How to turn off wifi-hotspot in Ubuntu 16.04 (Gnome)

Question

A family member has configured our family computer's wifi to create a hotspot. We are using Ubuntu 16.04 with the Gnome desktop.

Now every time the computer restarts or wakes from a suspend (using the Gnome Suspend Button extension) the wifi hotspot is turned on by default, and we have to manually turn it off and connect to the internet.

There is currently no wired connection, only wireless, and yet the wifi hotspot gives itself permission to turn on anyway. I suppose I should report this, but that is a complicated process.

I just want to know the magic words to make the wifi hotspot go away. There is no option to remove, let alone edit the hotspot in the new GUI. I suppose somebody could point me to a CLI tool or a config file, which I know how to use since I've been using Ubuntu for 12 years. But by the same token, I know that is a low-quality answer because it requires the end user to do the developer's job, and it is potentially a long and winding road.

Solution 1

I would use terminal to remove the hotspot

sudo rm /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Hotspot Then reboot

Solution 2

I want to answer for this question because I had also the same problem and recently I figured out WiFi Hotspot problem. My answer may help someone in the future.

You can turn off automatic turn on of WiFi hotspot in Network Connection:

nm-connection-editor

1. select your HotSpot

2. open settings like shown below

3. uncheck Automaically connect to this network when it is available

Illustration in pictures: 1. Network Connection opened with "nm-connection-editor" in terminal 2. Uncheck Automatic connection

Solution 3

In Ubuntu-Gnome 17.04, if I open the network manager I see a screen like the one shown below:

The option to use the wireless device is a button at the bottom of the screen. If I click on it, I loose connection to the internet, and if I turn the wifi off, I go back to connecting to my wifi. This screen is shown in the image below:

Comments

[Coburn Ingram]

This answer does not pertain to the question. There is no option in the GUI to configure or delete the wireless hotspot once it has been added. And 16.04 uses the hotspot as the auto-connect option, even when there is no wired connection to share.

[Charles Green]

@CoburnIngram Added the image of the screen showing the wifi in hotspot mode, with the "Switch off to connect to Wi-Fi network instructions.

[Coburn Ingram]

Precisely. I do not want my noob kids to have to do a three-step manual connect to the internet every time the computer wakes up. I want it to just work.