Force Windows 7 to use Android phone's MAC address as network identifier for hotspot to prevent network name addition/iteration

Question

Background

• I have a new Verizon Android (5.1) phone with a mobile hotspot running with a set HOTSPOT_NAME (the SSID) for the network, and having a WPA2 (AES) security.
• I had a previous Verizon Android phone I did the same with.
• I have Windows 7 computer using this hotspot for a network connection.

Issue (Updated)

With my previous phone, Windows 7 would link into the hotspot with its particular HOTSPOT_NAME all the time, no issues. With my current phone, Windows 7 is attaching a number to the NEW_HOTSPOT_NAME and iterating it every time I turn "on" the hotspot from the phone, such that I end up with NEW_HOTSPOT_NAME 1, NEW_HOTSPOT_NAME 2, NEW_HOTSPOT_NAME 3, etc. (I'm up to NEW_HOTSPOT_NAME 8 now), and each time it asks me if this is a "home," "work," or "public" network, as if it is a "new" network each time I log in, as it does not remember that I have linked to this network before.

Note:

• The iteration does not occur if the hotspot itself stays "on" and I just disconnect and reconnect from Windows 7 itself. Only when the hotspot is turned off, and then turned back on does it iterate a new number.
• I have tried deleting the network from Windows, renamed the network on the phone, and reestablish a connection. I still am getting a new set of iterations each time the hotspot is turned on after having been turned off. (And of course, I do not want the hotspot running continuously if I am not using it, eating up power).
• As best I can tell, the old phone ran the same security setting (though it does not make me aware if it is AES or not, but I believe that has been a standard for some time now—at least the last couple years when I started using my previous phone as a hotspot). I don't even know if the security setting has anything to do with it, but thought I should note this anyway.

More Background

I have discovered there are other post relaying essentially the same issue, but the solutions there are not viable for me:

• Prevent Windows From Creating New Network Names when Tethering with Android

• Why can't Win7 remember my tether? New Connection Setup every time

• New network name created every time I connect a Windows 7 machine to my Nexus One Portable Wi-Fi hotspot

However, this answer to the last question appears to be particularly relevant, as it notes some reasoning why this occurs:

Windows does quite a bit of guessing when it tries to identify "which" network it is a member of. The most common of which is using the mac-address of the default-gateway. If the MAC of your default gateway changes... it will prompt you again to identify your network.

Some portable-hotspot apps make the android-device behave as the gateway, while others pass on the gateway directly to your telco's default-gateway(s). In the first case where your phone is acting as the gateway... these are usually apps you can find from 3rd parties (like the android-wifi-teather app.) In the other-case, these are usually limited to apps provided by your telco... so they can track your tethering-usage statistics & such.

This makes sense, but the problem is the app linked to requires a rooted phone (which I do not have, nor do I want to do, as it will void my warranty). So is there either:

1. Some app for non-rooted phones that makes the gateway be the device itself (I have not yet found one)? or
2. Some way to force Windows 7/Android phone through some configuration of one or both to link the phone itself as the default gateway for the network (that is not just a repeat of the processes given in the answers in those other questions [warning: I will downvote such an answer])?