Motorola Droid Razr Hotspot issue

[Doodlebugger]

Every since I've had the Razr with the hotspot has not worked properly there are certain websites I use that it will not log onto...i.e. weatheunderground.com is one also it doesn't even like the Verizion Wireless site.  I can log on the home page but I cannot navigate off that page.

Additionally it is very difficutl to get it to connect.  I have three laptops.  All three only see the Razr intermittantly.

I have worked through dozens of excersise with Verizion Tech support.  I have a trouble ticket in that in now over almost three weeks old without a resolution. 

The temporary solution is attach the Razr via a tether.   That works great every time and it is really fast and all sites load.  The hotspot just doesn't work well most of the time.

Looking at the Motorola Fourm it looks like lots of people are having this same issue.  I assume a patch will be coming from Motorola or Verizion mayhave to replace a lot of Razrs. 

Does anyone have a solution yet?

[y3sh]

This is a known issue and is being worked on.  See thread over at Motorola:

https://supportforums.motorola.com/thread/62068?tstart=0

[gunnyr]

I too have had the hotspot issued since day one.  I did not contact Verizion directly for several weeks but when I did I was infuriated to find that this was a known issue.  I ultimately got a credit for $30 (one months worth of the defective Hotspot connection).  I called Verizon support yesterday evening (12/9) for an update to this issue and was told that on 12/9 Motorola had notified them that there was an update being released.  The tech told me it may be several days before my device was updated as they release them in blocks (I assume so as not to overwhelm the network). 
 
It has now been almost 20 hours since I had that conversation and my phone as yet to be updated.  I have tried to manually update my Razr but the message says there are no updates available. 
 
Any official, public, response from Motorola or Verizion?  If there is, I have not been able to find it. 
 
My experience is that these boards are monitored by Motorola and Verizion.  Surely they know that a little communication can go a long way towards satisfying customers.  Word?
 
Semper Fi!

[tadpole88]

I have the same problems. When in MHS mode I can get to google on my laptop fine and a few other sites buy many sites I try to go to just say connected and hang.  I just go this phone 2 days ago and surprised NO one mentions this problem when you are purchasing the hotspot!!

I will be returning if this issue is not corrected before my return time period expires and will not pay the restock fee since they were aware of this issue prior to selling me the device.

[cmjinusa]

This is depressing.  I am seeing an unbelieveable number of posts and google hits related to the DROID RAZR and Mobile Hotspot connection and using issue.  I am also upset that no one at Verizon Wireless mentioned to me that these issues have been going on for a VERY LONG TIME.   

I have three issues myself that I could use some assistance with.

1) I can not connect to the RAZR Hotspot if I have security set - > WPA2 PSK.  I can connect from a LapTop running Windows Vista if I don't have any security enable, or " Open " Network.  I still had to manually configure Windows Vista so that I could see the DROID Hotspot, but it worked.  However, I can not access Yahoo ( www.yahoo.com ), but I can access every other Website that I want to get to - even sites in China.

  a) Why can I connect to the Hotspot if I don't have security setup ( enabled ), but I can not connect if Security ( WPA2 PSK ) is enable? 

  b) Any ideas on why I can access Yahoo?  I'm using IE v9.0.8.112, but I can't believe that has anything to do with it since I can connect to Yahoo if I use my WiFi connection at home.

2) I can not connect to the DROID Hotspot from my other LapTop that is running Windows XP Professional, Service Pack 3.  I tried searching for the Hotsport, but it doesn't show up in my list of WiFi devices.  I am wondering it I have to manually config the Hotspot under Windows XP and I am willing to give it a try, but not sure how to config or set it up manually.

  a) How do you manaully configure the DROID Hotspot WiFi under Windows XP Professional, SP3 ?

3) When I read the DROID RAZR User's Guide, it seems to indicate there there are several Hotspot security settings, not just the two that my RAZR has - WPA2 PSK and Open.  The User's Guide has WPA, WEP in addition to WPA2 and Open.

  a) Anyone know why my RAZR only has WPA2 PSK and Open as selectable security seetings ?

Sorry this is so long . .   Thanks in advance, CMJinUSA

[p35sailor]

I have the same issue I can't get to certain sites like weathwer.com and weatherunderground. Google sites work great almost as fast as my FIOS at home. Same response from Verizon when I call tech support they say they don't know about it and they will look into it and call back. So far no call back. Tethering does work OK and I can get to all sites. It sounds like a DNS problem to me. The other thing I noticed is if you do a Google search for say a bank site it will bring up a small map with the closest locations highlighted when this done from the Razor instead fo finding locations near Philadelphia it finds them near Washington DC based on this I thought it might have something to do with location so i made sure all the location sensors were turned on with no change. I hope they get this fixed soon.

[Doodlebugger]

After getting Sailor's post I checked my hotspot and found like before, some features work, other do not.

Motorola is still saying that in mid-February they will have a fix for the hot spot.

[bbcaswell]

I had same problem. tech support acts as though it's first they've heard of issue so they sent me a new one... guess what? still doesn't work 😞

[bbcaswell]

spent 2angry hours on the phone with Verizon.  they began by once again denying a problem  and them telling me I'd have to pay a restocking fee to get a new phone to them finally realizing that there is a problem (unbelievable!).... they eventually agreed to reenburse my hotspot fees threw Feburary, the time in which " the fix" should be out. if the fix doesn't happen then they'll exchange my phone..... we'll see. should I hold my breath?

