How to create a new access point. Creating an Internet access point from your phone to other devices via Wi-Fi

How to create a WiFi access point using Windows 7. Instructions, step by step with illustrations. Although people are mostly interested in the question of how to make a laptop a wifi access point, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s a laptop or a regular desktop computer. Creating a wifi hotspot is the same in both cases.

Similar articles for other operating systems:

How to create a WiFi hotspot on Windows 7

We need to create a software wifi router based on Windows 7 that will receive the Internet in some way and be able to distribute this Internet via wifi.

What do we need?

Windows 7 Basic or higher. Windows 7 Starter (initial) will not work. More precisely, on Windows 7 Starter you will have to solve the routing issue using a third-party program (for Windows 7 Starter).
separate note at the end of the article
Old wifi adapter.

For example, the TP-Link TL-WN722NC USB wifi adapter was used for this article.

Internet connection. For this article, a GSM connection was used through the MTS operator (MTS USB modem). But it can be any connection - PPPoE, VPN, Dail-Up, Ethernet, WiFi.

The first step is to install the wifi adapter, if it is not already installed, and make sure that it is turned on and working.

After this, you need to check whether the “WLAN AutoConfiguration Service” service is running. Usually its launch mode is “Manual”, which means it can be stopped. If you plan to use the created access point constantly, then it is better to switch this service to the “Automatic” startup mode.

You also need to check that the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service also has an Automatic startup mode.

These checks are done through "Control Panel - Administration - Services".

After this, you need to open the Windows console (cmd.exe) with administrator rights. This can be done through the menu "Start - Programs - Accessories - Command Prompt", then right-click and "Run as administrator"..

In the console, type and execute the command: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="winap" key="123456789" keyusage=persistent Instead of 123456789 winap

And Important! The password must be at least 8 characters long, this is a requirement for the WPA2 security type that is used in Windows when creating an access point. It is better not to use the Cyrillic alphabet in your password. Letter case matters - A Instead of A These are different symbols!

Next, check that the connection for the access point has been created.

Open "Start - Run - ncpa.cpl" and after opening the "Network Connections" window, in this window find the wireless connection for which the physical adapter is not specified:

Right-click, then "Properties" and look there - it should be "MicroSoft Virtual Miniport Adapter":

At the same time, you can remove unnecessary connections and protocols.

Immediately rename this connection in ncpa.cpl - for example, to “winAP”:

Next, here, in ncpa.cpl, you need to share (enable Windows ICS) the Internet connection. Select this connection, right button - “Properties”, “Access” tab. Enable ICS and specify the connection to which the Internet will be distributed - to the wifi connection of the access point ("winAP"):

Now you need to connect to the Internet. Or reconnect if the connection was established previously.

After that, type and execute the command in the console:.

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

That's it, the access point should already be working. Now you can connect the client to this access point (this illustration is from the client’s computer):

How to connect a wifi client to:
Laptop (or computer) under Windows - Setting up WiFi in Windows 7.

Laptop (or computer) running Linux - Laptop (or computer) running Ubuntu.

Client connected:

On the computer where the access point is running, you can check its status. To do this, enter the command in the console:

netsh wlan show hostednetwork

It can be seen that one client is connected. Stopping an access point with a command

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork Complete destruction of the access point by command

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow If you want the access point to turn on automatically when Windows boots, then the start command needs to be added to autorun. It's about the team netsh wlan start hostednetwork.

The command can be written into a cmd script; you must specify “Run as Administrator” in the properties of this script. Then include the script in autorun.

Of course this is a very simple access point. But everything is at hand. No third party programs needed. Just Windows 7. And everything can be configured in a couple of minutes. Yes, there are programs like Connectify and Virtual Router.

However, you need to understand that they only do the work that is done by two commands in the Windows console.

These are just add-ons to the functionality of Windows 7. It’s easier to write two commands in the console than to download and install some gadgets.

Some may say that this option does not have many of the capabilities that an access point should have. Well yes, that's true. Only this is an option when you need to make a wifi router very quickly and without problems. And Windows 7 provides just such an opportunity - with a minimum of body movements, what is called “on the knee,” to create an access point.

And if your needs are broader and deeper, if you need an access point for every day, or in complex configurations, then you don’t need to use Windows, but buy a decent, or even good WiFi router. A decent WiFi router now costs less than a thousand rubles. And in such a situation, sculpting a design based on a computer and Windows is somehow absurd.

It’s another matter if you need an access point once a month, for a day or for a couple of days. Or on a business trip. Or on vacation. This is where Windows helps us out. You can quickly distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop to a tablet, smartphone or other laptops.

