You’ve got an Internet connection via a network cable, but you want to have your other computers and devices get Internet connections wirelessly. Can you do this? Can you make your Windows computer run like a WiFi router?

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The short answer is a qualified, ‘Yes.’ The key component in this process is making sure that your Windows computer has a wireless network card. If you have that installed properly, then you can turn your Windows computer into a WiFi hotspot7 Windows 10 Wi-Fi Features You Might Have Missed7 Windows 10 Wi-Fi Features You Might Have MissedYou can do so much with your Windows 10 Wi-Fi on Windows 10, you'll be surprised. We've rounded up the best tips and tricks you have to check out.Read More and share your Internet connection.

How Does This All Work?

Most WiFi cards for PCs can be used to share wired Internet connections, wirelessly. Mind you, it does take some software, or special configuring, to use that capability. Essentially, the software or configuration is what will act as the ‘virtual router’ to enable your computer to share that Internet connection. We’re going to look at a few different ways that you can do this on a Windows computer, as well as the positives and negatives of each method.

Ad-Hoc Wireless Connection via Windows Menus

Ad-hoc is a Latin phrase meaning ‘for this’. It is meant to describe something that is set up for this particular purpose only. Often it is something of a temporary nature with minimal setup, planning, or support. There are two ways to set up an ad-hoc wireless network in Windows: one is through the graphical menus, and the other is through the command line interface. Let’s take a look at the graphical menus first.

Click on your Start Menu, then Control Panel, then Network and Sharing Center. You’ll see the following window:

Now click on Set up a new connection or network. When the new window opens, scroll down until you see Set up a wireless ad hoc (computer-to-computer) network. Highlight that option by clicking once on it, then click the Next button.

You’ll now see a window that explains what an ad-hoc wireless network is and it tells you a few things about it. The most important thing to note is that any devices using the ad-hoc wireless network must be within 30 feet of each other, in any direction. Consider that as a maximum upper limit, as so many other things can affect the range of a wireless signal. Expect maybe half of that. You can optimize the range by following a few tips on what we’ve come to call wireless feng shuiWireless Feng Shui: How to Optimize Your House For Best Wi-Fi ReceptionWireless Feng Shui: How to Optimize Your House For Best Wi-Fi ReceptionSetting up a Wi-Fi network should be an easy prospect, shouldn't it? I mean, a house is a closed-in box, and you'd think when you place a device that transmits wireless signals in all directions..Read More.

The second most important thing to note is that if you create an ad-hoc wireless connection, any wireless connection you have to a device right now will be dropped. So, if you think you can connect wirelessly to one network and share that network wirelessly with others – you can’t. It’s one or the other. Click the Next button to move on to the next window.

This window is where you set the name of your network and what kind of security it has on it. It is recommended to use the WPA2-Personal choice for Security type. This gives you the best security you can get with an ad-hoc connection like this. Use a password that you don’t mind giving to other people. Don’t recycle a passwordHow to Create a Strong Password That You Will Not ForgetHow to Create a Strong Password That You Will Not ForgetDo you know how to create and remember a good password? Here are some tips and tricks to maintain strong, separate passwords for all of your online accounts.Read More you use for other things like Facebook or banking. You’ll soon regret that, if you do. If you intend to set up an ad-hoc wireless network again in the future, you can check the box that reads Save this network and click the Next button.

Congratulations! You’ve just created an ad-hoc wireless network! Share it with your friends and family as you see fit.

The problems with this kind of connection aren’t many, but it isn’t the most universal solution. People with Windows 7 or earlier trying to connect with non-Windows devices have had some difficulties and have had to investigate deeply to find out how to configure their non-Windows devices in order to connect.

Sometimes, the issue is that the device isn’t compatible with the type of security or encryption that your ad-hoc wireless network is set up to use. Sometimes, it’s a matter of the firewall on the host computer blocking the devices from connecting. Sometimes, you can solve the problem by assigning static IP addresses to your connecting devices. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem like there’s a good reason at all why it won’t work.

