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Easily Turn Windows 7 Computer Into WiFi Hotspot to Share Wireless Internet Connection

Posted By Raymond In Category: Computer

Nov
3
2009
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Most of the recent laptops and netbooks already comes with wireless capability allowing you to connect to wifi hotspots. Previously I’ve written a few guides (XP, Vista, Hotspot) on how to share the wireless Internet connection without a wireless router. Let’s say you have a direct connection to the Internet via network cable and the computer has a wireless adapter. Since your computer is connected via cable, the wireless adapter will not be in use and it is possible to make the wireless adapter to share the Internet connection that you are getting from the cabled connection. This saves you from spending money in buying a wireless router.
share wireless internet connection with connectify
However, the steps are quite long are involves a lot of steps. Moreover there are also many different network configurations and the steps that I’ve written might not work for you. Good news is I found a free software called Connectify which is able to “EASILY” turn your Windows 7 computer into a wireless router with only one click. Trust me, sharing an internet connection using your wireless adapter cannot get any easier than this!

1. Fill up this form to obtain the Connectify download link. The page mentioned that the link will be sent to the e-mail address but

2. Download and install Connectify. (The installer ConnectifyInstaller.exe is only 1.41MB in size)

3. Select the Internet connection you wish to share (My internet connection is coming from Local Area Connection and Connectify automatically selected it)
create hotspot with connectify
4. Choose a name for your new wireless network (You can leave it as Connectify)

5. Choose a wireless passphrase (You will to enter a wireless password that contains at least 8 characters)

6. Press the Internet Sharing button to turn on your wireless network

Now, from your other devices, you can see your wireless network. Choose to join it, and enter the wireless passphrase to connect.
Connect to wireless hotspot connectify
Your wireless hotspot created with Connectify is encrypted with WPA2-Personal (AES) encryption by default and you cannot turn it off. Your security is as strong as the Passphrase that you select.

Although this guide ended up with 6 steps, but in short you only need to download and install Connectify, set the passphrase and click a button. I think I can do that all in less than 5 minutes. Connectify is a real WiFi Access Point running on your computer and it’s not an ad-hoc mode. Any device that can connect to a regular access point, can connect to a Connectify Hotspot, with no special setup or software required. Do note that Connectify is still in beta and some old wifi adapter cannot work. I’ve tried setting up connectify with D-Link DWA-110 and it couldn’t work. But when tested on a built-in Intel wireless adapter, it works perfectly.

Connectify is free and runs only on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 r2, both in either 32 or 64 bits. It is not made for XP or Vista. Most ISP doesn’t allow you to resell your internet connection. However if you are sharing the cost with your neighbor, then I believe it should be fine.


Related posts:
  • How To Share Internet Connection in XP Without Wireless Router
  • Create a Wireless Internet Hotspot at Home in 10 Minutes for FREE
  • Connect Two or More Vista Computers Together using Wireless for Sharing Internet and Files
  • Repair XP and Vista Internet Connection Problems with ICR
  • Stay Private and Secure Online with Hotspot Shield
    • shaheen

      hmmmmmmmm……… tnxxxxxx

    • Gaurav

      great Ray..i just cant believe cable connection can be used as wireless…i will surely try this
      thank you so much

    • samba_siva_raju

      quite useful one.

    • http://Thnx Neo Pa

      Thanx Ray for this useful information.

    • wasdw

      just like this one today:
      lifehacker.com.au/2009/11/connectify-restores-wi-fi-hotspot-powers-to-windows-7/

    • prakash pathak

      thnxx is a very useful article 4 me to share my internet connection with my friends

    • Tom

      Is this a ad-hoc connection? I want to know it because my HTC Hero does not suport that.

    • Kroko

      Thank’s Ray,for this post !

    • http://www.raymond.cc/ Raymond

      Tom your question has already been answered in the post itself.

    • san

      GOOD tips.. Ray

      thanx

    • Jaya

      Sorry ray, but it’s not working in my case. It said no compatible wifi device found.

      My Laptop using Win 7 Pro and Intel Pro Wireless network

    • David Lim

      Nice tips. Ad-hoc always make problem when I use Vista.

    • Tom

      Thanks Raymond, can’t see how I missed that…

      Thanks again.

    • Candy

      Thanks for info! Very useful! Clients PC also need to be Windows 7 running, not only host PC? I have desktop with USB Wi-Fi adapter and Windows 7 installed & netbook also have built in Wireless adapter with Windows XP Home. This two devices seen each other by Connectify, everything seems to be OK, but internet in netbook do not work. Any special configuration settings is needed or XP do not work with W7 instead?

    • YouAskMeIAskWho

      Hmm… Nice.
      But is there any software which can help me host LAN games on both my LAN Connection and Ad-Hoc wireless network at the same time such that computers on both network can join the game?