But if there is a need to make a permanent access point on a computer, then it is better to do it under Linux. This is how this is actually implemented in WiFi routers. For example, as in this article - Access point on Ubuntu. Hotspot on Windows 7 does not work

There is no need to swear at Microsoft, at Windows - in general, look for the guilty on the side.
The problem in such cases
Always
on your own computer (or laptop). It could be:
Drivers for the WiFi adapter on which you are creating an access point.
The WiFi adapter itself.

You did something wrong. Any "left" services or drivers/programs that use the WiFi adapter or USB port (if your adapter is connected via USB). You have Windows 7 Starter.

With a normal WiFi adapter and if you haven’t messed up your Windows with crooked programs and drivers, everything will work fine.

In general, always look for the source of the problem on your computer.

WiFi network protection

Access point on Windows 7 Starter (initial)

Microsoft did something weird with it. ICS is blocked on it, but you can create an access point as such. Paradox. Why do you need a hostednetwork mechanism if there is no routing? Be that as it may, you can make a wifi access point on Windows 7 Starter. You just need to find a program with which to perform routing between the Internet and winAP interfaces. There are many options here, for example you can use a proxy server, like 3proxy.

Ivan Sukhov, 2013, 2014

It just so happened that at work, to get full-fledged Internet without restrictions, I have to use a netbook and a 3G modem. Recently, having bought an iPod Touch, I really wanted to connect it to the Internet. If a smartphone could still access the Internet on its own, it was somewhat more difficult with a player.

One option is to connect using a sync cable. The option is not very convenient, since there is absolutely no desire to carry a cable with you all the time, and you don’t want to install iTunes either. The second option, the one described in this article, is connecting via WiFi. Already on Habrahabr, but for Linux. Our task is to configure the same thing for Windows.

So what do we have

- Netbook, ASUS 1215B
- Internet via USB 3g modem
- Player and smartphone with WiFi

Task

- Get internet on all devices

Solution

Before you start, many people advise updating the WiFi card driver on your computer. Personally, I didn’t do this, but everyone decides for themselves.

Methods

- You can use graphical utilities such as Connectify and Virtual Router. They work, they even work well, but they eat up resources. Some people complained that they were eating up resources too much.

You can do everything yourself via the console using netsh. This is exactly the method I chose. All actions must be performed on behalf of the Administrator.

Creating a network

First of all, you need to create a wireless network using the following command
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="MyHomeInternet" key="pass12345678" keyUsage=persistent
where MyHomeInternet is the network name (ssid), pass12345678 is the login password.

The success of the command will look something like this:
Hosted network mode is enabled in the wireless network service. The hosted network SSID has been successfully changed. The hosted network user key passphrase was successfully changed.
Now you can go to Control Panel \ \ . I call it “Wireless Network Connection 2”.

Connection management

Since the connection is in the “No connection” status, we need to enable it. To do this, run the command:
After receiving the phrase Hosted network is running, the network will be launched and we will see your network connection in the list of connections. In our example, this is MyHomeInternet.

To stop the network, you need to use the command:
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

Connecting the Internet

The WiFi network has been created and you can even connect to it, but the Internet will most likely be absent. In order to correct this misunderstanding, it is necessary:
- go to Control Panel \ Network and Sharing Center \ Change adapter settings;
- go to the properties of the connection through which you go online(for me this is Internet MTS);
- tab Access;
- check the box next to " Allow other network users to use this computer's Internet connection" and select our created network from the list - “Wireless network connection 2”;
- click OK;
- disable and enable 3g connection; (ideally restart your computer)
- disable and enable WiFi network.

What happened

Ideally, after these steps, the laptop will turn into a small WiFi point. To do this, take the iPod, turn on WiFi and see our created MyHomeInternet network. Enter the password and connect. There is Internet.

Restrictions

- first of all, after each start of Windows, you will have to start the network using the command netsh wlan start hostednetwork. This can be solved by writing a small script and sending it to startup. Another option is to create a shortcut on your desktop and launch the network only when necessary.
- OS must be Windows 7.
- the connected device must support WPA2-PSK/AES

Problems

Network is not created

- update the wireless adapter driver to a newer one
- run the console as administrator

The network has been created, but does not start

- perhaps restarting the computer and starting the network as administrator will help

The network has been created and started, but it is impossible to connect to it

- check password
- manually specify network settings in the properties of TCP/IP connections on the “server” and client. For example, for the server: ip - 192.168.137.1, mask - 255.255.255.0 and for the client: ip - 192.168.137.2, mask - 255.255.255.0, gateway - 192.168.137.1, dns - 192.168.137.1

Connected to the network, but can’t access the Internet

- make sure that you have shared it (see the item “Connecting the Internet”)
- try to go not by domain name, but by IP address. If it does, then it’s time to think about adding a DNS server to the client and/or server settings.

