[dutchmensport]

I have a Samsung phone with AT&T. If I turn on "WIFI", the hot spot does not work. The "WIFI" setting is designed for the phone itself to piggy-back of another WIFI signal from another source. This saves your own data plan usage.

But, if the WIFI is turned on, even when there is no other WIFI signal to piggy back off of, the "hotspot" does not work. The hotspot only works when WIFI is off.

Your phone internet will also piggy back on another WIFI signal when WIFI is on. When it is "off", your phone's internet is running against YOUR data plan.

This could be the reason why, sometimes your devices pick up the "hot spot" and sometimes they do not. Make sure WIFI is off for the Hotspot to work.