[L635] Internet Sharing doesn't work?

[rasmasyean]

I just got this unlocked phone and just got Simple Mobile service.

It gives me this message.

Connection not shared
Internet sharing isn't currently available

Please help. Thanks.

 

[ven07]

Hello I think I saw a post from you on a Nokia support site? Welcome to our community

Try this link: How to share your Windows Phone's internet - whether or not your carrier wants you to | Windows Central

Scroll down until you see the steps for Tether-X, but I would also recommend you take a minute to read the full article

 

[rasmasyean]

That Tether-X works. Initially it didn't but I rebooted some stuff then changed 4G to 3G and then it worked. It works now even if I change it back to 4G and speedtest.net shows 30/12.

That blog said Start->Internet Options, but I had to get that tab in Internet Explorer->Tools->Internet Options. Interestingly, this set the proxy for Chrome as well so I guess it's universal, for browser at least.

Though this wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it seems to work in this case.
What happens if you need to connect a tablet or iPod? Do you have to have a Windows PC start an ad-hoc network first and then try to connect to the network? Or can you actually start an adhoc network on those small devices?

 

[ven07]

I never experimented a lot with the app; got it to work like you did and just left it at that lol :grincry:

 

[rhapdog]

I never used an ad-hoc network when using Tether-X. Although I don't have broadband in my home, I did purchase an inexpensive WiFi router for $10 (regularly $30, but got it on a killer 24-hour sale), and set it up in my home. This allows me to connect 2 laptops and my printer to the local WiFi network. Then I connect my phone to the WiFi router, turn on Tether-X, and note the IP address. Then I configure that IP and port as my proxy under Internet Settings and I'm done.

Of course, that just works when I'm at home, but I generally don't need it when I'm out and about because then I use public WiFi.

This past weekend, I picked up a wireless bridge/access point/router/client device. Pretty nifty little device, as I can configure it to do just about anything. After quite a bit of tweaking, I was able to set it up for my phone to use the WiFi of the router, then this device will use WiFi under the proxy to get the Tether-X connection, and it goes through a cable to the LAN port a router, which in turn gives full internet access to all devices that access the router.

I've got to admit, it's a lot easier to just turn on Tether-X or Internet Sharing, and have these devices take over for all the devices in the house. Now I am able to use the WiFi printer at the same time as the internet, and couldn't do that before. I would have to disconnect from the wireless internet so I could connect to the wireless printer. Sure is nice to turn my phone's hotspot into something that can be plugged into the WAN port of a router. That means even a device that can't do WiFi can now get internet through an Ethernet cable. Pretty slick.

 

[rasmasyean]

It's funny, I was just thinking of that router trick and wondering if that was possible!

That's pretty slick rhapdog, YOU RULE!

I was fiddling arround with an android tablet and got it to work through the Windows created ad-hoc network.
You have to hold the SSID and it gives a pop-up to let you modify the proxy.
Not sure if android can create it's own ad-hoc network, however.

I was able to connect another laptop to the ad-hoc network as well.
Though the network seems to crap out when there's 2 things connected to it.
Then I need to stop/start the network back up via a netsh command.
Have to test some more when I get the chance.

 

[rhapdog]

Yeah, that's the problem with ad-hoc networks, you can't connect much to them.

However, with my router trick, I can hook up as many as I have IP addresses available to assign from the router, which is WAY more than the 8 allowed within Windows Phone. That way, if I were to have 100 devices in my home, I could share with them all. However, it would REALLY drag down the speed of the network... I generally never have more than 7 devices connected, but if I were to ever need a 9th, at least there is a way to do it.

 

[rasmasyean]

I've been playing around with Tether-X "in the wild". And I think I found a pattern where it doesn't work well in places where there are a lot of strong WiFi signals. It just keeps dropping the connection and the SSID becomes like 1 bar and can't connect. Is this one aspect of ad-hoc WiFi?

I have to keep fighting it in this case and seem to keep losing. And even if it does stay connected, it's so slow and times out and stuff like that; It's totally unusable in this case. I mean, this is already a "high maintenance kluge", but is there a way to scan the channel spectrum and then perhaps choose your ad-hoc SSID in a specific channel? Maybe that would help?