Bottom line

As you can see, such a simple problem can be solved without using third-party software. Nevertheless, sometimes it happens that you can’t do without it. In my case, there were problems with DNS and even by specifying the Google Public Domain server in the TCP/IP settings, I could not do anything. Therefore, I had to resort to using the BIND package and setting it to 127.0.0.1. It’s just as easy to set up, but more on that in the next mini-article.

Let me guess, you want to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi from your laptop. Use a laptop as a Wi-Fi router. Right? If yes, then you have come to the right place. Here I will tell you all about how to make a Wi-Fi access point on a laptop, and provide links to detailed articles on setup that will best suit your case.

I have already prepared several instructions for setting up an access point in Windows. For Windows 7 and Windows 10. Showed how to launch an access point through special programs, through the command line, and even with the standard “Mobile Hotspot” tool, which appeared in Windows 10 after the last major update. In the article I will provide links to these instructions. Also, I have already talked about solving problems that you can often encounter when launching an access point on a laptop.

But first, for those who are not in the know, I will tell you what an access point is on a laptop, in which cases you can distribute Wi-Fi, and in which cases this cannot be done. This information may seem unnecessary to you. But believe me, this one is not like that. Judging by the comments, many users have problems starting the access point precisely because they do not quite understand what it is and how it works. In any case, you can skip one section and move on to the next one, to the settings. If you're not interested.

What is a Wi-Fi hotspot in Windows?

Starting with Windows 7 (except Windows 7 Starter), it became possible to launch a virtual Wi-Fi access point. This means that you can create a virtual adapter in the system through which the Internet will be distributed via Wi-Fi to other devices. This is to be explained in simple terms.

Look here: in a laptop or computer there is a Wi-Fi adapter through which we can connect it to the Internet via a wireless network. This is the direct purpose of the adapter. And in Windows, the Software Access Point function is implemented. This means that by launching the access point, the computer adapter will broadcast the Wi-Fi network (like a regular router). And you can connect other devices to this network (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.). And if in the properties of our Internet connection we allow general access for the created virtual adapter, then all devices will have access to the Internet. A laptop, like a wireless router, will distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi.

Moreover, in this way you can receive the Internet via Wi-Fi and distribute it. This means that the laptop (PC) already acts as a repeater (wireless network booster). In some cases, this feature may be useful. For example, in your room Wi-Fi reception on your phone is poor. And on the computer, due to a more powerful receiver, there is a stable wireless network signal. We just launch the access point in Windows and connect the phone to it.

What do you need to run an access point on a laptop?

Separately, I decided to highlight the points that you cannot do without if you want to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi from a laptop or desktop computer. It is very important.

We will need a laptop or desktop computer. If you have a PC, then it must have an external USB or an internal PCI Wi-Fi adapter. On laptops it is built-in. I wrote about such adapters for PCs in an article.
Our computer or laptop must be connected to the Internet. This is understandable, because in order to distribute it, he must receive it from somewhere. Internet can be via regular Ethernet (regular network cable), high-speed connection, via a 3G/4G modem, or via Wi-Fi.
On the PC or laptop that we want to make an access point, the driver for the Wi-Fi adapter must be installed. It is because of the driver, its incorrect installation, or version that many people are unable to start the access point. That is, Wi-Fi on your computer must work, in the settings, in the network adapters there must be a “Wireless network connection” adapter, or “Wireless network” (in Windows 10).

How to Check if Hosted Networking is Supported in Windows

There is a command that you can use to check whether your computer, more precisely the Wi-Fi adapter, or more precisely the driver that is installed, supports running a hosted network. I will introduce the launch of a virtual Wi-Fi network.

Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and run the command netsh wlan show drivers.

Turning a laptop (PC) into a Wi-Fi access point

An important point to understand. Launching a virtual Wi-Fi network on Windows 7, Windows 8 (8.1) and Windows 10 is practically no different. The operating principle is the same. The launch commands are the same. Even though I will provide links below in the article for starting a network on different versions of Windows, it is important to understand that the principle of operation, and even the solution to the most popular problems, are the same everywhere.

There are several ways in which you can start an access point:

The standard, and in my opinion the most reliable way, is to launch a virtual access point using special commands via the command line. In Windows 7, 8, 10, these commands will be the same. Below I will write in more detail about this method and provide links to detailed instructions. This method may seem complicated to you, but it is not.
The second way is to launch hotspots using special third-party programs. If you want more information, then in the article, I talked in detail about these programs (Virtual Router, Switch Virtual Router, Maryfi, Connectify 2016), and showed how to work with them. If you decide to launch a network this way, then follow the link I gave above, everything is described and shown there in great detail.
The third method is only suitable for Windows 10 with the update installed (version 1607). There, a “Mobile hotspot” tab has already appeared in the settings, with which you can launch the access point from a laptop.

Universal method: launching an access point via the command line

I advise you to immediately go to the page with detailed instructions that suits you best.

If you have a desktop computer with a USB Wi-FI adapter, then see the instructions.

