Whether the computer distributes Wi-Fi. We distribute Wi-Fi from a computer. Free Idea for Latest Windows Systems

The more mobile gadgets you have of any kind, such as smartphones, tablet computers and game consoles, the more often you begin to wonder about...

Everything is quite simple: you need to make your device, a laptop, distribute Wi-Fi.

Fortunately, the developers of the Windows 7 and 8 operating systems prudently added this item to the settings.

There are two ways to distribute the Internet from a laptop via wifi:

1. "Native" Windows tools;
2. By manipulation on the command line.

Method 1: distribute wi-fi using Windows

To create a connection, you need a network card that can support MS Virtual Wi-Fi technology, i.e. any modern mobile adapter.

First you need to open the “Network and Sharing Center…” settings menu with a single right-click and select the second item.

Go to the appropriate field and look for the section called “Setting up a new connection...”

We are interested in the element that is highlighted in the screenshot above. Select the appropriate item and click the “Next” button.

You will see an information window, the contents of which can be read if desired. Then click on “Next” again and move on to the next step.

Now you need to enter the parameters of the existing virtual network in the appropriate fields. The Network Name (SSID) field is the name of your connection.

It is preferable to leave the security type as WPA2-Personal, since it is the most reliable against external intrusions.

Security key is a pre-created complex password for entering a personal access point. Its length should be about 8-10 characters, but no less.

It is desirable that it consist of numbers and letters. Save the settings and move on.

Now everything is ready. There are still a few touches left. You need to return to the “Network and Sharing Center...” and open the “Change advanced settings...” item.

The corresponding window will open.

You may come across 2 fields:

• home;
• general.

Apart from them there will be nothing. Opposite each of the profiles there is a button that opens the settings. Click on it next to the “general” item.

The only caveat: item 3 of settings is needed only if you want someone to change and save their information in a shared network folder.

If you want to set the access type to “Read only”, disable the option.

Now you know how to distribute the Internet from a laptop using the basic functionality of the operating system.

Method 2: distribute wi-fi using the command line

If you intend to do the same set of actions, only using the command line, do the following.

First, create a document in TXT format. A regular notepad is suitable for these purposes.

Copy this into it:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=”Virtual_network_name” key=”8-character_password” keyUsage=persistent

You'll get something like:

We enter the “Network name” and “password” individually. The main thing is that you yourself do not forget it. Save the document and change its extension to BAT.

The name can also be changed so as not to lose the document. Let it be, for example, Wi-Fi.

Run the file under administrator rights by right-clicking and selecting the desired context menu item.

As soon as you double-click the file, a new network connection will be activated. All that remains is to give him access to the global web.

Right-click on the connection through which we are currently accessing the global network and look for “properties”.

We need the "access" tab.

All that remains is to launch the resulting Wi-Fi network of your own design. To do this we need to open the command line.

Click the “Start” button and enter CMD in the search field. It will find one item that we need. We click on it - this is it.

The launch is carried out by entering the command: netsh wlan start hostednetwork (without a dot at the end).

If you want to stop the flow of traffic, then write the same line, but instead of “Start” write “Stop”.

To view the current state of the network, enter the same long-suffering line, but change “Start” to “Show”.

Important! You must have administrator rights for this PC. Otherwise, all your work will go down the drain.

As you can see, distributing the Internet from a Windows 7 laptop is not at all that difficult. Another thing is that a 3G/4G modem under heavy load may not provide the required speed for comfortable operation.

But if you need to synchronize several participants at once, but there is no router, this option can be considered the only correct and optimal one from all points of view.

This method is also good if you are going to play an online shooter/RPG/action game with friends via multiplayer, and the router is either faulty or missing as such.

The third use case is distributing traffic in “field” conditions, like a class at an institute, or an exam, when the teacher allowed you to use the Internet, and all points within the range are either locked with a password or give a damn weak signal.

In this case, you have to rely only on friends.

How to distribute WiFi from a laptop using Windows. The easiest way

2 simple ways to distribute the Internet from a laptop via wifi: create a network using Windows and the command line

Yes maybe! But there are many nuances and incomprehensible moments, which I will talk about in this article. Below you will find a detailed answer to the question: “can a laptop distribute Wi-Fi?” Since I have already written a lot of detailed instructions on this topic, as I write the article I will provide links to detailed instructions that will help you set up Internet distribution via Wi-Fi from your laptop or desktop computer.

