No WiFi using iPhone hotspot

I am using my iPad for viewing the game, and is connected via shared connection to my iPhone. I would like to use my iPhone as the controller. However the companion app does not work or link as expected.

I know it works when I am home with WiFi and use it on my bike trainer. Any work around suggestions?

It doesn’t work because AP isolation. The shared WIFI can only be used to connect to the Internet and not with other devices on the network.

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Hi Pete!

I’m in a similar situation, in that I have an iPad and iPhone, but I do my Zwift running outside my home, so I do not have access to my home network. As you discovered, for security reasons, the iPhone personal hotspot will not allow the devices to see each other on the network, so the Companion App can’t work with Zwift on the iPad.

There is a solution. But it does require another device.

I recently picked up a Netgear Nighthawk LTE Router. It’s a small router that’s only a bit bigger than a phone. It contains a SIM and is a cellular device that you can add to your phone plan. It’s also fully configurable like a home router. But even without making changes to the settings, devices connected through the router are not isolated and can communicate with each other. iPad and iPhone both connect to the router via wifi and the router uses LTE data to connect to Zwift’s servers. So now I can use iPad and iPhone for Zwift running at the gym or hotel. It’s worked flawlessly and is a lot more immersive than the tiny phone screen.

I’m including a photo of the device I’m using, though there may be other alternatives out there as well. If you’re interested, at least you know that this one works well.

netgear-nighthawk-mobile