It doesn't matter what version of Windows you have installed. You just need to launch the command line and run several commands one by one.

Brief instructions

1 First team:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="site" key="11111111" keyUsage=persistent

It registers a new network in the system. Simply put, it sets the name of the Wi-Fi network that the laptop will distribute, and sets the password.. It can be easily changed. Also the password is key="11111111". The password can also be changed.

2 Second team:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

It is already launching a virtual network and creating an adapter. After executing this command, your laptop already starts distributing Wi-Fi with the parameters that were specified in the first command.

4 You can stop Wi-Fi distribution with the command: netsh wlan stop hostednetwork. And run it again with the command that I gave above. There is no need to run the first command every time. Only when you want to change the network name (SSID) or password.

Access point in Windows 10 via Mobile Hotspot

As I wrote above, after installing the update on Windows 10 dated August 2, 2016 (version 1607), a tab appeared in the settings, section "Network and Internet" "Mobile hot spot" on which you can very simply and quickly start distributing the Internet via Wi-Fi. She looks like this:

Errors you may encounter when starting a virtual Wi-Fi network

Oddly enough, in the process of setting up and turning your laptop into a router, you may encounter many problems and errors. Especially in Windows 10, since there are mostly problems with drivers. Therefore, I have prepared several separate articles with solutions to the most popular errors.

1 If you are running a network in Windows 10 through Mobile Hotspot, you may see the error “Could not set up Mobile Hotspot because your computer does not have an Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or cellular network connection.” At the same time, your computer is connected to the Internet. This error may appear if you have a PPPoE connection via dialing (username and password). For some reason, the standard function does not see such a connection. Try starting the network via the command line.

4 For information on solving problems with opening public access to the Internet for the created connection, see the article.

5 If you have started Wi-Fi distribution, the devices will connect to the network, but the Internet does not work, then see.

Conclusion

I tried to make this article as simple and understandable as possible. So that everyone can understand how this function works, what is needed to configure it, and what instructions to configure in a particular case. And also how to deal with possible problems that may arise during the process of setting up an access point in Windows.

If you understand how the virtual Wi-Fi network function works, and if there are no problems with the equipment (drivers), then the network starts very simply and works great. In any case, in the comments you can share your tips and ask questions. Best wishes!

Sometimes situations arise when you need to connect a tablet, smartphone, game console or TV to the Internet, but there is no router at hand. This doesn't matter if you have a laptop, netbook or ultrabook at hand. The main thing is that it has a working wireless network module. Thanks to the ICS function built into Windows, you can turn your laptop into an access point and distribute the Internet via WiFi.

The only significant limitation is that you must have Internet access either via a network cable (ethernet) or via a 3G/4G modem. You will not be able to distribute Wi-Fi from your laptop and use it at the same time. It is for this reason that this method can only be used as a temporary one. It is not suitable as a permanent one and it is better to buy, albeit inexpensive, but still a router.
There are two ways to set up distribution - simple and more complicated. I'll start with the simplest and fastest.

WiFi distribution program

This option is “for the lazy,” that is, for those who don’t want to bother with Windows settings and parameters, but just run the program and enjoy life.
You can find many programs on the Internet that allow you to turn your laptop into a Wi-Fi access point. The most famous of them is Connectify. It was one of the first and therefore remained paid. That's why it doesn't suit us - we love free software! Of these, I was previously most impressed by the mHotspot utility. But recently, a bunch of unnecessary rubbish has been built into the installer, which is installed on the computer and then difficult to remove.
Recently, on the advice of a good person, I came across an excellent program for distributing the Internet via a wireless network - OSToto Hotspot. This is the simplest utility, and it’s also completely free!

You just need to launch the application and the hotspot will automatically deploy a WiFi network. In the main window you can see a list of connected users and, if necessary, you can send any of them to the “Blacklist”. If you need to change the network name “SSID” or the default password, click on the word Edit and these fields will become available for editing.

The utility's settings are sparse, but for most cases they are quite sufficient.

Here you can enable autostart and automatically turn on the access point on your computer. You can also change the operating mode, allow or disable hibernation, and hide the icon in the system tray.

Built-in Windows Hotspot

For their work, the programs described above use a special mechanism built into the operating system by the developers. It first appeared in Windows 7 and from there it smoothly migrated to all subsequent versions, right up to the most modern one today - Windows 10. To configure this function manually, you need to right-click on the “Start” button. In the menu that opens, select “Command Prompt (Administrator).” In the black window of the Windows Command Console that appears, enter the command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Set-Os key=121223344

In it, SSID is the name of the access point being created, and key is the Wi-Fi password.

Click on the “Enter” button. The parameters are specified, now you need to start the wireless network with the command:

The command should run without errors.

