How to create virtual Wi-Fi. Free virtual router for distributing wi-fi from any computer. What is Virtual WiFi technology

Over the course of their existence, wireless networks (Wireless Local Area Network-WLAN) have gone through many changes that affected security, range and speed, but the basic principles of operation have remained unchanged.

Wireless networks can operate in two modes: when two or more devices are connected directly to each other - point-to-point, or when they are connected through an access point (Access Point-AP). In the first case, they talk about a simple network (ad-hoc mode). The use of this operating mode is quite rare and is used mainly for data exchange when it is not possible to use an access point. The second mode, using an access point, is called infrastructure mode and in most cases is used in conjunction with a wireless router that is connected to the Internet. But using two operating modes simultaneously on one physical wireless adapter is not provided for by the Wi-Fi concept itself.

In search of new ways to use wireless networks, the concept of virtualization has been proposed, which removes certain restrictions on the use of such networks and thereby expands their capabilities. This approach to using wireless adapters has been implemented by several companies with corresponding technology names. At Intel, it's Intel My WiFi, and at Microsoft, it's Virtual WiFi.

Virtual Wi-Fi is a software layer that abstracts the wireless network card and creates multiple virtual adapters. Each virtual adapter can be separately configured to connect to different wireless networks, but they will all use the resources of only one physical wireless adapter.

What can this technology be useful for? For example, creating a personal network (Wireless Personal Area Network - WPAN) in which you can quickly connect a PDA, phone, printer, camera, laptop and other device with a wireless adapter for simple information exchange; use a laptop as a hotspot to provide Internet access to wireless devices using an Internet connection on the laptop, be it Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3G or WiMax. Another example would be when the radio signal is not stable enough or does not cover the required distance between the access point and wireless devices. In this case, a computer or laptop with Virtual Wi-Fi technology can act as a repeater, thereby improving the radio coverage of the wireless network.

In Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2, Virtual WiFi technology was included in the system and implemented at the kernel level, in addition, work was done on a simple implementation of a Software Access Point (SoftAP), while from wireless device manufacturers, Now you only need to implement SoftAP support in your drivers. In this regard, in the current implementation of Virtual WiFi in Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2, it is possible to create only one virtual adapter that will only work in access point mode, while providing WPA2-PSK-AES encryption.

By the way, support for Virtual WiFi in drivers is a mandatory requirement for certification of wireless adapters for compatibility with Windows 7.

Virtual WiFi is designated as Wireless Hosted Network, in Russian designation as Hosted Network. In connection with the introduction of Virtual WiFi into new operating systems from Microsoft, new commands have been included in the network shell for managing a distributed network. Here are some of them:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork allowed|disallowed - Allow or deny use of the network.
netsh wlan set hostednetwork<идентификатор_SSID> <парольная_фраза>persistent|temporary - Configure network parameters, where SSID – network SSID; Key - User security key used by the network; keyUsage indicates the security key is permanent or temporary
netsh wlan show settings – Shows the network property and its status.
netsh wlan show hostednetwork settings=security – Displays the security settings of the hosted network. (Shows, including the password specified in key when setting up netsh wlan set hostednetwork)
netsh wlan start hostednetwork - Start hosted network.
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork - Stop network hosting.

What does setting up Virtual Wi-Fi look like in practice: we need a laptop or regular personal computer with wireless devices, Windows 7 and a driver that supports Virtual WiFi.

If the above described criteria are met, then call the command line with administrator rights and run the following command in it:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="MS Virtual Wi-Fi" key="Pass for virtual wifi" keyUsage=persistent

In this example, “MS Virtual Wi-Fi” is the name of the wireless network, “Pass for virtual wifi” is the password to access this network. You can set these values at your discretion.

After executing this command, the system will find new equipment and a new network adapter will appear in the device manager, or rather a virtual one - Microsoft Virtual WiFi miniport adapter. But again, this virtual adapter will only appear if our wireless adapter driver supports Virtual WiFi.

By going to Control Panel - Network and Sharing Center - changing adapter settings, we will see a new connection, Wireless Network Connection 2, which will show the status - no connection. Therefore, the next step will be to launch the network. To do this, in a command prompt run with administrator rights, run the following command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork.

After this, the network will start and the software access point (SoftAP) will work. You can verify this by going to Control Panel - Network and Sharing Center. Since we use a Wi-Fi Internet connection, we found that Windows 7 was connected to several wireless networks at the same time. Now other wireless devices can connect to our access point.

