”

Trust moment: I don’t want you to remove anything permanently. For diagnosis, the safest test is temporary: pause the VPN (just for a moment) and see if the laptop starts loading a page. Then you can turn it right back on.
Customer
I turned off the VPN and battery saver for a minute. The laptop started working! But I don’t want to leave things unsafe.
Technician avatar Technician
You did that perfectly — and it tells us a lot without risky changes.

What it suggests: the hotspot feature itself is okay, but something on the phone is blocking sharing when it’s enabled (often VPN, sometimes data-saving features).

One more safe question: do you see an option like “Allow clients to use VPN” or “VPN for tethering” in your VPN app settings? Some VPNs can be configured to work with hotspot; others can’t.
Customer
I’m not sure. I don’t see that option. Also, when I’m at my daughter’s house, it feels worse than at home.
Technician avatar Technician
That detail matters. Environment can change what the phone chooses to do.

On many LG phones there’s a setting called Wi-Fi sharing (sometimes it tries to share the current Wi-Fi network instead of mobile data). If the phone is connected to Wi-Fi that has a sign-in page, a weak signal, or restrictions, the hotspot can look “connected” but not pass internet the way you expect.

When this happens, is your LG connected to your daughter’s Wi-Fi while you’re trying to use the hotspot?
Customer
Yes, usually it is connected to her Wi-Fi, and I still turn on the hotspot to help my laptop.
Technician avatar Technician
That’s likely the “false alarm” piece. Many people assume hotspot always means mobile data, but on some models it may try to share Wi-Fi instead.

Safe test (no permanent changes): at your daughter’s, briefly turn Wi-Fi off on the LG phone (so it uses mobile data only), then turn hotspot on and see if the laptop gets internet. If it works, the issue is the Wi-Fi network or the Wi-Fi sharing behavior — not a broken phone.
Customer
Okay, that makes sense. Another question: could my carrier be blocking hotspot? It used to work a long time ago.
Technician avatar Technician
Yes, sometimes. Carriers can limit tethering based on plan, and it can show up as “connects but no internet” or a message like tethering isn’t available.

The safe way to spot that (without calling anyone yet): do you ever see a pop-up about your plan, a tethering error, or an APN warning? Also, does hotspot work the same way with USB tethering (to a computer) or is the problem only with Wi-Fi hotspot?
Customer
No plan messages. I haven’t tried USB tethering. I only use Wi-Fi hotspot because it’s easier.
Technician avatar Technician
That’s completely fine. You already did the most useful diagnostic step: VPN off made hotspot work, which points away from hardware failure.

If you want one more low-stress clue later: try hotspot once with VPN off and Wi-Fi off (mobile data only). If that’s stable, you’ve identified the pattern — and you can decide when to use VPN and when not to, depending on what you’re doing.

If anything changes (new error message, hotspot turns itself off, or other devices can’t connect), note the exact wording — that’s the fastest way to narrow it down safely.
Customer
Thank you. I feel calmer now. I’ll test with Wi-Fi off and VPN paused, and I’ll write down any message I see.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted first fix for an LG phone cannot share internet issue: confirm the phone’s mobile data is working, then rule out the most common “blocks” (VPN, Data Saver, Wi-Fi sharing behavior, and carrier restrictions) one at a time.

What usually helps most (safe checks):
• Verify the phone can browse on mobile data with Wi-Fi off (hotspot can’t share what the phone doesn’t have).
• Temporarily pause VPN and Battery/Data Saver to see if tethering starts working (then turn them back on).
• If hotspot says “connected but no internet,” try hotspot once with Wi-Fi off so it shares mobile data only (helps rule out Wi-Fi sharing confusion).
• Check whether hotspot stays on or turns itself off (that detail points to permissions, saver mode, or plan limits).
• If you see plan/APN warnings, note the exact message before changing anything.

Why LG hotspot can stop working (and why it may start suddenly)

Most “sudden” LG hotspot not working reports happen after something changes: a phone update, a new VPN, a different Wi-Fi network, or a carrier plan change. Another common scenario is misleading: the laptop connects to the hotspot Wi-Fi, but the phone isn’t actually passing internet through because VPN rules, Data Saver, or Wi-Fi sharing behavior is getting in the way. In some cases the phone is connected to a restricted Wi-Fi network (like guest Wi-Fi or a network with a sign-in page), and sharing that connection doesn’t behave the way people expect.

What to check first: mobile data, hotspot settings, VPN, and carrier limits

Start with simple comparisons. Confirm mobile data works on the phone with Wi-Fi off. Then check whether hotspot stays on, and whether other devices show “connected, no internet.” If it works with the VPN paused, that’s a strong sign the VPN is blocking tethering. If it only fails when the phone is also on Wi-Fi, the issue may be Wi-Fi sharing or that Wi-Fi network itself. If you see plan messages or tethering errors, the carrier may be restricting hotspot on your current plan.

LG phone won’t share internet — gentle checks for seniors

Most hotspot problems come from VPN/Data Saver blocks, Wi-Fi sharing confusion, weak signal, or a plan restriction — not a broken phone.

Best approach: change one thing at a time. First confirm the LG phone has working mobile data (Wi-Fi off). Next, test hotspot with VPN paused and saver modes off for a moment. If the laptop connects but shows no internet, try hotspot once while the phone’s Wi-Fi is off so it shares mobile data only. Write down any exact error message you see — it often points to the real cause.

Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. Avoid making many changes at once. For device-specific steps, consult the manufacturer’s support documentation before making decisions.

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FAQ

Why does my LG hotspot say “connected” but there’s no internet?

This usually means the laptop connected to the hotspot Wi-Fi, but the phone isn’t passing internet through. A VPN, Data Saver, or Wi-Fi sharing behavior can cause this. First confirm mobile data works on the phone with Wi-Fi off. Then test hotspot briefly with VPN paused to see if it changes.

Did this happen after an update — and is that normal?

It can. Updates sometimes change network behavior or re-enable saver settings. It’s also common for VPN apps to behave differently after an update. The safest approach is to test one variable at a time (mobile data, VPN, Wi-Fi on/off) so you can see the pattern clearly.

Is this a settings problem, a carrier problem, or a phone problem?

If hotspot works when VPN is paused, it’s usually a settings/app conflict. If you see plan or tethering error messages, it may be a carrier restriction. If hotspot won’t stay on at all, saver modes or system restrictions may be involved. Hardware is less common when the hotspot turns on and devices can connect.

Can I check this safely at home without deleting anything?

Yes. You can safely confirm mobile data works, temporarily pause VPN, and try hotspot with Wi-Fi off. These checks don’t erase photos or contacts. Avoid making many changes at once so you don’t lose track of what helped. If you see a specific error message, write it down.

Sources

Filed under: Hotspot, Tethering & Sharing

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