4G Hotspot Isn't Working ---- Any advice?

[AdamChandler]

6500 miles on a 2021 Limited
12" Connect4 System
AT&T Unlimited Plan pre-paid for 12 months

First month or two of ownership, the hotspot worked okay then we went on a trip and it did continue to work but one day we couldn't connect to it. The SSID is named Shadow and it's using WPA2 authentication. "Can't Authenticate" on iOS, iPad, MacBook. We cleared network settings. no luck.

I though tell maybe I'll power cycle the truck and unplug the battery and wait 90 seconds...nope no work.

Maybe I'll change the SSID name or password so I disabled hotspot and did that but when I submit the new SSID or password, they don't take. I go back into name / password and they're the same as if I can't update the name / password and it's stuck. Even odder, despite hotspot being turned off, I still see the network showing on all of our devices and still, I can't connect.

I called AT&T who sent a reset signal to the truck and that didn't work.

I now have an appointment at RAM dealer for 2 weeks from now to flash / update my software but I was hoping there was something else I could try in the mean time.

the hotspot does turn off with the truck but I can't connect or change the settings of it at all.

any ideas?

 

[LV426]

Is it possible they recently pushed an OTA to your truck? Been reading some posts of people getting updates recently, wouldn't surprise me if that broke it considering the reputation these radios have... It's very odd for something like that to happen for no reason. I use the wifi everyday (pay monthly), while I have experienced some other issues the wifi has been fairly solid and I hope it stays that way.

 

[AdamChandler]

Dealer had the truck for a few days. they said there were no updates and they flashed the system anyway with the currently installed software. The hotspot does work again but for how long, no one knows. I'll just keep an eye on it I guess?

 

[JayStein]

I have heard of this happening if the WIFI is left enabled and the truck is turned off and on for stops etc. Most claim it happens on long trips and they stop for fuel, food, or whatever and the dreaded "cannot connect" eventually pops up on devices.

I haven't had it happen to me yet as I disable the wifi before turning off the truck. It seems to work well doing that, although I don't think that should be the process in order for this tech to work.

Take that for what it's worth. It's a possible workaround to prevent the lockup of the wifi access point in the vehicle. This is far from perfect and you would think it could be fixed in an update.

 

[NWRogue]

we had this problem, and i can confirm that shutting off the hotspot before turning off the truck "fixes" the cannot connect issue on restarting the truck.
problem went away (mostly) after the last update, only happened once on my last 6 day road trip.

 

[hshepardjr]

This same issue happened to me last weekend. It was during a long (3hr) road trip and I had stopped for gas and then realized the wifi stopped working after turning the truck back on. This issue has happened before but prior to the last Connect4 update and I was hoping it had been fixed. I can confirm the following does not work:
- disabling and enabling the wifi
- turning-off the unit (and w/the wifi enabled/disabled
- disconnecting android auto and turning off the unit
I didn't turn off the truck to see if it would reset and we just drove with it not working. It would be nice to have a manual reset or fix altogether.

 

[JDGRN77]

Hi @AdamChandler - I am tying our threads together if you don't mind. If you do - let me know and I will pull this down.

AT&T Hotspot stopped working

Good day to you all - I am casting a wide net to try to see if I am alone on this topic. I purchased a new 2021 RAM 1500 in late 2020 and have been using the AT&T hotspot in the pickup ever since with the unlimited data plan. Roughly November 8th, 2021, the hotspot no longer passes traffic to...

5thgenrams.com

PULLING THE FUSE WORKED!
I removed the two 7mm bolts form the panel under the steering wheel and pulled that out enough to get my puller in there. F44 on the right was the 'Radio' fuse as indicated in the Owners manual. I pulled it out for 200 seconds (no reason for that number other than it w as about 3 minutes), popped the fuse back in and started the truck.
Now, the hotspot, the traffic is flowing and I pull a proper public IP that is AT&T owned and the speed tests work now where they never connected before when it was busticated! : )

The ONLY thing to note that I had never seen before is that on the starting of the pickup, the radio turned RED and proclaimed it was LOCKED.
I backed the pickup out into the driveway and fiddled with the radio and settings to check them all out and then did a soft reset (Power and ENTER knob buttons for 20 seconds) and it rebooted and returned to normal operational mode. It is possible that on the next start of the truck it would have returned too.

Summary - pulled internal F44 20A fuse for 200 seconds and replaced. Started the pickup and tested hotspot functionality. Soft reset the radio.

 

[LV426]

I'm very interested as to how Power & Enter perform a reset on some of the 12" radios because that combination does absolutely nothing for me other turn the radio off.

 

[JDGRN77]

I'm very interested as to how Power & Enter perform a reset on some of the 12" radios because that combination does absolutely nothing for me other turn the radio off.

I held them for 20 seconds (both buttons at the same time) and upon release, the unit reboots.

 

[LV426]

Tried (again), does not happen for me, just the radio shuts off. Maybe because its a 2020, who knows.