If we want to provide access to the Internet to other wireless devices that are connected to our software access point, that is, to organize a Hotspot, then we need to go to the Control Panel tab - Network and Sharing Center - changing adapter parameters and connection properties , which is connected to the Internet (in our case this is a Wi-Fi connection, but it can be anything: ethernet, 3G, WiMax, etc.). On the access tab, check the Allow other network users to use the Internet connection of this computer, and in Connecting a home network, specify which network adapter to provide (share) the Internet to, in our case, it will be Wireless Network Connection 2, which refers to the virtual wireless adapter.

On the client side, you can see several wireless networks, and when connecting to our organized access point, the client will automatically receive an IP address from the internal DHCP server and will be separated from the external network by NAT (Network address translation).

The convenience of using Virtual Wi-Fi is obvious, but using the command line to configure and start the network (and you need to start the hosted network every time after rebooting the computer with administrator rights) is not entirely convenient. And, unfortunately, there is no built-in graphical shell for setting up Virtual WiFi. Therefore, it is not surprising that third-party utilities appear that perform the function of this very shell. Now there are several such utilities - Connectify and Virtual Router Manager. Their configuration is kept to a minimum - you need to specify the SSID and password for access. They are loaded along with the system and immediately enable the distributed network and are able to display all connections to our distributed network.

Connectify

Utility Virtual WiFi Router It features simple controls and the ability to transform your computer into a wireless network access point. This feature will allow you to use the device to transmit information via the Internet over a certain distance. The program has an exclusively English-language interface.

IN Virtual Wi-Fi Router There aren't any supernatural options, and there aren't that many of them. Each user can only set the parameters of the access point: name, login password and the maximum number of devices that can connect to it. The program's working window displays a list of currently active connections and brief information about them. After completing all the necessary settings, the application can be minimized, thereby freeing up space on the device’s desktop. However, it will not stop functioning, but will continue to work in the background.

You can download the Virtual WiFi Router program from our website using the link below, the official website of the program is virtualwifirouter.com.

Features of Virtual WiFi Router for Windows 7, 10:

Free download and installation;
Quickly configure an access point on a computer;
Providing information about all devices currently connected to the access point;
Work in the background;
Simple and convenient controls.

Disadvantages of the program:

Lack of interface in Russian;
Compatible only with Windows 7, 10 x64/x86;

To distribute Wi-Fi, just download Virtual Router Plus in Russian and install it as an Internet distributor. Download and try the stable version of this program.

Do you only have a cable Internet connection, but still want to use a smartphone or tablet in addition? Now this problem can be easily solved. By installing a small utility called Virtual Router Plus on your laptop, you can create a full-fledged Wi-Fi access point, which is no different from that provided by a regular router.

Virtual Router Plus download in Russian

All you need to do in order to enjoy wireless Internet without any problems is to install the above-mentioned application on your laptop and, immediately after launching, perform simple settings. Namely, in the appropriate fields, indicate the login and password for subsequent connection to the newly created access point.

Thus, having Virtual Router Plus among the list of installed programs on your device, you can provide yourself and your friends with high-quality wireless Internet at any time. And most importantly, you will get all these privileges absolutely free, since the utility is freely distributed and does not have a paid license.

If Virtual Router Plus is not suitable for your purposes, then you can go to the "" section of our website and select other, more suitable applications there, for example -.

A virtual router plus will allow you to distribute the Internet using an access point on a computer or laptop. Use the free, latest version of the program in Russian to distribute Wi-Fi.

Png" data-category="Programs for WiFi distribution" data-promo="/templates/Pisces-kamazox/images/dw..html" target="_blank">Download Virtual Router Plus

Standard installer		For free!
check	Official distribution Download Virtual Router Plus	check
close	Silent installation without dialog boxes	check
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Without Wi-Fi technology, the life of most modern people is unthinkable. First of all, it is very convenient: you can use the Internet both at home and at a train station or airport, in various institutions and enterprises. Therefore, it is extremely important to understand how this technology works and be able to use it correctly.

What is a virtual router?

A device that forwards information packets between segments (computers) within a network. It is routers that allow us to use wireless Internet: computers or other devices that we connect to any network are united by the router into one network, allowing them to simultaneously use the Internet.

A virtual router is a technology that allows you to create a virtual device based on just one network card that performs all the same functions as a real one. At the same time, the device itself does not physically exist: one might say, our computer becomes a router. There is no need to fuss with wires and setup.

Any computer with Windows 7 installed provides this opportunity.
There are two possible ways to do this:

Use technology implemented at the kernel level and configure the connection via the command line;
Use additional software that takes care of the setup task and provides a convenient interface;

Having figured out why we need this, we will consider both options in detail.