For those who are interested in how it works. A few words about the technology itself and how everything is implemented. In order to somehow expand the functionality of Wi-Fi wireless technology, Microsoft developed Virtual WiFi technology. This is a software shell (essentially just a program built into Windows), which can create virtual Wi-Fi adapters. Here in a laptop, or one physical adapter is connected to the computer, or a Wi-Fi module (in other words, a fee). And this adapter can, for example, only connect to Wi-Fi networks. And thanks to Virtual WiFi technology, Windows has the ability to create a virtual Wi-Fi adapter that will work independently of the main one. (with different settings). For example, one receives Wi-Fi, and the second distributes it. That's how it all works. It is the Virtual WiFi technology that allows you to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop without a router.

Starting with Windows 7, it became possible to launch a virtual access point in a simple way (using certain commands). All that is needed is SoftAP support in the wireless network adapter driver. As practice shows, there are no problems with this. Although, in rare cases when the virtual access point fails to start, updating the driver may help.

Despite the fact that you can distribute the Internet to your devices from a laptop or PC, this method of organizing a Wi-Fi network will never replace a real router. With a router everything is much simpler, more reliable and stable. Much more features and functions. A virtual Wi-Fi network can be used temporarily, sometimes, but it is not entirely correct to consider this method as a full-fledged replacement for a router. It’s better to buy the cheapest router (read more about choosing in the article). It will be better this way, believe me.

As I wrote above, Virtual WiFi technology is built into the Windows 7 operating system (except initial version), Windows 8, and of course in Windows 10. By the way, in the tenth version there was already a shell for working with this function, which is called “Mobile hotspot”. We will return to this later.

What do you need to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop?

Nothing special. Laptop with built-in, working Wi-Fi module (it is available in every model), or a desktop computer with an internal or external Wi-Fi adapter. I wrote about them. It is clear that it must be connected to the Internet. Via cable or via USB modem. It is also possible to use a laptop as a repeater (amplifier). This means that it will receive the Internet via Wi-Fi and distribute it in the form of another wireless network.

A driver must be installed on the Wi-Fi adapter. That is, the adapter itself should appear in the device manager. Wi-Fi should work. How to check? In Device Manager, on the "Network Adapters" tab, there should be an adapter whose name includes "Wireless", "Wi-Fi", "802.11", or "WLAN".

And in network connections there must be a “Wireless Network Connection” adapter, or “Wireless Network” in Windows 10.

If you do not have these adapters in the settings, then install the driver. Download the driver from the official website of the laptop manufacturer or the adapter itself. And only for your model and installed version of Windows. You may also need a separate one.

But that is not all. You can check if the driver supports SoftAP. Launching a virtual access point. What we need to distribute the Internet via a Wi-Fi network from a laptop.

To do this, you need to run the following command in the command line running as administrator:

netsh wlan show drivers

The result should be like this (“Hosted Network Support” – “Yes”):

If you see “No” there, then I advise you to try starting the access point. If that doesn't work, update the driver.

In Windows 10, “Hosted network support” is often indicated as “No,” but the laptop distributes the Internet perfectly through a mobile hotspot.

We have found out what is needed to distribute a Wi-Fi network; you can proceed directly to setting up and launching the access point itself.

How to launch an access point and distribute the Internet without a router?

There are three ways:

1. Using commands, which must be executed on the command line. This is a universal method that works in Windows 10, Windows 8 and Windows 7. The commands are the same. In most cases, it is better to use this option. Disadvantages: a bit difficult to figure out (according to my instructions - easy) and every time you need to open the command line to start the distribution. But there is a solution here too. I'll tell you further in the article.
2. Through special third party programs. There are many free and paid programs for running SoftAP. All these programs are just a shell, and execute the same commands that you can execute yourself through the command line. You can simply do this in programs by pressing buttons. It is not uncommon for many problems to arise with them. And if you can’t start a virtual network through the command line, then most likely it won’t work through a program either.
3. Via mobile hotspot. Only in Windows 10. This is a separate function in the settings, with which you can distribute the Internet in a few clicks. If you have Windows 10 and the Internet is not via PPPoE, then I recommend this option.

