Uploading STA Data Using a Phone Hotspot

STA devices are designed to upload data over WiFi. For organisations working in remote locations, however, access to a conventional WiFi network isn’t always practical. In these situations, using a mobile phone as a WiFi hotspot can be a convenient way to upload data from the field.

The good news is that STA devices can absolutely upload data using a phone hotspot. However, we have identified some quirks with phone hotspots, particularly on iPhones, that can make the process less straightforward than connecting to a normal WiFi network.

If you’ve successfully configured your STA Explorer to use your iPhone hotspot but it later seems unable to find it, this guide should help.

The issue with iPhone hotspots

A phone hotspot doesn’t necessarily behave like a conventional WiFi access point.

In particular, an iPhone may stop advertising its hotspot after a period of inactivity, such as when the phone goes to sleep or the Personal Hotspot screen is closed. From the STA Explorer’s perspective, the WiFi network has effectively disappeared.

This can sometimes lead to a frustrating cycle. The Explorer has previously been configured correctly, but can’t find the hotspot. The user assumes the WiFi configuration has been lost and enters configuration mode again, potentially repeating the configuration process when the real problem is simply that the iPhone is no longer advertising its hotspot.

We’ve found that uploads can be completed reliably when the iPhone is awake, unlocked and displaying the Personal Hotspot screen.

This article focuses primarily on iPhones because this is where we have specifically investigated and reproduced the issue. Android phones may also use hotspot timeout or power-saving behaviour. If you’re experiencing similar problems with an Android phone, we recommend following the same general workflow using the equivalent Android hotspot and power-management settings.

Before you start

First, make sure Personal Hotspot is enabled on your iPhone.

Apple provides instructions for configuring and troubleshooting Personal Hotspot here:

Apple Support: Personal Hotspot troubleshooting

We also recommend keeping your hotspot name relatively simple. Avoid unusually long names or unnecessary special characters such as apostrophes.

Enable Maximise Compatibility

STA devices use 2.4 GHz WiFi.

On newer iPhones, we have found that enabling Maximise Compatibility under the Personal Hotspot settings can help ensure that the hotspot is visible to the STA Explorer. This setting forces the hotspot to use a more compatible WiFi configuration, including 2.4 GHz operation.

On your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Personal Hotspot.
3. Turn on Allow Others to Join.
4. Turn on Maximise Compatibility, if the option is available.

Recommended workflow for uploading STA data

When you’re ready to upload data in the field, we recommend following this sequence.

1. Check your mobile signal.

A phone hotspot provides the WiFi connection between the STA device and your phone, but the phone still needs a reliable mobile data connection to reach the internet. Before starting an upload, check that you have sufficient 4G/5G coverage. In marginal coverage areas, moving to a more open or elevated location may help.

2. Activate your phone hotspot

Open Settings > Personal Hotspot on the iPhone and make sure the hotspot is enabled.

If available, ensure Maximise Compatibility is also enabled.

3. Keep the Personal Hotspot screen open

This is important. Don’t minimise the Personal Hotspot screen or lock your phone while the Explorer is trying to connect.

Keep the iPhone unlocked, awake and displaying the Personal Hotspot screen. This helps ensure the iPhone continues advertising the hotspot so that the Explorer can discover it.

4. Start the STA upload

With the hotspot active and visible, start the normal upload process on your STA device.

If the hotspot has previously been configured on the Explorer, there should generally be no need to reconfigure the WiFi connection simply because it isn’t immediately found.

5. Keep the phone awake during connection and upload

Leave the iPhone awake and on the Personal Hotspot screen while the STA device connects.

Once connected, allow the upload to complete before locking the phone or closing the hotspot screen.

6. If the Explorer can’t find the hotspot, check the phone first

Before entering STA configuration mode or changing the saved WiFi details, return to the iPhone’s Personal Hotspot screen.

Make sure:

• Personal Hotspot is still enabled.
• The phone is unlocked and awake.
• The Personal Hotspot screen is open.
• Maximise Compatibility is enabled.
• The hotspot name and password haven’t changed.

Then try the upload again.

If the Explorer has previously connected successfully to this hotspot, avoid repeatedly changing its WiFi configuration unless you have confirmed that the configuration itself is incorrect.

What about Android hotspots?

Android implementations vary considerably between phone manufacturers and versions of Android, but some devices also use hotspot timeouts or automatically disable the hotspot when there are no connected devices.

If you’re having difficulty uploading through an Android hotspot, check the phone’s hotspot settings for options relating to automatic shutdown, timeout, power saving or hotspot compatibility.

As with an iPhone, make sure the hotspot is actively running and visible before starting the STA upload.

Using STA devices in remote locations

Phone hotspots are useful for occasional field uploads, particularly when you’re away from your normal office or depot WiFi. Provided the hotspot is active and visible, they can work well with STA devices.

For organisations regularly uploading data remotely, however, a phone isn’t necessarily the ideal long-term WiFi solution. Phones are designed to conserve battery and may stop advertising their hotspot when they think it isn’t being used.

A dedicated portable 4G/5G/LTE WiFi hotspot or router is generally a better option for frequent remote operations. These can remain active as a conventional WiFi access point and can support multiple STA devices without relying on an individual’s phone.

STA uploads don’t require particularly high-speed internet. Reliability and having an access point that remains continuously available are generally more important than raw connection speed.

For occasional uploads, though, your phone is perfectly suitable. Just remember the key rule when using an iPhone: activate Personal Hotspot, keep the phone awake and leave the Personal Hotspot screen open while the STA device connects and uploads.