 

[rasmasyean]

I think I might have found a solution to the dropping connection problem. I've been carring an andriod tab with this app called "WiFi Analyzer" to check the SSID strengths. And in my case, it seems when there are strong signals arround channel 10 (my ad-hoc channel) I can put the phone right next to the computer and it seems to hold onto the connection. Though this might indicate that it's just a problem with my computer not being too good at hosting a WiFi network. Or...the Lumina not being good at connecting to it, I dunno

I checked on how to change the ad-hoc channel, but what I found was that only some adapters can do it, and it's via Device Manager (which doesn't give me the option to in my case).

 

[Harrie-S]

I am not sure if below information is useful for you but anyhow.

If you use an ad hoc network you have to be within 30 feet. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd296746.aspx

And indeed neighbouring channels pull down the signal strength.

So your problem with lossing connection are "normal".

If you are now on channel 10 and can not manual change it. What if you delete the ad hoc and make it again. Do you still get channel 10? I ask this because in routers you can change the channel but there is also an option of auto channel. In auto mode the router "checks" the channels and picks one which is the best. Maybe the ad hoc also does some thing like this.

 

[rasmasyean]

Nice link. Explains a lot. I guess it makes sense for them to turn the adapter dbi down otherwise there would be a potential problem of it messing up normal router traffic. That's for Vista, but I'll have to look into it some more to find the newer analog.

The channel is 10 on mine and it doesn't change no matter what else it out there. I checked another laptop and the options were different but didn't let me select channels either. I suppose it's more common in the standalone adapters and maybe high end business laptops which might include those adapters for potential usage.

 

[Talldarkandmoe]

I'm curious, people always point to Tether-X as the go-to solution for internet sharing not working, but I've noticed that it doesn't give internet to certain programs. It mainly only works on the web browser. So say I wanted to connect my laptop to tether x to Skype IM someone, skype would never actually connect (even if I tried to change the proxy settings). Or if I wanted to attempt to play League of Legends I wouldn't be able to. Does anyone have any insight on this?
Thanks.

 

[rhapdog]

Can't do Windows Updates through Tether-X, or access the Windows Store in 8/8.1, or use Outlook/Thunderbird.

Yeah, pretty much only for browsing.

Best option is to get your carrier to resolve the issue so that you can use Internet Sharing. If your carrier doesn't want you to share your internet and refuses to enable it or fix it (because there are no problems using it with a L635 if your carrier doesn't have it disabled or misconfigured on their end), then it may be time to consider switching carriers, in my opinion.

 

[rasmasyean]

Or switching phones maybe. The rep at the store unboxed a Samsung Galaxy Mega and plugged in my SIM card and it worked right away. They initially said I would be able to do this but were showing me on Android. So for my carrier (Simple Mobile) at least, it seems so far for me to not work in Windows Phone but work in android. From what I've found, poking around the internet, it seems this problem is mostly with Windows Phones and it seems to be a grab bag even for the same carrier.

 

[Talldarkandmoe]

It's not the carrier in this case, I have straight talk and while they don't like you tethering, as long as you don't get crazy with it they don't really mind. It's the fact that I have the ATT 635 I think. So whenever I try to run internet sharing I get the connection sharing not available error. I've heard of people getting it to work on straight talk on like the 920 and other older models by installing another language keyboard or something but I've tried that and it didn't work. I'm at a loss and I like windows phone but tethering is something I kind of need since the Wi-fi at my school is terrible and I can't get anything done on it. I never had this issue with any android phone (not trying to start the whole oh android is better/worse debate) so I don't believe its the carrier.

 

[rhapdog]

I'm with AT&T. When had my L520, AT&T had to make the Internet Sharing work. It went south after upgrading to Cyan firmware. It was a known issue, but AT&T had a workaround for it. I just had to get the right person on Tech Support phone call, and all was right again.

The Lumia 635 doesn't have any issues with AT&T networks with Internet Sharing that I'm aware of. Some carriers don't have any issues with the 520. It's a combination of a certain phone on a certain network on a certain plan. Hoping all the kinks will be worked out to make it more compatible across more carriers as Windows 10 is released publicly, but that is going to be a while before we know on that front.

It's mostly going to be "is your carrier willing to do what it takes to resolve the issue on the phone you have". I had to specifically state to AT&T that I would not change phones, and I would change phone companies before changing phones. They actually started working with me to resolve my issue after that.

 

[rasmasyean]

For the record, these are the phones I tried:
ATT Nokia Lumia 635
Unlocked Nokia Lumia 635
T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 520

So far none worked.

And I ordered an Unlocked ATT Nokia Lumia 920.
If that doesn't work, I'll prolly just go with Android and hopefully, not go through the same sequence.