And now in more detail:

Universal method: via the command line

Suitable for all Windows operating systems. You need to run the command line as an administrator. To manage a virtual Wi-Fi access point, we need only three commands:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="mywi-fi" key="11111111" keyUsage=persistent – where "mywi-fi" is the network name, and "11111111" is the password. You can replace them with your own. We execute this command only once. Or when you need to change the network name or password.

netsh wlan start hostednetwork – launching Wi-Fi network distribution.

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork – stop distribution.

Something like this:

Important point:

After starting the network, you must open public access in the Internet connection properties. Otherwise, the laptop will distribute the Wi-Fi network, but without access to the Internet, or devices will not connect to it. I showed in detail how to do this in the articles linked below.

Detailed instructions:

Choose the instructions that suit you best and configure.

Problems and solutions:

• (Error: The hosted network could not start. The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the required operation.)

Through special programs

I never liked this option. It's easier with the help of commands. But the method works, so you can try it. I recommend the following programs: Virtual Router, Switch Virtual Router, Maryfi, Connectify 2016..

Looks like I collected all the articles. This information will be enough for you.

conclusions

We have found out that almost every laptop and computer can share the Internet via a Wi-Fi network with other devices. To do this, you only need a configured Wi-Fi adapter. Then you just need to start the distribution using one of the methods, and depending on the chosen method, open general access to the Internet. After which our laptop turns into a router

Judging by the comments to other articles, this function does not always work stably and without problems. Everything works. Although I use this method only when I write instructions on this topic. If you have a router, then there is no need to torture your laptop.

Most likely you still have some questions. Ask them in the comments, don’t be shy :)

The use of a router for distributing Internet access at home today can already be called an axiom. This WiFi connection, unlike cellular communications, provides free high-speed Internet access for all mobile devices, including laptops, smartphones and tablets.

However, in some cases, for example, in a rented apartment or in a dorm, it is not always advisable to purchase a router, so many users have a question: is it possible to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop?

Of course you can! This solution, of course, imposes some restrictions. For example, the signal power will be very small, which means the range will be significantly smaller. Nevertheless, this is a solution to the problem, and we will tell you how to implement it in practice.

How to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop using Windows capabilities

In Windows 7 and Windows 10, developers have provided a function for creating a virtual router, but activating it is somewhat more difficult than it is organized, for example, on phones running Android OS. There, just activate the “Access Point” function in the menu, set a password - and Internet distribution is started.

How to distribute Wi-Fi through a laptop based on the Windows operating system? Note that the methods for distributing WiFi in Windows 7 and Windows 10 are significantly different, and in the latter case everything is much simpler. Therefore, let’s start with setting up a virtual router in Windows 7, and then we’ll tell you how to enable everything in “Ten”.

Most of the configuration methods described in the Network in Windows 7 relate to organizing a virtual Wi-Fi network in the menu “Network and Sharing Center | Creating and setting up a new connection or network.” The main thing here is the item “Setting up a wireless computer-to-computer network.” Everything would be fine, but the trouble is that in some versions of Windows there is simply no such item, and users are at a dead end.

But there is a way out! We will tell you how to distribute WiFi from a laptop using the command line and using third-party utilities. Believe me, even a beginner can do this.

If you want to set up a wireless network on a desktop computer, then you will need to buy a special wi-fi adapter that will act as a router. This device is connected via a USB port. So make sure that at least one such slot is free. Laptop owners are deprived of such worries, because all modern laptops have a similar adapter built into them. Many users praise this model:

So, in Windows 7, in the Start menu, type “cmd” in the search and run it with administrator rights. In the window that opens, enter the command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="WiFiNout" key="Test5678" keyUsage=persistent

Where WiFiNout- an example of the name of the Wi-Fi network being created, and the parameter Test5678- an example of a password (key) for the network, which you can set at your discretion.

After confirming the operation, you must activate the virtual wireless network. You can do this using the command:

After executing this command, the laptop begins to distribute the WiFi network. But we still have to organize access to it for your devices. To do this, right-click on the network icon in the Windows tray and select “Network and Sharing Center” from the context menu.