    • eakone

      good good

    • venkat

      nice work ray

    • wutzup

      I found my device on the following list, now I know why it does not work for me. Will look around to see if I can buy a newer USB wireless adapter.

      The following is from Connectify’s web site:
      SUPPORTED DEVICES

      Connectify works with new Windows 7 logo-tested WiFi devices, and many older devices that have compatible Windows 7 drivers. There are a number of Intel WiFi devices that do not have proper driver support. We are working on a solution that will allow Connectify to work with all WiFi devices (and even older versions of Windows) and will make an announcement when we have a resolution.

      These older devices are known to be compatible:

      Ralink RT2870 (in many 802.11n USB dongles)
      Broadcom 4310-series (in many Dell laptops)
      Realtek RTL8187SE (with the drivers that came with Windows 7)
      These older devices are known to be incompatible:

      Intel 3945/4965/5100/5300 (most Intel cards, unfortunately)
      Realtek RTL8187 (like in older 802.11bg USB dongles)
      Zydas ZD1211 (also in 802.11bg USB dongles)
      Broadcom 4320-series (in many Dell laptops)
      Mac Book Builtin Broadcom devices

    • Todor Asenov

      Hey I have a problem, after I installed the program it says Service Down, and I cant chose my Internet connection. There is a cross circle over the notification icon in the lower right corner. What should I do, please help :)

    • Huzaifah

      Useful for University student….

    • Hady

      does not work with me, my laptop is compaq presario v6000

    • Nasif

      Best tips ever… Everyday I visit your blog, coz I knw everyday there will be a new precious stone :D

    • ghauri

      great work

    • levon

      thanks Ray, great

    • norman

      am still using window vista. but a good one. maybe soon, i’ll replace my older OS. thanks boss ray

    • Vibhanshu

      Thats Too Cool Raymond, But i have another query something like this article, I have an EVDO from my ISP ( BSNL) and also i have a wifi router and desktop, i uses my evdo at my desktop and i want to share my EVDO through wifi router, can u please find out a way to complete this task

      thanx

    • clf

      time to replace winxp to win7? not working in winxp.

    • Abs

      fantastic! i just hope that it also will work for winXP!:( let’s research ….

    • Vinz

      Check out Virtual access point v2.2 …not free software but it works for all windows

      http://www.virtual-ap.com

    • rhett

      installed and my mobile phone was able to connect to it .. sad to say that i’m unable to browse using my mobile phone .. am i supposed to enter an ip or dns server?

    • Vir

      Raymond,
      i read your article about Sharing Internet connection in XP

      http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/03/22/how-to-share-internet-connection-in-xp-without-wireless-router/

      i follow the instruction, every thing is fine, but while using the client to browse, google is load succesful, but yahoo not loaded…
      What is the problem ??
      i click the wireless network icon in taskbar, it seem doesn’t transmit any data from host to client..

    • http://wond...... cj

      wonderful

    • Vishal

      getting error AP not supported

    • Riyaz Ahamed.H

      hai,now i bought a new laptop .windows 7 is my default os.how i connect wi-fi in my laptop.please tell step by step.i will wait…….Ray

    • Anar

      Beautiful! just what i needed. thank you!!!

    • Lister

      hi ray, just a question, i am using dsl connection with username and password. do you think it will not make a problem? i tried it and network is working but no internet connection, it says: Access: Local only

      thanks mate, good job!

    • iqbal

      what should be the range of virtual wifi router……???????

    • Issa

      Just Perfect!!….Thanks Buddy!

    • http://connectingcellphoneasamodemonwin7 Mukkul

      hi,

      would be really great if I can get a step by step guide on connecting my mobile phone as a modem on win 7 operating system.

      need help.

    • Rob

      I need to know how to set up my wireless internet connection, miniport adapter, and my wireless internet connection 2, in order to create my hotspot network without being constantly disconnected. My signal is weak, so I am using a Hawking-n usb dish adapter to capture the signal. It works great, but when I start my hotspot I cannot get my network up. Can u help me with the settings and sharing protocol so my clients and myself can get online? Thanks! Anyone know???? HELP!!!

    • 0mar32

      Does the D-Link DWL-520 Wireless PCI adpater work with this ??

    • 0mar32

      Edit: Does the D-Link DWA-520 Wireless PCI adpater work with this ??

    • Adrian

      If you wanna make it for sure forget about that crap “Connectify” that as it was mentioned above doesn’t work with any wireless card. Follow the steps from this tutorial and will surely 100% work!!!
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLXU5pJzejA

    • http://wwww.computernetworksupportindubai.wordpress.com ali

      it will not work in this way you need one server PC with 2 LAN card , the PC will act as a router a

    • Mike

      Got bluesceen under win7 every minute úsing this tool. crap!

    • where is the step by step…

      instructions? or is it only a promotional article?

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