[scottysize]

@ bbcaswell, I did the same thing and got the same response you got.  My questions is, will the Razr Maxx have the same problem?  If not, I'll be upgrading to the Razr Maxx Thursday.  I plan on testing this out in store with my tablet connected to their Maxx hotspost, first though.

[Doodlebugger]

Please let us know how that goes. Will they let you exchange your defective riser for a new one. I don't think you would be fair for them to charge you a restock either.

[#12]

Thank you to the community for commenting and posting on this issue. At this point in time this is a known issue and there is resolution coming. A fix for this issue is under review and will be included in the second post launch maintenance release software for this device. The tentative release date is mid February 2012. I hope this helps. Thanks for you patience.

SammuelP_VZW

VZW Support

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[scottysize]

I have news for you.  This is completely unacceptable.  There is no reason for me to pay for something that I can't use!  Verizon people don't even know about this issue, unless they are 2nd level tech.  You're hiding the fact that Hotspot does not work on the Razr, AND your reps are STILL selling the phones to people that want to use it as a hotspot.  I bought mine in October and my hotspot hasn't worked since switching from the worse phone ever, a Charge.  At least the Charge's hotspot worked.  The way I see it, you owe me back charges for the hotspot problem since I haven't been able to use my hotspot for 3 months now. 

I called today and CANCELLED my hotspot.  There goes $30 per month for your service.  $30 that you were getting that wasn't costing you anything to provide.  You should be provide it for free anyway.  It doesn't cost Verizon extra for the providing a hotspot.

[renntek07]

It's the end of May, 2012. The issue still isn't resolved yet. The main reason I got this phone, was because of the hotspot. I was told that it would be fixed, and that there would be a software update for the Razr (i'm assuming ICS, due out in April.)  I got a software update, which wasn't ICS, but since then my phone loses signal at least a few times per day, and the Hotspot still doesn't work. I can't hook it up to anything except my PS3 at home, and that includes 2 laptops, a PC, a server, an xbox360, a tablet, and a wii.  I really think something needs to be done about this. I have always been a loyal Verizon Wireless customer / supporter, but this is frankly unacceptable.

[fmsheen]

Both Motorola and Verizon have known this HotSpot issue for sometime, and yet they still sell the RAZR phone HotSpot service. Selling defective products is unethical, like stealing. Verizon has to return the data plan charge to all those RAZR buyers who use HotSpot!

[scottysize]

I completely agree.  I went into my local VZW store Thursday when the Maxx came out to test the hotspot.  I had the Store manager, sales person, and tech support guy all looking over my shoulder on my ASUS Prime while I demonstrated the problem.  All three of them had the same reaction and said the same thing.  "I had no idea it didn't work."  It is unacceptable to have communication problems while selling in a communication industry. 

[tammyopp]

I have the same isue with all my computers running windows XP with my Samson Stratosphere. I think it is an issue with the Droid and not a particular phone. The phone connects just fine to computers running Windows 7 or vista. Some websites work and others just try to load forever. Of course those are the ones I want/need to get on.

[ixpro]

Purchased RAZR Maxx at a Verizon store after a long discussion with the sales person where I specifically asked if the Wireless Hotspot feature is robust for daily use. I work in IT Security, and travel across the country on a regular basis, so I counted on this device to be my primary 4G connection to the world... Silly silly me.

All of this in the "red" 4G LTE coverage areas, where Verizon sales people swear by their lives the connectivity should be top notch:

- Hotspot fails to start, simply reports "Error" in the gray status line;

- Despite the fact that it's configured to broadcast SSID, my wireless network is invisible to my laptops;

- When and if it becomes visible, most of the time the laptops trying to connect to it report errors in the initial stages;

- If your 4G data link goes down and is re-established, most of the time the hotspot will have to be restarted;

- Some web sites are still "invisible" while others are functioning fine;

- Sometimes my VPNs to customers work fine, sometimes they aren't able to connect while general Internet connectivity is there.

Take all of the above, and repeat it 2-3 times an hour!

That's my current experience with RAZR Maxx hotspot feature... Can't blame it on my laptops or the area for one simple reason: I have 2 more WiFi hotspot enabled devices with me, and they work like a charm every time, non stop, everywhere where there's coverage.

I don't know if all these issues are in software, or in some hardware design flaw, but I honestly don't give a flying f..k anymore. The service is being billed to all of us silly trusting customers who bought it. Gonna go talk to the same Verizon sales dude again, he's gonna do a full reset of my phone again, and everything will be the same once I get back from the store.

My final advice: STAY AWAY FROM THIS DEVICE & VERIZON if you want a wireless hotspot functionality you can count on. Gonna re-post this message on all the forums I can find, so people can make better choices having learned from our collective experiences.

[ixpro]

Latest update. Just got upgraded to ICS software. No change in HotSpot behavior. Still the same set of issues as described above, plus a new one... From time to time the phone brings up a warning dialog saying "Mobile data disabled. You've reached the specified data usage limit..."   Guess which data plan I actually have? Bingo, the UNLIMITED one!

Great job again Verizon. Way to improve customer satisfaction. I wish I could just return this piece of crap and exchange it for the Galaxy or an iPhone.