From the research I’ve done, it appears that Windows 8 and newer have less issues like this. We have previously explained how to test your Wi-Fi speedHow to Test Your Wi-Fi Speed (And 7 Mistakes You Should Avoid)How to Test Your Wi-Fi Speed (And 7 Mistakes You Should Avoid)Wi-Fi speed tests can tell you how fast your wireless speed is. These tips will help you check Wi-Fi speed accurately.Read More and which mistakes to avoid.

The Verdict on This Method

The positive is that this is an easy connection to set up and quick to disable. This method is best suited for allowing short and temporary connection of devices you know that will work.

Ad-Hoc Wireless Connection via Command Line or Batch File

You can also create and disable an ad-hoc wireless network using the command line. When you can do something through the command line in Windows, you can also write a batch fileHow to Create a Batch (BAT) File in Five Simple StepsHow to Create a Batch (BAT) File in Five Simple StepsThis article covers how to create a batch file using five simple steps for the Windows operating system.Read More to do the same thing. This is especially useful for tasks that you would repeatedly perform.

To do this via the command line, you need to open the Command Prompt. The quickest way to do that is to click on the Start Menu then type cmd in the Search programs and files field. When it finds the Command Prompt program, right click on it and select Run as Administrator, unless you are the administrator.

First, you must initialize the hosted network mode. This is the command: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=YourSSID key=YourPassword keyusage=persistent where you change YourSSID to whatever you want to name the network, and YourPassword to whatever password you want on the network.

Second, you must turn the network on: netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Third, when you want to close out the network, use the command: netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

Pretty simple. If you want to create a batch file for this, open up Notepad and copy and paste the following into it. Again, change YourSSID to whatever you want to name the network, and YourPassword to whatever password you want on the network.

Save the file to your desktop as something like AdHocNetwork.bat. Make sure it doesn’t have the .txt extension. Now, when you want to create an ad-hoc network, all you have to do is run the batch file (as Administrator) and follow the menu prompts. It’ll look like this:

The Verdict on This Method

The same pros and cons apply to this as to the other ad-hoc network you created through the Windows method. It’s great for setting up a short and temporary connection of devices, but automated and quicker to set up.

The Software Approach

There are plenty of software applications that make setting up your Windows PC as a virtual WiFi router as easy as can be. Most of them take care of the various issues that you might encounter with the more traditional ad-hoc networks. Virtual WiFi Router [No Longer Available], VirtualRouter (free, our reviewHow To Share Your Windows Internet Connection With Any WiFi Device using Virtual RouterHow To Share Your Windows Internet Connection With Any WiFi Device using Virtual RouterRead More), Thinix, and Connectify HotSpot (see below) are just a few of the applications available that can do this. Connectify HotSpot Pro has consistently been the best virtual router software that I have used, so I’ll share a bit more about it with you here.

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Connectify HotSpot PRO – $40 USD

In my experience, Connectify is the best application to use for this, as it is super simple to set up, runs flawlessly, and I’ve never had an issue with any device being able to connect to it, as long as it was in range. I’ve connected Android phones and tablets, iPads and iPhones, BlackBerry Playbooks and phones, and of course, Windows PCs. The most I’ve had connected at one time has been five devices and it performed wonderfully, with no noticeable lag on my PC or the other devices.

Sure, Connectify costs a few bucks, but the aggravation it saves easily pays for that. The software also aids in sharing of files between devices connected to it and access to the Local Area Network. I’d go as far as to say that Microsoft should consider acquiring Connectify and making this software part of Windows. Samsung gt-s3310 firmware update.

The image on the left shows just how easy it is to configure, and the image on the right shows you how it keeps track of who is connected, and has previously connected.

Some of you might be thinking, “Why would I buy Connectify to do this, when I could just buy a wireless router?” That’s a valid question. If your PC is typically going to be stationary, then getting a WiFi router makes a lot of sense. However, if you have the need to be able to set up a WiFi router in different places, if you travel for work, then software is a lot easier to lug around.