With this we configured and launched a virtual WiFi access point on the laptop. Another icon will appear in the list of Windows network connections - “Wireless Network” with a number. This is number 3 for me.

But this is not enough - now we need to force the Internet to be distributed, that is, in essence, to make a full-fledged router from laptop. To do this, you need to open network connections (press Win+R and enter the command ncpa.cpl). In the list of available connections, select the one through which you are connected to the Internet. In my example, this is a local network connection:

Right-click on it and select “Properties”.

Note: If your provider uses the PPPoE or L2TP protocol, then you need to select the high-speed connection icon.

In the properties window that appears, open the “Access” tab:

On it, check the box “Allow other users to use this computer’s Internet connection.” Below you will see a list of home network connections. In it you need to select the created wireless network and click the “OK” button.

Now your laptop works as a WiFi access point and can distribute the Internet like a regular router. All the best!

Experienced Windows 7 users know that the WiFi adapter found in every laptop can not only pick up wireless network signals, but also serve as an access point for connecting other devices. Moreover, it is capable of doing this at the same time: as if the laptop had two instead of one wireless adapter. What is seemingly special about this? But according to the WiFi concept, the network card is not capable of operating in two modes at once.

To get around this hardware limitation, developers used virtualization technology, which allows you to create several virtual ones based on one physical device. And each virtual adapter can connect to different networks and be configured differently.

At Microsoft, WiFi virtualization technology is called “Virtual WiFi.” It was introduced into Windows client operating systems only with the release of Windows 7. In earlier versions, you had to use third-party software to create an access point.

Why create an access point on your computer?

Today, many devices support wireless communication technologies. By creating a virtual access point, you can connect your laptop to a printer, TV, computers, mobile gadgets, etc. without cables, combining all these devices into a personal or home network.

In addition to unification, a virtual access point can distribute the Internet to all devices connected to it. To do this, you need to connect your laptop to the World Wide Web in any convenient way (using a 3G modem, cable, WiFi or WiMax) and in the connection settings give permission to other devices to use it. Let's look at how this is done below.

Also, an access point on a laptop can work as an amplifier (repeater) of a WiFi signal when its source is far away.

Creating an access point on a laptop with Windows 7

As was said, to create an access point on Windows 7, the capabilities of the operating system itself are sufficient. We will use the Network Settings Configuration Utility for this. Netsh.

Prerequisites for starting a virtual network

Turn on WiFi technology by pressing a special button on the laptop body or the Fn+ key combination. Different laptop models have their own WiFi activation key. You can identify it by a miniature image of the antenna.

Installing a wireless adapter driver on a laptop. The driver can be downloaded from the laptop manufacturer's website or found on the disk that came with your computer when you purchased it. After installing the driver, you need to restart the laptop.

In order for a virtual access point to distribute the Internet to other devices, any edition of Windows 7, except the initial one, must be installed on the laptop.

Procedure for creating Virtual WiFi

When starting the access point once, you can use the command line (utility netsh does not have a graphical interface), but if you need it constantly, this method will be inconvenient. For such a case, you can create a batch file, save it in a convenient place and run it as needed. For the point to work, both the console and the batch file must be launched as an administrator. So…

Let's open a command line and enter the first command into it: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=»moya_virtualnaya_set» key=»moy_parol» keyUsage=persistent

Parameter SSID is the name of the access point to be created, and key- passphrase. The rest should be left as default.

Once executed, Windows will launch the virtual network adapter, which will appear in Device Manager:

To enter this folder on Windows 7, open the “Network Center...” in the control panel, and then in the navigation area on the left side of the window, click “Change adapter settings.”

If successful, Windows will report to you that the hosted network is running. The hosted network is our virtual access point.

Now in the laptop's network connections window the new wireless connection will be active:

But, as we see, he does not yet have access to the Internet:

We’ll look at how to make it appear below, but for now, to further use this virtual adapter, we need to copy the commands into a text file and save it with the extension . bat.

As already mentioned, you must run the file as an administrator.

How to distribute the Internet via a virtual access point

It's time to turn the access point created on your laptop into an Internet gateway - a device that transmits traffic from the local network to the global network and vice versa.

The following steps assume that your laptop is already connected to the Internet. To avoid having to adjust the resolution every time, it is advisable that this connection be permanent.

Enter the network connections folder, right-click on the Internet connection and open its properties.

Expand the “Access” tab and check the box next to “Allow other users to use this computer’s Internet connection.” From the list of networks, select the one that was previously created. In our example, this is “Wireless Network Connection 4”.

Save the setting. After reconnecting, Internet distribution will begin to all devices connected to the access point.

Connecting other network devices to the Internet

Now let's talk about the main thing - how other devices can use a virtual access point to access the Internet. For example, you have another laptop with Windows 7 that urgently needs access to the global network. It will be much easier to configure it, because the access point is already running, which means it is visible in the list of wireless networks.