What are virtual routers used for?

Surely you've had to share Wi-Fi from your phone more than once? For phones with the iOS operating system, just enable “modem mode” in the settings, enter the network name and password - you’re done! Your phone at this moment becomes a full-fledged Wi-Fi distribution point. Each time you use this function on your phone, you actually create a virtual router, uniting the users connected to you into a single network. The only difference is that it's a little more difficult to do on Windows.

So, the main reasons for use:

The need to “distribute” Wi-Fi to another person as quickly as possible;
Saving money by not having to purchase a router;
Lack of an electrical outlet nearby to connect the router;

Installation and configuration

Method 1. We use the technology built into Windows 7.

We need the command line. To call it, press the key combination Win+R:

Run "Run" using win+R

Enter “cmd” in the window that opens and click OK

Run window in Windows 7

A command prompt window will open. Type netsh command and press Enter.
Then we write the following line:

wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=»name» key=»password» keyUsage=persistent

Here name is the name of the future network, password is the password, respectively. Keep in mind that the password must consist of more than just numbers or letters

Press Enter, if everything went well, we see the following:

Don't close the command line! We will still need it.

The network adapter (virtual Wi-Fi) has been created, however, let's check. Go to the Control Panel, go to the Network and Sharing Center, and then go to the “Change adapter settings” section

Among the list of networks we should see the following:

As you can see, our connection has been created, but does not work. Open a command line window and write:

wlan start hostednetwork

After which we see a notification that everything is running:

Go to the “Network and Sharing Center”. Now our point works:

Ready! At this stage, the creation of a virtual Wi-Fi router is completed.

Method 2. Using specialized programs.

To configure a virtual Wi-Fi point without resorting to the command line and to be able to manage our network, you can use special programs.

What is the significant difference between this method and the first? It's a matter of functionality. Let's say you wanted to change your network name or password without running to the command line and without wasting time entering some commands there. Or, for example, you want to monitor which computers are connecting to you and, if desired, block them. These capabilities are provided by software such as Connectify.

You can download this program either from the official website or from any other source. Installation is also as simple as possible and will not cause any problems.

There are only a few obvious fields in the main program window: Name, Password and Internet to Share. We set the last parameter to automatic, since the program itself will select the desired connection for distribution.

Click the Start Hotspot button and you're done! In the Clients tab we see a list of devices connected to us, which we can easily block:

Results

We got acquainted with what virtual routers are and what they are used for, and looked at the main ways to organize them on your computer. Which method to use is up to you. In any case, the technology of creating virtual routers is a skill that is extremely useful for any user. In addition, by studying this topic more seriously, you can learn many more interesting things for yourself.

Currently, wireless networks are becoming increasingly widespread: they work at train stations, airports, and enterprises, and for many users at home. In Windows 7, an option appeared called “virtual WiFi” - a software layer that creates several virtual adapters from the wireless network card installed in the computer. But first, a little theory.

Wireless networks can operate in two modes:

The devices are connected directly to each other. The result is a simple network (ad-hoc mode). This mode is called "point-to-point". This mode is used quite rarely and mainly for data exchange in cases where it is not possible to use an access point.

Devices are connected via an access point (Access Point-AP).
This mode is called Infrastructure Mode and is usually used in conjunction with a wireless router connected to the Internet.

It should be noted that the simultaneous use of two modes of wireless network operation on one physical wireless adapter is not provided for by the WiFi concept itself, and this is where the virtualization technology used in Windows 7, which expands the capabilities of adapters, comes to the rescue.

What is Virtual WiFi technology

Without going into technical details: in Windows 7, one physical wireless adapter can be turned into several virtual ones, and - attention! - Each of these virtual adapters can be configured to connect to different wireless networks.

What is it for

Hmm... The question is, of course, interesting.
Example one: the radio signal from an existing access point does not cover the required distance between it and wireless devices. In this case, a computer or laptop with Virtual WiFi can act as a repeater (repeater), expanding the coverage area of the wireless network.

Example two: creating a personal network (Wireless Personal Area Network), to which you can very quickly connect a phone, camera, printer, laptop or any other device with a wireless adapter for simple information exchange.

Example three: an existing wireless network with static IP addresses of devices, but sometimes you need to quickly connect new devices, without any adjustments or adjustments (this can be done if the mode for allocating dynamic IP addresses was enabled. But alas) .

How Virtual WiFi is implemented in Windows 7

By the way: Virtual WiFi technology is included not only in Windows 7, but also in Windows 2008 R2.

