Windows Tools, Help & Guides

Update: If you are not able to get it working, please post your question in the forum: Get help setting Windows 7 as a wi-fi hotspot in Windows Forums.

Windows 8 hotspot instructions

Windows 7 comes with a new feature for sharing your computers internet connection. Now, you can do it wireless. Well, As long as your system’s wireless network adapter supports Windows 7 “virtual wi-fi” feature, you can do it.

Next you need to check if your network card has the latest driver to support the feature. Intel, Broadcom, Realtek and some other NIC makers provide such drivers.

If the above conditions are met, you are good to read on …

The Commands – Step 1

Feel free to put the following commands into a .bat-file for simpler and faster usage.

• Open an elevated command prompt (Type “CMD.EXE” in the start menu search bar, then right click the cmd.exe link and select “Run as Administrator”).
• In the command window, type: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=MyNet key=MyPassword keyUsage=persistent
• Replace “MyNet” with the name you want to use for the wireless network and replace “MyPassword” with your chosen password for accessing it)
• Press Enter.
• Now type: netsh wlan start hostednetwork
• Press Enter.

Step 2 – You need only do this once (usually):

• Open Control Panel and go to Network and Sharing Center.
• Click Change Adapter Settings.
• Right click your Internet connection and select Properties.
• Click the Sharing tab.
• Check the box that says “Allow other network users to connect.”
• Choose your virtual Wi-Fi adapter and click OK.

Now Wi-Fi enabled computers within range should see your new wireless network and others can connect to it if they know the password.

Android Connectivity Problems

Some users report that they loose connectivity after a while. User M3n0 commented that one solution might be to add Static IP to your device. There are many free apps in the Android Market offering this kind of feature. I have not tested this myself as I don’t experience any problems what so ever on my device (yeah, yeah, bragging, I know). But please do, and let us know if it helps you.

If you don’t want this connection to remain permanent, remove the: “keyUsage=persistent” from the first command line.

Updates

#1: If you are not able to get it working, please post your question in the forum: Get help setting Windows 7 as a wi-fi hotspot in Windows Forums.

# 2: Some experience connectivity issues after rebooting the computer or device. This May be solved with a hotfix from Microsoft. Read More here.

# 3:  Edited the origial script, after a sugestion from ScuubZ: added: keyUsage=permanent. Removed due to complaints that it doesn’t work. Try to use: KeyUsage=Persistent.

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