Turn on your laptop and boot into Windows.
Click on the “Network” icon in the system tray and view the list. Among them should be the one you recently created.
Click on it and click "Connect".

In the next window, enter the security key - the passphrase you set when creating the access point - and click OK.

The laptop will receive other settings such as IP addresses, DNS and default gateway automatically. But you can also specify them manually.

To change settings for this connection, open its context menu and select Status.

In the new window, click "Properties".

In the “General” window, assign an IP from the range 192.168.137.2 -192.168.137.255 to the connection, specify the default gateway, which will be the IP of the access point - 192.168.137.1 (Windows 7 assigns this address to virtual adapters by default) and DNS addresses. You can again assign the IP of the access point as the main DNS, and assign one of the public DNS or the DNS of your provider as an alternative.

Now your laptop will always connect to the access point with the same IP address.

At this point, the wireless network setup can be considered complete. As you can see, nothing complicated.

We remind you that attempts to repeat the author’s actions may lead to loss of warranty on the equipment and even to its failure. The material is provided for informational purposes only. If you are going to reproduce the steps described below, we strongly advise you to carefully read the article to the end at least once. The editors of 3DNews do not bear any responsibility for any possible consequences.

In the case of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, this is just one of many innovations that went virtually unnoticed, although materials on this topic are extremely easy to find on the Internet. Strictly speaking, the Wi-Fi specification implies that the network operates in two main modes - either point-to-point (ad-hoc mode), when all clients connect to each other, or in access point mode (infrastructure mode), when data is exchanged between two hosts goes through a third party. It is theoretically impossible for one physical adapter to operate simultaneously in these two modes.

In practice, Microsoft decided to turn its attention to the now fashionable virtualization technologies and created a layer that abstracts the wireless adapter. In fact, we can have several Wi-Fi modules in the system, each with its own settings, which in reality use the resources of only one physical device. This subsystem is called Virtual Wi-Fi. Intel has a similar development - Intel MyFi (My Wi-Fi). We will not go into the technical details of the implementation of each of the technologies - it is important for us that we can make the adapter work in Software Access Point (SoftAP) mode.

So, why might you need SoftAP? Firstly, to quickly organize a local wireless network, to which you can connect another computer, smartphone, and so on. Secondly, we can distribute the Internet from the main machine inside our small network. In this case, clients will be behind NAT. It doesn’t matter how we gain access to the Network on a machine with SoftAP - via Ethernet, WiMax, 3G, Dial-Up (anything can happen) or something else. It is noteworthy that a computer can be connected to any wireless network and at the same time be an access point.

Thus, it is easy to create a repeater by placing a laptop at the receiving edge of the main wireless network and setting the same SoftAP parameters as the parent access point. Thus, we will expand the range of the network, and all clients, if necessary, will automatically reconnect to the repeater and vice versa. Another possibility is to easily route wireless client traffic to any available network interface, for example, to a VPN tunnel. There are other possibilities for using a software access point that go beyond the moral boundaries of our columns.

To implement SoftAP, we need a Wi-Fi adapter whose drivers support operation in this mode. In principle, almost all modern wireless modules, built-in or external, have this capability. Moreover, support for Virtual Wi-Fi is one of the prerequisites for the adapter to be included in the list of certified compatible devices for Windows 7. Take the time to find out this point before starting setup and update the drivers from the official website of the Wi-Fi module manufacturer, just in case. However, in most cases, the driver that “arrived” along with system updates will work as it should. Unfortunately (not very big, really), now we can create only one virtual access point with mandatory WPA2-PSK/AES encryption.

In order to create an access point, just launch the console (command line) as an administrator and run one single command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="SoftAP Tst" key="Yourpassword" keyUsage=persistent

Naturally, in the ssid parameter you need to specify the name of the access point, and in the key you need to set the password to access the network. In the future, you can change the AP parameters in the same way. After executing the command, the OS will install the required driver and the Virtual Wi-Fi we need will appear in the list of wireless adapters. To remove an adapter, you need to specify mode=disallow in the command and omit all other parameters.

Now you can launch the point with the command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

To stop working in a logical way, change the start parameter to stop in the command.

It is highly not recommended when operating inSoftAP disable physical adapterWi-Fi, for example, pull him outUSB port - this can lead to an emergency shutdown of the OS!!!

To view the current parameters of a virtual access point, you can use the commands:

netsh wlan show settings

netsh wlan show hostednetwork setting=security

When SoftAP starts, the built-in DHCP server will automatically start. To “share” the Internet connection for users of the newly created wireless network, you need to go to the “Sharing” tab in the properties of the network interface that has access to the Network. There you need to enable network sharing permission and select our virtual adapter in SoftAP mode.