The Verdict on This Method

Connectify is ideal for people who might be sales people, corporate trainers, lecturers, and more.

Summing It Up

Now you know that you CAN turn your Windows PC or laptop into a virtual WiFi router, and you have a few different ways to do so. Pick the one that is right for your needs, try it out, test it, and learn more about what you can do with it.

What other things will a virtual WiFi router allow you to do? Play around, and let us know. There definitely are other uses than just connecting to the InternetHow to Find Free Unlimited Wi-Fi Internet Access Almost AnywhereHow to Find Free Unlimited Wi-Fi Internet Access Almost AnywhereThere's nothing better than scoring free Wi-Fi. Here are some ways to find free unlimited Wi-Fi no matter where you are.Read More, but we’ll leave that to you to explore and learn for now.

Ever set up a virtual WiFi network9 Free Tools to Set Up a Wi-Fi Hotspot in Windows9 Free Tools to Set Up a Wi-Fi Hotspot in WindowsYou can share your desktop or laptop Internet connection with other devices by turning your Windows computer into a hotspot. We show you the tools that make this easy.Read More? How did you do it? What were the ups and downs to your method? Is there one way that you would recommend over another? Let us know in the comments, that’s how we all learn, and we’re all in this together.

Image Sources: Sky Background via Flickr, Laptop, Android Tablet, Smart Phone, WiFi Wave via Pixabay.

Explore more about: Computer Networks, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Tethering.

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1. So I got a usb wifi adapter and tried to do this, the network became visible but nothing was able to successfully connect, kept failing at obtaining ip. Know of any adapters in which i can do this?

2. Hi sir,

   when i fired 'netsh wlan start hostednetwork' this command i got error i.e
   'The hosted network couldn't be started. A device attached to the system is not functioning.'
   please help me out

3. thankyou for the info & share. very hopefully for me.

4. Hello and many thanks for this article.
   I've struggle with this for a long time and also with Virtual Router. Virtual router worked once but couldn't keep it working .
   With the information in this article I got the hotspot created and the connection made but couldn't get internet in my tablet.
   After many tries the only thing that worked is that I created the hotspot after PAUSING MY ANTIVIRUS and this time it works well, the connection is created and I get internet in my tablet.
   The problem is that it lasts ONLY one session. If I disconnect anything I lose it and have to start all over creating a hotspot anew.
   Is there some way to get this thing permanent?
   I have wired Internet that works well.
   Thanks

5. hi
   my hosted network is created but when connecting it with my phone then it is not working
   Giving the same password but it only shows 'obtaining ip address.. and 'authenticating...'

   but not connecting :(

6. Once you run the script setting the SSID and key to what you want the SSID should popup in your available wifi. When you click on the set SSID it'll ask for the pasword/key you set earlier. The thing that hung me up was remembering to share the internet connection from the provider. I.E. if you create a hosted SSID of B1 and the providers SSID your laptop is connected to is A1 you need to 'right click' on the wifi icon in your system tray > choose 'open network and sharing center' > then the providers SSID (A1) should be displayed. To the right, you should see something that says 'connections' followed by the type of connection, I.E. Wireless connection and whatever the name of the SSID is. 'Click' on this highlighted text > then click the 'properties' button > then you'll see two tabs (one labeled 'networking' and the other will say 'sharing') > click on the tab labeled 'Sharing' > select the first box that states in some manner 'allow others to connect to the internet through this device..' > you should then see a drop-down list with the connection type of your hosted wifi I.E. mine was 'Lan Connection*4' > select okay and then you should be good.

   If you do not see your SSID connection type in the dropdown list then give it a few minutes before rechecking. Anytime you need to share your internet connection with other devices you follow a similar process using the networking and sharing center. If you want you can also google how to share your internet with other devices and should find it rather easily. Hope this helps!