Virtual WiFi is implemented in the operating system at the kernel level and allows for a very simple implementation of a software access point (SoftAP), while the only thing required from wireless adapter manufacturers is to implement SoftAP support in their drivers (many, by the way, have already done this).

So far - in the current implementation - Virtual WiFi has the following limitations: it is allowed to create only one virtual adapter, operating only in access point mode and only with WPA2-PSK/AES encryption.
By the way, Virtual WiFi technology allows you to connect up to 100 clients to an access point versus 8 clients in the My WiFi technology promoted by Intel.

Installing, enabling and configuring Virtual WiFi

Testing the operation of Virtual WiFi - installing, turning on and configuring a wireless network - was carried out on an ASUS eeePC 1000H netbook with a built-in Ralink WiFi adapter.

So, first you have to play around a little - call the command prompt with administrator rights and enter the following command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="MS Virtual WiFi" key="softodrom" keyUsage=persistent

“MS Virtual WiFi” here is the name (SSID) of the virtual network being created, and “softodrom” is the password for accessing the network. Of course, both of these parameters can be changed at your own discretion.
The last parameter - keyUsage=persistent - determines that the password will be saved and will not have to be specified every time you need to start a virtual network.

After running this command, the system will detect the new hardware and a new network adapter will appear in Device Manager called "Microsoft Virtual WiFi miniport adapter".

As a clarification: naturally, a virtual adapter will appear in the Device Manager only if the driver of the wireless adapter you have installed supports Virtual WiFi technology.

To be more reliable, let’s look at Control Panel –> Network and Sharing Center –> Change adapter settings:

As you can see, a new connection “Wireless network connection 2” has appeared here with the status “No connection” (it is already there in the picture. More on that below).

Let's move on to launching the network. In a command prompt running with administrator rights, run the following command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

After this, a) the network will start (Microsoft called it “Hosted Network”) and b) the software access point will work, which you can verify by going to Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center.

As we can see, the computer is connected to several wireless networks simultaneously, and now other wireless devices can connect to our newly created software access point.

To provide Internet access to other wireless devices that will connect to our software access point, go to the Control Panel tab -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings and in the properties of the adapter through which the computer - in our case eeePC netbook - gets access to the Internet (we have a WiFi connection, but it can be any of the available ones - Ethernet, WiMax, 3G, etc.) in the "access" tab, check the box "Allow other network users to use the Internet connection this computer."

In addition, in “Connecting a home network” you need to indicate which network adapter - in our case it is “Wireless Network Connection 2” - the Internet should be provided to.

Finally, about the client. From the client side, several wireless networks will be visible, and when connecting to an organized access point (previously we assigned it SSID = MS Virtual WiFi), the client will automatically receive an IP address from the internal DHCP server, gain access to the Internet and at the same time be separated from the external NAT (Network Address Translation) networks.

The clients used in the test were a laptop and a WiFi-enabled mobile phone; in both cases, accessing the Internet via a virtual WiFi network did not cause any difficulties.

Simplifying virtual WiFi network management

Despite the obvious advantages of Virtual WiFi, using the command line to configure and start a network for Windows users who are accustomed to pressing buttons is not convenient and familiar, especially since they will have to start the network every time after rebooting the computer, as well as waking it up from sleep or standby mode.

Unfortunately, there is no built-in graphical interface for Virtual WiFi in the operating system, but, as always in such cases, third-party developers came to the rescue and released graphical shells for Virtual WiFi - Connectify and Virtual Router Manager. We recommend using the first one (Connectify), since its developer is constantly working to improve it and regularly releases new versions, and the development of Virtual Router Manager is still in the beta stage, with the last beta version dating back to 2009.

The principle of using both utilities is very simple: in the appropriate fields you need to specify the network SSID and password for access and click on the Start button, after which the program will load along with the startup of the operating system, ensuring the launch of the virtual network. In addition, both utilities, Connectify and Virtual Router Manager, show current connections to the virtual network.

Commands for Managing a Hosted Network

Finally, for command line connoisseurs, there are new commands for managing a hosted network that appeared in Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork allowed/disallowed – allow or deny network use

netsh wlan set hostednetwork persistent/temporary - setting up network parameters, where SSID is the SSID of the network; key - security key (password) used by the network; keyUsage – indicates whether the security key is permanent or temporary

netsh wlan show settings – shows network properties and its status

netsh wlan show hostednetwork settings=security – displays the security settings of the hosted network, including showing the password specified in key when configuring netsh wlan set hostednetwork

netsh wlan start hostednetwork - start a hosted network

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork - stop the hosted network.