To simplify working with a software access point, we can recommend two programs: VirtualRouter and Connectify. The first is absolutely free, but a little outdated and does not always work out of the box, and the second asks you to pay money for access to some functions. However, it's worth it. The functionality of the utility far exceeds the built-in capabilities of the OS for working with a virtual access point. It has an UpnP server, allows you to choose a different type of encryption, has more convenient management of wireless clients, and much, much more. In general, a real little software monster for organizing a hotspot. If you really need this kind of advanced functionality, then $30 a year doesn't seem like a lot of money. A software access point can also be created in Linux or Mac OS X. True, in the first case you will have to tinker with the settings, and there will be fewer options than in Windows 7. In the second case, in the best traditions of Apple's OS, everything is done in a simple way. In addition, with the advent of AirDrop and AirPlay, the exchange of information between i-devices has become much easier. With this, as they say on these Internets of yours, we will consider the topic solved. Good luck!

In our age of digital and modern technologies, it is impossible for the average city resident to imagine life without the Internet. One of her sons can be called WiFi. And the question naturally arises: how is it still necessary to distribute WiFi from a laptop if there is no possibility (or desire) to connect a router. Let's look at this in more detail.

Before distributing WiFi from a laptop

Before you start setting up WiFi distribution via a laptop, you need to make sure that your device is equipped with a built-in device for Internet distribution: a WiFi adapter or USB or PCL type. Their availability can be viewed in the Control Panel in the Network and Internet tab. If you find the Wireless Network item in Network Connections, then you can safely start organizing WiFi distribution.

WiFi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Provides connectivity via the standard IEEE 802.11 protocol. In general, it is a wireless network that can be used by all devices that support a similar transmission standard.

Programs for creating a virtual WiFi distribution point

The first step is to create a virtual access point. It will be your laptop. To make a WiFi point from it, you can download it from the official websites.

mHotspot

One such program is called mHotspot. This software does not require installation. After it is downloaded, you need to launch mHotspot. The necessary program settings will be indicated there. For example, a field called Mhotspot name enters the name of the future network. This is what will be visible in the list of points available for connection.

You can download the program from the official mHotspot website.

Window for working with the mHotspot program

The next field is called Password. This is the password. It must be at least eight characters. It is important to enter it in order to secure the network from access to it by unauthorized people.

A field called Max Clients controls the number of gadgets that can be connected to the network at the same time. Their maximum number is ten. If one is indicated in this field, then no one except your computer will be able to connect to it. Click Start Mhotspot and proceed to creating an access point.

Video: how to use mHotspot

MyPublicWiFi

This is another program that can be downloaded on the Internet - MyPublicWiFi. By following the link to the downloader’s official website, you can download the software to your laptop. The program does not require installation and works immediately after downloading.

MyPublicWifi working window

The MyPublicWifi program allows you to make a Wifi access point from your computer. Operating instructions:

Download MyPublicWifi (preferably version 5.1).
Install the program.
Reboot your laptop.
Launch MyPublicWifi (or run the MyPublicWifi program as an administrator, if it gives an error during normal startup).
Specify the Automatic HotSpot configuration item.
select the name of the network to be created in the Network Name (SSID) field.
Specify the password in Network Key.
Select (check) Enable Internet Sharing.
In the list, select connecting your laptop to the Internet network.
Click the Set up and Start Hotspot button.

MyPublicWifi works great and does not require much effort to connect

Creating an access point: three best ways

Distribution via existing Internet connection

Windows 7 and 8 operating systems can distribute Wi-Fi via an existing Internet connection.

In order to make an Internet distribution, you must follow these points:

Start.
Control Panel.
Network and Internet.
Network and Sharing Center.
Change adapter settings.
Wireless Network Connection 2. Rename it as desired. As you wish.
We find our own active connection. Basically it is called local area connection. May also be called Virtual WiFi.
In the properties of the active connection, find the “access” tab and click on it. In this tab, check the boxes, that is, we agree with all the points. Namely:

allow other users to use this network;
Allow other users to manage connections to the selected network.

Select your active connection from the list. That is: local network connection (or whatever name you renamed the connection to).
Click the "OK" button and restart the computer.

If you want your smartphone, tablet or laptop to be able to use this access point, you only need to run the Wi-Fi distribution program. And on the devices that will be connected, you must enter network access passwords.

A way to set up WiFi distribution using the command line

The above methods do not work well if you need to distribute WiFi from a computer on which Windows 10 is installed.

What does the command line look like on a laptop screen?

Steps to distribute wireless networks using the command line:

Check the possibility of distribution. You need to run a command prompt as an administrator and enter the command netsh wlan show drivers.
Read the item “Support for a hosted network” (if the settings are in English, it will say Hosted Network). The word “yes” should be indicated there.
The next item on the command line is: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=remontka key=secretpassword. At the same time, the command contains such instructions as “remontka” - this is the name of the wireless network (you can write your own, spaces are not used). Secretpassword is the secret password for WiFi. You choose it yourself.
After all the data has been entered, enter the command: netsh wlan start hostednetwork.
Right-click on the Start menu on the desktop and select “Network Connections”.
In this list, select the Internet connection that is currently in use. Right-click to open the “Access” tab. Allow access to other users.