In the window that opens, select “Change adapter settings” from the menu on the left. A list of available network connections will open, among which a new one has appeared with the name “WiFiNout”.

To organize access to the Internet from this network, we need to allow it in our current cable connection. To do this, right-click on the wired connection icon and select “Properties” from the context menu.

A window with connection parameters will open, in which you need to check the “Allow other network users to use this computer’s Internet connection” box on the “Access” tab and select the network we created below.

After this, it is advisable to restart the computer. After the reboot, for the laptop to start distributing the network, you will need to reactivate it in the command line with the command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

To stop Wi-Fi broadcasting, use the command:

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

If after all the operations done nothing works, then make sure that you have the latest drivers installed for the network adapter. Without an Internet connection, you can do this using utilities that work offline and specialize specifically in network equipment. One such program is 3DP Net. Download it from the official website, put it on a flash drive and run it on any device. The software will automatically select the necessary drivers from the database.

Distributing Wi-Fi from a Windows 10 laptop

To enable Wi-Fi distribution in Windows 10, developers added a separate function - “Mobile hotspot”. To activate it, open the “Settings” section in the “Start” menu and click on the “Network and Internet” icon.

A window with network-related settings will open. Here in the left menu, find the item “Mobile hot spot” and click on it. Now, in the right field you will see the current parameters of your future wireless network, its name and network password. Set the names and network key that suit you.

If you do not want someone to be able to enable Wi-Fi distribution remotely via Blutooth, then disable this function in this window.

You can now activate your wireless network. To do this, click on the switches at the top of the settings window. In order for devices connected via a Wi-Fi network to gain access to the Internet, you will need to give access to the newly created network, as we indicated above, by going to the “Adapter settings” menu (top right in the same window) and setting up access in the cable properties connections.

In this case, this is network number 13. For devices to be able to connect, restart the PC.

Connectify - a program for distributing Wi-Fi from a laptop

The small Connectify utility is quite enough to distribute the Internet from a laptop when connected via a cable connection. To activate the Internet connection function via a USB adapter of a 3G and 4G cellular operator, you will need to buy a program (2,650 rubles).

You can download the utility from the program website absolutely free. After installing the virtual router, you will be briefly introduced to the configuration options, after which you can begin launching Wi-Fi distribution.

You will need to select the network adapter through which the laptop connects to the Internet and set your own password.

To turn on the broadcast, click the button at the bottom of the program window - “Start Hotspot access point.”

If this utility does not suit you, then you can choose any analogue from the list:

• Virtual Router. Probably the most popular program because of its simple interface and free version. There is an amateur translation that does not interfere with the setup process.
• Switch Virtual Router. Compared to its predecessor, it has more functionality. Also supports Russian language.
• Maryfi. It also works if you use a proxy server or even a VPN connection. It is possible to set up an offline network.

Conclusion

As you can see, setting up Wi-Fi on a laptop is very simple. We personally tested all three methods and the wireless connection worked perfectly. Yes, in some cases errors may occur. All of them, as a rule, relate to outdated drivers. Sometimes it happens that various antiviruses swear, especially those that have built-in firewalls that control network traffic. It is, of course, better to disable them before setting up a wireless connection. Also, the firewall built into the operating system may also be dissatisfied. Otherwise, the setup process should go without problems.

Perhaps I will greatly surprise someone, but if you don’t have a router at hand, and you need to distribute the Internet, you can provide communication throughout your entire apartment or small office directly from a laptop or from a desktop PC equipped with a simple wireless adapter. This can be especially useful if you bought a smartphone or tablet and would like to access the Internet from it without buying a router (for example, as an emergency connection test without purchasing additional equipment).

Under such circumstances, you will be able distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop connected to the network using both a conventional wired and wireless connection. The described method is suitable for any version of Windows, starting from Windows 7. If you are a supporter of non-standard approaches, or prefer not to install additional software when installing products, you can immediately proceed to the method where Wi-Fi distribution will be established using the Windows command line. See also:, and.

Distributing Wi-Fi from a laptop using Virtual Router/Virtual Router Plus

Many users interested in distributing the Internet via Wi-Fi from a laptop have probably heard about an application such as Virtual Router Plus, or simply Virtual Router. I'll tell you in more detail about each of them.

