How to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop: using the capabilities of Windows, using special programs

Today, almost every home has Internet access. Thanks to the router, several subscribers connected to the same access point can simultaneously use the capabilities of the World Wide Web. But there are circumstances in which the Internet is urgently needed, and there is no router nearby, then using certain settings, your laptop can perform the same Wi-Fi distribution functions. For this, the Windows OS of the device must have a version of the seventh, eighth or tenth, and also must have a built-in Wi-Fi adapter. How to properly configure the Wi-Fi distribution function from an electronic device, we will describe in detail in our article.

How to share Wi-Fi from a laptop using Windows features

One of the ways to distribute Wi-Fi is to configure the Windows settings. To correctly configure and save this function, you must follow the following instructions.

First, in the control panel, select the item through which you can manage networks, and then in the settings select the option of a new wireless network connection from computer to computer. Next, in the window that opens, you need to specify the Wi-Fi name and password.

Attention! In order not to configure this Internet connection every time, you should activate the option “Save the settings for this network”.

To ensure that Wi-Fi is distributed from the laptop to other devices, you must once again go to the network control center and change the adapter settings. Then click on the current Internet connection with the right mouse button and select the “Access” tab in the properties, activating Internet access for other subscribers in it.

Owners of the tenth version of Windows to configure the distribution of the Internet is much easier than users of the seventh or eighth version of the OS:

1. In “Start”, find “Settings” and download the “Network and Internet” section.
2. Click on the tab "Mobile Hot Spot" and activate the function.

Important! If you have difficulty connecting, then you should disable the utility that blocks malware and the firewall.

Use to distribute Wi-Fi command line

The second way to create an Internet distribution using a virtual router is to configure using the command line. To do this, you must strictly follow the following procedure:

• through “Search” find “Command line”, then right-click on it and run this function as administrator;

Important! This connection method is only suitable for users of Windows 7, 8, and 10 versions.

• in the pop-up window the network name and password will be indicated, as well as two commands that turn this on and off network - you need to start this network, copy it and, by pressing the Enter key, then activate the first team
• then go to the “Network Connections” section and in the properties find the “Advanced” tab, activating Internet access to other users through this device in it;
• To disable the wireless connection, you will need to select the second command.

Distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop using special programs

There are many specialized programs with which you can quickly activate a virtual router on an electronic device. But the most popular are: MyPublicWiFi and Connectify.

Configuring a virtual router using the special MyPublicWiFi program:

• you must first download this program;
• then right-click on the shortcut of this program on the desktop and run it as administrator;
• in the “Settings” tab, specify the name, password and type of network connection, and then activate sharing and click on “Install and run Hotspot”;
• In order for the program to load automatically each time, it is necessary to activate automatic connection in the "Management" tab.

To make Wi-Fi distribution using Connectify, you must:

1. Download and install this program on your device.
2. After starting the Connectify program, select the Lite version.
3. In the Settings tab, fill in the proposed cells with the name, password, connection and network type.
4. Then click on Start hotspot.

Possible problems

By setting up the distribution of the Internet so that the laptop performs the work of the router, users may encounter small difficulties. We will analyze in detail each of the possible problems, as well as their solution.

If during the distribution of Wi-Fi your device cannot detect this network, then the cause may be an antivirus program or a firewall. To resolve this problem, you should temporarily disable these utilities.

Another difficulty that may arise when connecting the device to Wi-Fi is that the World Wide Web does not work, although Wi-Fi itself is connected. Perhaps you forgot to activate access for other subscribers, or a utility that fights against malicious programs interferes with the connection. A change in the access settings for other users, as well as a temporary shutdown of the utility, will help to solve this problem.

If a notification about the impossibility of connecting the network is displayed, this means that the wireless adapter is disabled on your electronic device or the drivers of this adapter are malfunctioning. To fix this problem, you must either enable Wi-Fi, or update the adapter driver, depending on the reason.