Why won't my computers recognize my mobile hotspot?

Searching wireless networks the SSID of the Droid Razr M mobile hotspot does not show up in the list of available networks.

The mobile hotspot is showing and can connect to the 5th computer.

Three of the computers, including the one that can connect, are running windows 8. The other two are running XP and Vista.

The XP machine is my Toshiba laptop, which I've been able to connect previously. The computers have been able to see the SSID and connect since I got the phone in March 2013. They stopped seeing the SSID and stopped connecting on or shortly prior to March 1, 2014. Nothing was changed with the computers.

Verizon store employees say nothing is wrong with the phone since they can see the SSID with their phones.

Have tried updating computer network adapter drivers, changing SSID, rebooting all equipment.

Accepted answers

Wagmore_Barkless

Went shopping for a new laptop. Looked at 10 laptops in two different stores. None would see my hotspot SSID. Called Verizon, and a very good tech named Jimmy spent a couple of hours with me. We finally did a hard reset of the phone. Everything is now working great and all of my computers can see the SSID.

All comments

unknown

Are you trying to connect all at once?

Wagmore_Barkless

No. I have cable wifi at my home office which I normally use.

I normally use the hotspot with my laptop when I'm out at a client's location and need internet access. This past Saturday I was at a client's location and tried to connect but was unable to even see the SSID in the list of available networks. I was able to see the clients wifi network so I was able to connect to his network. When I got back home I was troubleshooting the problems, and that's when I tried the other computers. My wife's laptop could see the SSID but the 3 desk tops could not.

unknown

Are the adapters that can't see the SSID all the same or from the same company? How old are they? Maybe you somehow changed the security for the hotspot.

Wagmore_Barkless

The adapters are all different and the computers are all different and they all saw the hotspot prior to this past weekend.

Security wasn't changed, but even if it was that shouldn't keep the computers from seeing the SSID of the mobile hotspot on the list of available networks.

All 5 of the computers see the same SSID listing of networks in my neighborhood with the exception that 4 of them can't see my mobile hotspot.

Wagmore_Barkless

One of the computers is a gateway, 8 years old, and I'm using a Linksys wireless G adapter that is about 7 years old. My Toshiba laptop is 8 years old and uses the factory installed adapter that came with it. The two other desktops are Dells and are 1 year old, using the factory installed adapters that came with them. All four could see the SSID prior to this weekend.

My wife's laptop (the one that sees the SSID) is also a Dell and about 6 months old, using the factory installed adapter.