Configuring network capabilities via the command line

Eventually, a notification will appear on the screen that the wireless network is running. If no errors or failures have occurred, then you can connect phones, tablets and laptops to this network. They will now have access to the Internet.

Access point with Windows 7: computer-to-computer network

Launch Command Prompt as Administrator and run the command netsh wlan show drivers.

Turning a laptop (PC) into a Wi-Fi access point

There are several ways in which you can start an access point:

The standard, and in my opinion the most reliable way, is to launch a virtual access point using special commands via the command line. In Windows 7, 8, 10, these commands will be the same. Below I will write in more detail about this method and provide links to detailed instructions. This method may seem complicated to you, but it is not.
The second way is to launch hotspots using special third-party programs. If you want more information, then in the article I talked in detail about these programs (Virtual Router, Switch Virtual Router, Maryfi, Connectify 2016), and showed how to work with them. If you decide to launch a network this way, then follow the link I gave above, everything is described and shown there in great detail.
The third method is only suitable for Windows 10 with the update installed (version 1607). There, a “Mobile hotspot” tab has already appeared in the settings, with which you can launch the access point from a laptop.

Universal method: launching an access point via the command line

I advise you to immediately go to the page with the one that suits you best.

If you have a desktop computer with a USB Wi-FI adapter, then see the instructions.

How to create a WiFi hotspot on Windows 7

We need to create a software wifi router based on Windows 7 that will receive the Internet in some way and be able to distribute this Internet via wifi.

What do we need?

Windows 7 Basic or higher. Windows 7 Starter (initial) will not work. More precisely, on Windows 7 Starter you will have to solve the routing issue using a third-party program (for Windows 7 Starter).
separate note at the end of the article
Old wifi adapter.

For example, the TP-Link TL-WN722NC USB wifi adapter was used for this article.

Internet connection. For this article, a GSM connection was used through the MTS operator (MTS USB modem). But it can be any connection - PPPoE, VPN, Dail-Up, Ethernet, WiFi.

The first step is to install the wifi adapter, if it is not already installed, and make sure that it is turned on and working.

You also need to check that the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) service also has an Automatic startup mode.

These checks are done through "Control Panel - Administration - Services".

In the console, type and execute the command: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="winap" key="123456789" keyusage=persistent Instead of 123456789 winap

Next, check that the connection for the access point has been created.

Open "Start - Run - ncpa.cpl" and after opening the "Network Connections" window, in this window find the wireless connection for which the physical adapter is not specified:

Right-click, then "Properties" and look there - it should be "MicroSoft Virtual Miniport Adapter":

At the same time, you can remove unnecessary connections and protocols.

Immediately rename this connection in ncpa.cpl - for example, to “winAP”:

Now you need to connect to the Internet. Or reconnect if the connection was established previously.

After that, type and execute the command in the console:.

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

That's it, the access point should already be working. Now you can connect the client to this access point (this illustration is from the client’s computer):

How to connect a wifi client to:
Laptop (or computer) under Windows - Setting up WiFi in Windows 7.

Laptop (or computer) running Linux - Laptop (or computer) running Ubuntu.

Client connected:

On the computer where the access point is running, you can check its status. To do this, enter the command in the console:

netsh wlan show hostednetwork

It can be seen that one client is connected. Stopping an access point with a command

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork Complete destruction of the access point by command

The command can be written into a cmd script; you must specify “Run as Administrator” in the properties of this script. Then include the script in autorun.

However, you need to understand that they only do the work that is done by two commands in the Windows console.

These are just add-ons to the functionality of Windows 7. It’s easier to write two commands in the console than to download and install some gadgets.

It’s another matter if you need an access point once a month, for a day or for a couple of days. Or on a business trip. Or on vacation. This is where Windows helps us out. You can quickly distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop to a tablet, smartphone or other laptops.

There is no need to swear at Microsoft, at Windows - in general, look for the guilty on the side.
The problem in such cases
Always
on your own computer (or laptop). It could be:
Drivers for the WiFi adapter on which you are creating an access point.
The WiFi adapter itself.

You did something wrong. Any "left" services or drivers/programs that use the WiFi adapter or USB port (if your adapter is connected via USB). You have Windows 7 Starter.

With a normal WiFi adapter and if you haven’t messed up your Windows with crooked programs and drivers, everything will work fine.

In general, always look for the source of the problem on your computer.

WiFi network protection

Access point on Windows 7 Starter (initial)

Ivan Sukhov, 2013, 2014