   • This was my solution! Thanks a bunch. Many guides explains a lot about netsh commands, including this original guide. But many fails this crucial step that you commented.

   • Thank you Mike. You've been of immense help. This is exactly what was tripping me up on my work connection as well, and it was frustrating as hell. Followed your instructions and everything worked like a charm. Thank you once again. Cheers! :-)

     @Guy McDowell / HTG - I dunno if you guys are reading comments on what is essentially a three-year old article, but if you are, just make sure you update your still-relevant article with Mike's detailed instructions. I'm sure it will come in handy for many, just like me and Stavn. Thanks.

7. C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=newnetwork key=network1234 keyusage=persistent
   The hosted network mode has been set to allow.
   The SSID of the hosted network has been successfully changed.
   The user key passphrase of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

   C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan start hostednetwork
   The hosted network started.

   I see in network list of Host computer that 'newnetwork' is with 'internet access'. But when I connect other computer to this wifi network, it shows connected with Excellent signal strength but 'no internet access'.
   Can anybody help me how to have Internet access with the wifi?

8. i can try this wifi is connected but cant access the internet .

9. I use 'Connectify Hot Spot' and
   I got a wifi connection on my devices 'iphone and ipad' but i can't brows the internet and I don't know why . :(

   could anyone help me please .. :)

   and thank you>

10. my hosted network could not be started.

11. Hi there, i found that many users are facing a simple problem with hostednetwork procedure. They are getting connected bt not able to browse or do anything on their wireless devices i.e. mobile, tablet. So i came with a simple solution, for those who are allowing sharing their connection to wireless hostednetwork , please also ckeck all protocols in settings tab of sharing. I am not able to post screen shot right now bt hope you get it, u are sharing internet connection bt not telling your system to share all those protocols listed in settings i.e. http, https, ftp etc.

    Enjoy wifi hotspot without software craps. ;)

    • Still not working =/ -- Connected, no internet.

12. C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Apple key=12345
    678 keyusage=persistent
    The hosted network mode has been set to allow.
    The SSID of the hosted network has been successfully changed.
    The user key passphrase of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

    C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan start hostednetwork
    The hosted network couldn't be started.
    The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested opera
    tion.

    i m getting the above error please help me

    • @ sastry use password (key) with 8 or more charactor

13. Hey! I do not have the option 'set up wireless ad hoc (computer to computer) network'. Could it be that I don't have a wireless network card, if so, how can I check it? Thanks!

    • Only windows 7 shows that. Newer windows still accept the procedure using the commands in cmd.

14. Sir I Have A Modem in which we Insert sim card to Surf Internet in Pc ! So, Sir How to make modem work for mobile Via
    Thank You

15. C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Jockey key=1234531622 keyusage=persistent
    The hosted network mode has been set to allow.
    The SSID of the hosted network has been successfully changed.
    The user key passphrase of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

    C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan start hostednetwork
    The hosted network started.

    After creation the connection with command prompt it is showing it in wirless list but there is no signal strength due to that I am not able to connect it from other devices even I have tried by giving ssid and password for manual connection from mobile but still it is not able to locate or connect it. Could you please hlelp me in this.

16. That is after all obviously, but how to share internet connection from o. e. external USB wireless device to wireless card inside laptop like wi-fi hotspot?

17. Thanks , the first method is the best :)

18. Hi Guy,

    I followed all the steps that you mentioned but i got an error in cmd that says 'hosted network couldn;t be started'

    can u plz help me out.

19. When i type netsh wlan start hostednetwork it says 'The hosted network couldn't be started.The wireless local area network interface is powered down and doesn't support the requested operation' Can anyone help?

    • Perhaps your wifi is turned off?