Virtual Router Plus is a free application that is a slightly modified Virtual Router. This software is available under the GNU GPL license, as a result of which the open source product was slightly modified and redesigned, after which we received the Plus version. The product is also completely Russified. The main disadvantage of this application is that when installing the product, a lot of unnecessary software ends up on the user’s computer, which is not always possible to refuse. At the time of writing, a clean version of Virtual Router Plus without unnecessary utilities can be downloaded from the Softonic website.

The method for distributing a network using this product is quite clear and simple. The only drawback that you will encounter if you try to set up distribution using Virtual Router Plus is that for the connection to work, the laptop must be connected to the network not via Wi-Fi, but via a wire.

The operation of the program and the principle of setting up communication are simple and banal to the point of disgrace. When you launch the application, you will see the main modular window where you will need to set a number of parameters:

• network name (SSID) – the name of the connection that will be displayed in the list of available hotspots;
• password – a corresponding code word or set of characters with which your connection will be protected;
• general connection – here you should select the connection that your network adapter uses to access the network.

Once all parameters are set, use the button to launch the application at the bottom of the window.

After a few seconds, a notification will appear on the screen indicating that the connection has been successfully created and you can now connect to it using any portable device. As you can see, our connection is now visible in the list of hotspots.

If your laptop is connected to the network in a similar way, that is, via a wireless connection, it will be possible to launch the program itself, but it will no longer be possible to establish a connection to the virtual router - when identifying the IP address, a software failure will occur that does not allow communication to be established. Under all other circumstances, the program will be an excellent free solution for distributing Wi-Fi via a laptop.

Another analogue of the software product described above is Virtual Router. This utility is based on the same source code from which Virtual Router Plus was compiled, and it works in a very similar way. Moreover, by downloading the utility from the official website, you do not risk adding a lot of crap to your PC, such as an additional Internet browser, search bars, and changing the web browser home page.

The program has not been translated into Russian, which does not detract from its other advantages: lightness, simplicity and elegance. I recommend downloading this module from the official web resource of the project. Just like in the Plus version, you specify the name of the network, the password for it and select the active wired connection that provides access to the Internet, after which you press the main button “Start Virtual Router” and voila - you're done.

Using the Windows Command Line

Finally, I came to the last method of organizing distribution over Wi-Fi, without using auxiliary paid or free applications. The described technique works perfectly on both Windows 7 and 8/8.1 or 10.

To begin, press Win+R and enter the command “ncpa.cpl”. As a result, a list of network connections will appear on the display. Right-click on the wireless connection and go to Properties.

Now you need to go to the “Access” tab and check the box next to the option “Allow other users to connect to this PC’s network”

Let's launch. To do this, right-click on the Start button and select the “Command Prompt (Administrator)” option.

When working in Windows 7, click on the “Start” button, find “Command Prompt” in the list, and right-click on it. In the context menu, find the “Administrator” option.

Now it's time to run the "netsh vlan shou drivers" command and see what this command tells us about the support of the hosted network. If this item is active, everything is in order, you can proceed further. If not, then either your network card on your laptop is too old, or the adapter driver is installed incorrectly. In the latter case, you will have to reinstall it from the official website of the device manufacturer.

The initial command available to enter in order to turn our laptop into a router is as follows: netsh vlan set houstednetwork mode=allou ssid=lap_test key=87654321. You can change the name of the network (ssid) and its password (key) to something more convenient for you.

When the command is entered, you need to get visual confirmation that all the actions caused by the command we entered were performed correctly: wireless access was provided, the network name was accepted, and the key (in other words, the password) was also changed. You can enter the following query at the prompt:

• netsh vlan start houstednetwork

Having entered the last of the commands, an inscription should appear on the screen indicating that the launch of the hosted network was successful.

Finally, the last query that can serve you well, and which will certainly be useful for determining the status of your connection, the number of nodes connected to it, or the Wi-Fi channel, is netsh vlan show houstednetwork.

If you decide to pause the distribution, you may need a command like this:

• netsh vlan stop houstednetwork

The only significant drawback of this method is that after each reboot of the PC, the distribution is suspended, and it has to be started again manually. To automate this process and not enter a request to start the network manually each time, you can create a bat file and add it to startup, or launch it manually if necessary.

