Using your Nintendo Switch, you can play your favorite games anywhere. However, lagging connectivity can make your game a nightmare. That begs the question, can a Nintendo Switch connect to a hotspot?
Luckily for Nintendo Switch players, you should be able to connect your Switch to your phone’s hotspot very easily. Although there are some caveats about connectivity and data usage, it should be relatively easy, regardless of your phone type.
To learn more about connecting your Nintendo Switch to your phone’s hotspot, read on. This article tells you exactly what to do for both iPhone and Android users, as well as offers tips for troubleshooting any issues.
Can A Nintendo Switch Connect To A Hotspot?
Simply put, a Nintendo Switch can connect to a hotspot, and do so easily. Nearly all iPhone and Android users can connect their Nintendo Switch to their phones with ease. In fact, connecting your Nintendo Switch to your phone’s hotspot works just like connecting any other device to the hotspot.
The Data Usage Caveat
That being said, connecting your Nintendo Switch to your phone’s hotspot depends on your data usage. If you do not have enough data, you might be able to connect the Nintendo Switch in theory, but you won’t be able to use your phone’s data from the hotspot.
Even if you have an unlimited data plan, there are still data caps. Most “unlimited” plans caps are so high that the average user does not exceed it, but you might be able to exceed it if you are playing on your Nintendo Switch frequently.
So, you can only play with your Nintendo Switch using a hotspot if you have enough data. It’s important to check your plan’s data usage to ensure you don’t run out of the data you need playing on your Nintendo Switch.
Something else to keep in mind is the fact that how many people are using the signal from the nearest tower can impact how much data you have access to. If you live in an area where a lot of people are sharing the same signal tower, a Nintendo Switch hotspot connection may not help you out too much.
Take Away
The takeaway is that although you can easily connect your Nintendo Switch to a hotspot, you might not be able to use the said hotspot. Only with enough data can you play on your Nintendo Switch from your hotspot as expected.
Because of this fact, we only recommend connecting your Nintendo Switch to a hotspot when you absolutely need to. The last thing you want is to use up all of your data on a game when you might need it for something more important later on.
How To Connect A Nintendo Switch To An iPhone
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s learn how to connect your Nintendo Switch to an iPhone. Although iPhones allow you to share hotspots using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB port, you will need to select the Wi-Fi option due to the Nintendo Switch.
Connecting your Nintendo Switch to an iPhone hotspot can be broken down into two categories: turning on the hotspot function on your phone and connecting the Nintendo to your phone.
How to Turn on iPhone’s Hotspot Function
Here are the steps for turning on the hotspot function on your iPhone:
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Select the “Cellular” page.
- Select the “Personal Hotspot” option.
- Turn on your personal hotspot by clicking on the toggle button. This button will turn green once you turn it on.
- Your phone will automatically display its network name and password for the hotspot. This information is needed to connect your Switch to your phone’s hotspot.
How to Connect Your Switch to Your iPhone Hotspot
After you turn on your iPhone’s hotspot function, you will need to connect your Nintendo Switch to the phone. Grab your Nintendo Switch and follow the instructions below:
- Go to your Switch’s home screen and select the “Settings” icon.
- Click on the “Internet” tab on the left-hand screen.
- Open the “Internet Settings” page.
- Allow your Nintendo Switch to search for networks nearby.
- Under the “Networks Found” list, find the hotspot. It will be under the same network name that was displayed on your phone once you turned the hotspot on.
- Click on your phone’s network and insert the password.
- Select “OK.”
Now, you should be able to play on your Nintendo Switch using your iPhone’s connection. That is assuming that the cellular signal offers enough power and strength that your Switch stays connected. If the signal is not strong enough or you are out of data, this will not work.
How To Connect A Nintendo Switch To An Android
Connecting your Nintendo Switch to an Android hotspot is very easy. Like with iPhone connection, the Android process can be separated into two categories, turning on your Android’s hotspot and connecting your Switch to the hotspot.
How to Turn on an Android’s Hotspot Function
First, grab your Android to turn on its hotspot function. Follow the instructions below to turn on your Android hotspot:
- Open the “Settings” app on your Android.
- Select the “Network ; Internet” option.
- Select “Hotspot” or “Hotspot ; Tethering.”
- Click on the “Wi-Fi Hotspot” option.
- Turn your Android hotspot on.
You will know that your Android hotspot is turned on because your phone will automatically display the hotspot’s name and password. The name and password are needed for connecting your Switch to the hotspot.
How to Connect Your Switch to Your Android Hotspot
Next, you need to focus on connecting your Nintendo Switch to the phone. If you read through the iPhone connection instructions, this part will be the same. If you skipped over the iPhone section, grab your Nintendo Switch and follow the instructions below:
- Select “Settings.”
- Click “Internet.”
- Select the “Internet Settings” option.
- Allow the device to search for nearby networks. Your Android hotspot will pop up once found.
- Select your hotspot when it appears underneath the “Networks Found” list.
- Insert the hotspot’s password into the Switch.
- Select “OK.”
Now, you have successfully connected your Nintendo Switch to your phone’s hotspot.
Troubleshooting Hotspot Problems
If you have tried to connect your Nintendo Switch to your phone’s hotspot to no avail, there are some things you might be able to do to fix the issue. Here are some tips for dealing with a Nintendo Switch that isn’t connecting to your phone’s hotspot:
Change Password
Many Nintendo Switch users have found that passwords can cause connection issues between the Switch and the hotspot. More specifically, hotspot passwords with numbers and special characters tend to have the most issues.
If your hotspot password has numbers and special characters, change the password to something that is letters only. You can even try to remove the password entirely or change the SSID name so that it doesn’t have any spaces. Although this doesn’t work all the time, many Nintendo Switch users report this hack works in many cases.
Check For Wireless Interference
As with any wireless connection, other wireless devices can cause interference with the connectivity. If you see any metal, reflective surfaces, or wireless devices, try to get away from these items to connect your Switch. The Switch will connect to the hotspot wireless if interference was to blame.
Power Cycle Your Phone, Modem, or Device
If all else fails, you can try to power cycle your phone, modem, or device. In other words, turn off your phone, turn off your modem, and turn off your Switch. Wait a couple of minutes to turn the devices back on. Doing this will reset all of the devices so that they will connect if some kind of weird setting prohibited them from doing so before.
Final Thoughts
The Nintendo Switch is a great gaming device because you can take it with you anywhere. You can even connect your Switch to your phone’s hotspot so that you have great connectivity, no matter where you go. Regardless of your phone type, it should be relatively easy to connect your Switch to its hotspot.
Remember that hotspot connectivity will be dependent on your phone’s data plan. If you are out of data or there are a lot of people using the nearest tower near you, the hotspot may fail to provide great connectivity for your Switch.
Nevertheless, connect your Nintendo Switch to your phone for easy and convenient gaming everywhere!
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