 

[JDGRN77]

Here is an interesting response from UConnect "Connected Services" I received this morning on my case....

"After speaking with our specialist they recommend having a STAR case opened at the dealership. This allows for more testing/troubleshooting with the dealership and the engineering team while we also investigate further on our end."

I have never had to go to the dealership for this pickup (yet) and feel like this is a run around. Does one just waltz into the service department and say, "I have WiFi issues and UConnect said you need to open a STAR case for this issue on my pickup." ?!?!

I am sure they'd need to keep the pickup for a WHILE and lord knows what that means, I probably get a nice 4 cylinder Chrysler 200 to putz around in for 3 months with no resolve.
I wish I had higher expectations of my dealership service department, but I have been disappointed by them (and others) in the past with my 2008 Cummins.

Thoughts?
Maybe I just drop it since the fuse pull is a quick fix... Just let it be and move on?
What would you do?

 

[LV426]

Here is an interesting response from UConnect "Connected Services" I received this morning on my case....

"After speaking with our specialist they recommend having a STAR case opened at the dealership. This allows for more testing/troubleshooting with the dealership and the engineering team while we also investigate further on our end."

I have never had to go to the dealership for this pickup (yet) and feel like this is a run around. Does one just waltz into the service department and say, "I have WiFi issues and UConnect said you need to open a STAR case for this issue on my pickup." ?!?!

I am sure they'd need to keep the pickup for a WHILE and lord knows what that means, I probably get a nice 4 cylinder Chrysler 200 to putz around in for 3 months with no resolve.
I wish I had higher expectations of my dealership service department, but I have been disappointed by them (and others) in the past with my 2008 Cummins.

Thoughts?
Maybe I just drop it since the fuse pull is a quick fix... Just let it be and move on?
What would you do?

It's a gamble... I personally avoid the dealer at all costs, always have. Unless it's a recall or TSB and they have to screw with it, I try to fix it myself or ignore it.
Right now my power mirror folding button sticks horribly, I've even had them pull in while driving all the sudden ... But I cant bring myself to take it to the dealer yet, ill probably pull the switch out myself and "fix" it.

If you haven't yet, disconnect the battery, wait a few and reconnect (then wait, things will take a while to come back). That seems to clear some things up for people and guarantees a "soft reset" for everything instead of a single fuse pull. If its still screwed up after that you are probably at the dealers mercy...

 

[JDGRN77]

It's a gamble... I personally avoid the dealer at all costs, always have. Unless it's a recall or TSB and they have to screw with it, I try to fix it myself or ignore it.
Right now my power mirror folding button sticks horribly, I've even had them pull in while driving all the sudden ... But I cant bring myself to take it to the dealer yet, ill probably pull the switch out myself and "fix" it.

If you haven't yet, disconnect the battery, wait a few and reconnect (then wait, things will take a while to come back). That seems to clear some things up for people and guarantees a "soft reset" for everything instead of a single fuse pull. If its still screwed up after that you are probably at the dealers mercy...

My issue is technically 'resolved' and WIFI is working after the F44 fuse pull. I would love to help RAM and AT&T fix their issues but I don't want to be the Guinea pig! I avoided the battery disconnect only because so may other 'things' didn't need to be reset.

 

[LV426]

Glade the fuse pull worked, the only logic I see from a complete battery disconnect is who knows how many different components are on a single fuse. Like, is the Wifi module (Telematics) on the same fuse as the radio, or the amp, the navigation, multi media module, etc... I think there are a few components and I m not sure what's combined together. Never know what the exact culprit is.

 

[Burnzie]

Quit working in my truck today,(U connect 4) hasn't worked worth a crap in our new Durango since we bought it (U connect 5). Called Uconnect they said it's an AT&T problem, AT&T says bring to the dealer, so back to the dealer we go.

 

[Larry Mopar Havel]

I held them for 20 seconds (both buttons at the same time) and upon release, the unit reboots.

what did you hold for 20 seconds

 

[bvigne01]

I had this same issue. What I found is location-specific. At my kid's school when I'm waiting to pick them up I get like 3 Mbps. Other areas I may get 25 Mbps

 

[Larry Mopar Havel]

Anyway to het the trucks runtime under remote start to run longer than 10 minutes

 

[JDGRN77]

what did you hold for 20 seconds

Here's how to perform a soft reset:

• Put your vehicle in park and ensure that it is in “Run” mode.
• Press and hold both the volume and turner knob buttons simultaneously.
• Hold down the knobs for roughly 10-20 seconds.
• A screen should flash with your vehicle's brand name, then go dark once more.

 

[LV426]

Here's how to perform a soft reset:

• Put your vehicle in park and ensure that it is in “Run” mode.
• Press and hold both the volume and turner knob buttons simultaneously.
• Hold down the knobs for roughly 10-20 seconds.
• A screen should flash with your vehicle's brand name, then go dark once more.

just to confirm for others, this (for whatever reason) does not work on every 12" radio. I can confirm that no "Reset" method suggest has worked for my 2020 other than a battery disconnect.