As you can see, setting up Wi-Fi distribution on a laptop is absolutely not difficult. The whole process is described quite clearly and informatively, so you are unlikely to do anything wrong if you read the instructions presented above in full before setting up the distribution.

Hello, friends! I recently wrote an article in which I talked about . But as it turned out, the method I wrote about in that article is not suitable for connecting mobile devices such as phones, smartphones, tablets, etc.

And if we take into account the fact that a lot of people want to set up a laptop for Wi-Fi distribution and connect a mobile device to it, then I decided to correct the situation. This article can be considered a continuation of the previous article.

In order to make the laptop turn into a router and connect a mobile device to it, we will use the VirtualRouter Plus program. This is a small, simple program that is very easy to configure, which is what we will do now.

If you don’t understand what we’re going to do now and haven’t read the article linked above, then I’ll quickly explain.

Let's say you have a laptop and some other mobile devices that have Wi-Fi. And your Internet is connected, say, via cable and only to your laptop. There is no Wi-Fi router. Do you want to connect your phone or tablet to the Internet? So, we will make the laptop take the Internet via cable (or in another way, for example via a USB modem. Just not via Wi-Fi) and distribute it via Wi-Fi. The laptop will be the access point.

There are several ways to set up distribution. You can use special programs such as VirtualRouter Plus, Connectify Hotspot, or through the command line. I really liked the free VirtualRouter Plus program, so I’ll show you how to set it up. With her help, everything worked out the first time.

What do we need?

We will need a laptop (netbook, desktop computer with adapter) which has Wi-Fi. Internet, which is connected using a network cable, or a USB modem. VirtualRouter Plus program (I'll give you a link later) and the device that we will connect to the Internet (phone, tablet, etc.).

Everything is? Then let's start :).

Setting up Wi-Fi distribution from a laptop

Let me remind you once again that the laptop must be connected to the Internet using a cable and not via a wireless network. Something like this:

And the connection status should be like this:

If everything is connected, we can continue.

Setting up the VirtualRouter Plus program

First download VirtualRouter Plus you can download version 2.1.0 (on which I configured) via the link, or . Links have been verified.

Download the archive and extract it to a folder. Run the file in the folder VirtualRouterPlus.exe.

A window will open in which we need to fill in only three fields.

Network Name (SSID)– in this field, write a name for your wireless network.

Password- password. The password that will be used to connect to your network. Specify a minimum of 8 characters, in English.

Well, on the contrary Shared Connection select the connection from which the Internet will be distributed. My Internet connection is via cable, so I left “Local Area Connection” as is.

That's it, press the button. Start Virtual Router Plus.

All windows will become inactive and the Stop Virtual Router Plus button will appear (you can use it to turn off virtual Wi-Fi). You can minimize programs and it will hide in the notification panel (bottom, right).

Connecting the device to Wi-Fi

Now take your phone, tablet, or whatever you want to connect (I have, for example, an HTC Android phone), turn on Wi-Fi on it and look for an available network in the list with the name that we set in the Virtual Router Plus program.

I have this network:

Click on this network, enter the password (which we specified when setting up the program) and press Connect. It should look something like this:

You can already try to access sites from your phone (or other device), which receives the Internet via Wi-Fi from a laptop. But the connection is there, but the Internet may not work. This is true:). Just some more tweaking to do.

The device connects to Wi-Fi, but the Internet does not work

Return to your laptop, open the program in which we configured the distribution and press the button Stop Virtual Router Plus. Then right click on the connection status and select Network and Sharing Center.

On the left select Change adapter settings. Right click on the adapter LAN connection and select Properties. Go to the tab Access.

Check the boxes like I have in the screenshot below. In field Connecting your home network you need to select an adapter. Everything works fine for me when installed Wireless network connection 3 (You may also have a Wireless network connection 2, or another). Experiment.

Then in the Virtual Router Plus program we launch our network again. The phone should now connect automatically. The Internet should already be working. Everything worked for me, the sites opened!

Converting a laptop into a router was successful :).

Advice! You can add the Virtual Router Plus program to startup so as not to constantly launch it manually. I wrote about how to do this in