20. Always RTO, why?

21. hello i have succesfully created virtual adhoc wireless network. now how it will work??
    kindly guide me

22. Hi Guy, I successfully created Wifi hotspot on my laptop, connected it to my phone and it showed wifi connect with strong signal but still can't open a page. what could be the cause

23. HIya.
    I'm trying to make a hotspot in my stationary pc. I just bought a wifi usb-card.
    My internet is through my ethernet-card.
    I made an ad hoc-network, and made my ethernet-card share internet.
    Now internet work, as it should be, with my ethernet-card, and when checking wifi-list, I see my neighbours networks.
    If I had theire passwords, I could login.
    So to access internet, both cards seems fine.
    My problem is that when checking my wifi-card, it says it's not connected.
    I'll guess to my ethernet-card then.
    So I don't get any signal out to use the wifi with like my mobilephone.
    I won't get a hotspot to use.

    I run Win 7.

    Ya maybe can solve this issue ? :)

    Best regards, Janne from Sweden

    • *edit*
      I did notice my neighbour from my wifi-card, but even with pw passwords I had not been able to login.
      Somehow my internet still used my ethernet-card.
      I did deactivate my ethernet-card, started my mobile phones hotspot, and used my wifi to login on it.
      All was ok. But I tried out the speed of my connection. And it said 90+/90+ mbps. And that the speed I get when using my ethernet-card.
      I really doubt my mobile phones internet have that speed. lol
      So. This is really wierd...

24. hello,i used to be able to set up a wifi hotspot in such a way that i could connect to a wireless network and broadcast that wireless network via wifi with only one network card in windows 7 and 8.1,but i am no longer able to do it in windows 10 it no longer allows me to select how i share the wifi,is there a way i could work around this or am i screwed forever?

25. my pc is not able to show the 'Set up a wireless ad hoc (computer-to-computer) network'. What do i do?

26. me do that total above process but last say window not connect that so now what to do

27. hi guys

    I have created my laptop Wifi hotspot, my mobile phone is also connected, however there is the problem. when i try to use my mobile phone browser, internet is not working, but on other apps such as whatsapp, viber ect. internet is woking
    Could you help me with this problem please?

    • Hi Mirzo,

      I wish I could, but that's beyond the scope of what I can do here.

28. first of all - thanks for this article..

    i m on Windows 8.1 Pro on my HP laptop.. WiFi is turned on.. i don't seem to find 'Set up a wireless ad hoc (computer-to-computer) network' under 'Set up a new connection or network'

    What m i missing?

29. wifi hotspot is created in my laptop , and through mobile is also accessed, but no internet access, kindly give me the solution

    • There are too many unknowns to be able to give you the answer. Sorry.

30. i using laptop connected wifi (window 8.1 pro), and i wan share line to dekstop via ethernet cable, how to settings?

31. could not work

32. i have PC (window 7) with data card (tata photon without wi fi connection).. i want to share my net for my phone( htc 526 g)
    is it work..
    i want to make hotspot to my PC.

33. Hi Guy
    Thank you for your reply. I might have found the problem. It seems like my 3g software is blocking the Internet sharing, but when I start my Internet connection without using the software it does connect my tablet on to the internet, but then I loose my internet connection completely.
    Am not sure if there is something a person can do or must I just drop this whole sharing thing.

    Thanx for your time guyz. Cheeeerrs

    • Hi Angelin,
      I faced the same problem and came to this solution: hide the client's traffic using a proxy so that the 3G dongle does not know about the client and therefore cannot block it.

      1) Follow this page's guide to create a wifi hotspot. Get the IP address of the newly created connection (for me it was Network Connections -> 'Local Area Connection* 17' -> Status -> Details).
      2) Install a Proxy server on your sharing PC. I used CCProxy Personal for that.
      3) Configure the client to use the proxy with the hotspot's IP as host name + port (CCProxy default port is 808.

      For me this works like a charm.
      (Source: http://www.youngzsoft.net/ccproxy/internet-connection-share.htm )

34. Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.9926]
    (c) 2015 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

    '>netsh wlan start hostednetwork
    The hosted network couldn't be started.
    The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested opera
    tion.'

    the message above is what i get fro my laptop kindly assist

    • It sounds like Internet Connection Sharing might be turned off.

