Bridge & your devices · Staying connected
Why won't Bridge connect when one device is on a mobile hotspot?
Short answer: A mobile hotspot lets a device reach out but not be reached. Start the connection from the device on the hotspot by entering the other device's code there; once linked, files flow both ways.
Mobile hotspots and some restricted networks let a device reach out, but don't let other devices reach in. So the device on the hotspot has to start the connection.
When Storage Studio spots this it shows Connect from the other device. Go to the device on the hotspot, open its Connect a device screen, and enter the other device's code there. Your Mac shows its code on Storage Studio's Home screen. Once linked, files flow both ways — it doesn't matter which side started.
If both devices are on that kind of network, putting them on the same Wi-Fi is the simplest fix.