Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Ron D. Morgan
Safelink Wireless network provides wireless services to selected individuals via the government-supported program. You have to meet some eligibility criteria to join the network.
The good thing about the Safelink Network is that you can use your eligible phone on the network as a hotspot. This means that other devices that are Wi-Fi enabled can connect to the hotspot network to access the internet.
If you have an active mobile data subscription with Safelink Wireless and your hotspot isn’t working, this post is for you. This post outlines why your Safelink hotspot isn’t working and provides tips to help you resolve the issue.
But in a nutshell, if your Safelink Wireless hotspot isn’t working, it could be that you’ve not enabled the hotspot feature. Other reasons could be a network issue or a frequency band issue.
Why Is My Safelink Wireless Hotspot Not Working
These are some of the possible reasons why your Safelink Wireless hotspot isn’t working.
a. Hotspot Not Activated
This issue is obvious but some people still make the mistake. It could be that you’ve not enabled the hotspot feature on your smartphone. Check below the step-to-step guide on how to enable a hotspot on your Safelink Wireless phone.
b. Network Issue
Safelink Wireless uses Tracfone towers to offer their network. Tracfone is known to have one of the best network coverage in the country. But there are some areas in between where the Tracfone network is weak or not available at all. If you are in such a location, you can’t use your Safelink hotspot till you move to an area with coverage.
c. Wrong Frequency Band
Your hotspot device has two frequency bands which are the 2.4GHz and the 5.0 GHz frequency bands. You have to switch to a frequency band that is compatible with the device you are connecting to your network.
For instance, if the device you are connecting is compatible with just a 2.4GHz frequency band and your hotspot frequency band is at 5.0GHz, you will have issues connecting the device to the network.
d. Device Limit
There is always a limit to the number of devices that can connect to a hotspot network at a time. For most hotspot devices and smartphones, the limit is 10 to 15 devices. It could be that the number of devices connected to the network is above the device limit allowed.
e. Bandwidth Limit
The Safelink Wireless network offers a hotspot bandwidth limit of 5GB or a little above that depending on your plan. So if you exhausted the 5GB hotspot limit, you can’t use the hotspot option for the remaining time.
f. Minor Cache On Device
Also, the issue can be caused by a minor glitch or cache on your smartphone. You can fix this by restarting your smartphone.
e. Setting Issue
It could be that the APN setting in your Safelink device is incorrect. Another issue could be an error in the password on the connecting device.
Tips To Fix The Safelink Hotspot Not Working
a. Check For Mobile Network
First, you have to confirm if the issue is from the hotspot options or the Safelink mobile data. Try connecting to the internet using your mobile data. Visit different sites and open apps and see if they will connect with the mobile data.
If it works, then the issue is from the hotspot feature. If not, it could be a network issue or an error in the network and APN settings.
b. Enable Hotspot Feature
Check to see if the hotspot feature is enabled on your Smartphone. If it’s not, follow the steps below to enable the hotspot feature on your smartphone.
. Tap the ‘Settings’ Icon on your Smartphone’s homepage.
. Select ‘Network & Settings’ from the options.
. Select ‘Hotspot & Tethering’ and ‘Wi-Fi Hotspot’.
. Tap on the Hotspot Name’ and toggle the ‘ON’ option.
c. Check Data Balance
The next option is to check your allowed data bandwidth balance. Simply Text ‘USAGE’ to 611611. You will see the cellular data balance and the hotspot data balance too.
d. Restart Your Smartphone
This option comes in handy to fix minor glitches and cache issues on your smartphone. Simply disable the hotspot feature.
Turn off your phone, wait for 30 minutes and restart your phone. Enable the hotspot feature and try connecting a device to the network again.
e. Confirm Frequency Band
Check the connecting device for the compatible frequency band and then make sure your Safelink wireless smartphone is on the same frequency band. You can check the frequency band on your device manual.
Change Frequency Band
Follow the steps below to change the frequency band on your hotspot device:
. Tap the ‘Settings’ Icon on your Smartphone’s homepage.
. Select ‘Network & Settings’ from the options.
. Select ‘Wi-Fi’ and select the ‘Advanced Settings’ option.
. Tap on the ‘Frequency Band’ and ‘Select 2.4GHz / 5.0GHz’
f. Update Firmware On Device
The firmware software powers the hardware in your smartphone. You have to make sure your hotspot and connecting device are running on the latest firmware version. Failure to update the firmware can affect the functionality of your device.
The process of downloading and updating firmware on your smartphone depends on the device in question. Follow the step below to update the firmware on your smartphone.
Update Firmware On Smartphone
. Turn on mobile data on your smartphone.
. Go to ‘Settings’ and scroll down to ‘About Phone’.
. Click on ‘Update’ to check for a new firmware version.
. Wait for the download process to complete and restart your phone.
g. Perform Factory Reset On Device
Perform a factory reset on your device only when it’s essential. The reason is that a factory reset will clear up data saved on your device before now. So you may need to input your data again after the reset.
Factory reset will fix any major glitch and bug on your device and get your device working again. Follow the steps below to factory reset your device.
. Go to ‘Settings’ on your device.
. Scroll down to ‘Systems settings’, and select ‘Backup and Reset’.
. Select ‘Start Factory Reset/ Reset To Factory Defaults’.
. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.
h. Contact Customer Support
At this stage, if none of the tips has worked so far, it’s time to contact Safelink Wireless tech support. The tech support team should work through the process of resolving the issue.
You can contact the US Cellular tech support team at 1-800-378-1684.
Further Reading
- Safelink Enrollment Number
- Safelink Change Number
- Safelink Tracking Number Not Working
- Safelink Recertification
- Safelink Port Number
Hi, I’m Ron D. Morgan. TECODY IS MY BRAINCHILD. I’ve worked in a tech startup in the last 7 years. I decided to branch out and start TECODY as a side project to provide tech troubleshooting tips for readers.
Got my two friends who are Nerd Heads too and here we are. The aim here is to provide readers with accurate info to help them resolve basic troubleshooting issues with Network and devices. You can always reach out to us via our Contact Us Page.