35. please what programming language is used to write this program.

    • It's just batch commands for Windows DOS. Not really a programming language.

36. Hi There
    I've got the Galaxy Note 10 2014 edition and for some reason I can not connect to my shared internet connection on my Win8 laptop via mHotspot. I am connected to mHotspot but no Internet. I have uninstall my avast antivirus also disable my windows firewall but nothing.

    Please help me am not sure what I am doing wrong
    NB. I am using 3g modem

    • It might be possible that the 3G modem is not compatible with mHotspot for Internet access sharing.

37. My laptop is showing 'waiting for users' but in my mobile there is no wifi connection appear. what to do?

38. You may need to assign a static IP to your phone, for this WiFi connection. Check to see what IP range your hotspot is operating in and choose an IP within that range.

39. Hi.!! great article. but I'm having small problem, My mobile ( lumia 520 ) is connected with wifi hotspot but no internet!! I tried many solutions like resetting winsock and disabling/enabling drivers..And now my mobile doesnt connect to my wifi hotspot . When i do troubleshoot , it says 'Invalid ip address'. Any solution ????
    Thanks in advance :)

40. I have internet over proxy through wi-fi, and tried to share internet with my wifi.
    control panel (in network place) shows internet and shared both have internet access. but after connection is established with shared wifi to my mobile, i am unable to open web page on my mobile. so please help me from where i make setting to share internet with wifi hotspot

41. for connecting to my cable internet i should run cisco vpn in my laptop (as a dormitory rule). i share the internet with my cellphone through connectify but the internet in my cellphone don't do anything. how can i make my internet wifi?

42. nice article keep writing buddy.....thankyou

43. Weird. Works for me. Those dots are all just for show anyway, so yeah, blast them outta there.
    Thank you for the comment though. Someone else might have the same problem and you just helped them! You should do something nice for yourself.

44. the text you give for making the batch file is wrong..
    Why?
    All the points after 'echo' will not work.
    But thanks a lot for this code !!
    It's what I was looking for.
    I just have to erase all the points on the two lines after echo.........
    and then it works

45. mhotspot is building SEO. Backlinking :)

46. Hey there,
    Based on my past 4 years experience the easiest way to share your internet connection using a your built in wifi is with the small application call 'mHotspot'.

    mHotspot is a completely free software which converts your windows 7 & 8 laptop into a virtual wifi router and creates a secure wifi hotspot. You can share single internet connection(LAN, Ethernet, it.

    • If I recall correctly, the Soft AP feature is now on some on-board WiFi cards. I could be wrong though.

      I can connect my Android KitKat and Jellybean devices to the ad-hoc network. What issues are you seeing? Error messages?

    • I'm getting no real errors, it just can't verify, takes ages to verify with an android phone.

47. Can an android device (Tablet or Phone) connect to the internet through this ad-hoc wireless network described here?

    • No. By default android isn't compatible with adhoc networks.

48. There's software called Virtual Router that does this also. Just Google it, you'll find it.

    • hey VIRTUAL ROUTER its not comng in my pc

49. Not necessarily true. Quite a few (recent) notebooks do not support this feature. The key error message is that the applications cannot start the server process. The root cause is that the network card used does not support this function. Until customers are aware of this issue & consciously avoid lame notebooks with this crippling limitations, the manufacturers will continue to foist these crap on the users.

50. That is all I run is windows 7 but I still enjoyed the article thanks for the post.

    • Java

51. What about buying a wireless portable router? I think MUO did a review on one of those recently. Why not get one of those?

    • You could do that. However it's one more piece of hardware to carry, and possibly get stolen or lost. These methods are just options to that. If you have the portable WiFi router AND a software WiFi router, then if one or the other fails, you've got backup.

52. Does any of these methods work with windows 7 starter netbook?

    • No, Windows 7 Starter does not come with the necessary Virtual Wifi features. Sorry.