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Making an access point from a Windows 8 laptop

Any computer or laptop with a Wi-Fi adapter and Windows 8 installed on it can be turned into a Wi-Fi access point for other wireless devices. The best part is that all this can be done using standard tools of the operating system itself, without using third-party software.

As you know, most Wi-Fi adapters can operate in two modes:

In mode infrastructure– the adapter in this mode can connect to an access point and use the resources of a local Wi-Fi network or the Internet
In mode Ad-Hoc, when there is no dedicated access point, the Wi-Fi adapter acts as a “server” and other wireless clients can connect to it

Why might you need to create a Wi-Fi access point on Windows 8 (Wi-Fi Access Point)? I see the following possibilities for this configuration:

If you need to quickly create a local wireless network, to which you can then connect another computer, laptop or smartphone
If you need to distribute Internet via Wi-Fi (wired, 3G or WiMax) from the main machine inside, for example, a home network or SOHO network
If you need to quickly expand the reception area of a wireless network by organizing a simple repeater with the same parameters as the parent access point

In Windows 8, as in Windows 7, advanced management of wired and wireless connections can be set using a command line utility netsh(check out the details). The netsh utility in Windows 8 must be run with administrator rights, so open .

First of all, let’s make sure that our Wi-Fi adapter can operate in Ad-Hoc (access point) mode, to do this, type in the command line:

Netsh wlan show drivers

As you can see, in our case, there is support ( Hosted network supported: >Yes) if the command returns No, try updating the Wi-Fi adapter driver to the latest version. If in this case, the answer is No, alas, you will not be able to organize your own access point on Windows 8.

Netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=[Network name] key=[network_password]

Where [Network name] is the name by which the new network will be identified

[network_password] – password for connecting to the Wi-Fi network

Then we need to activate our wireless ad hoc connection:

Netsh wlan start hostednetwork

If the command returns the error “ hosted network couldn’t started”, try first disabling and re-enabling your Wi-Fi card, also try searching for new equipment in Device Manger.

After we have set up a new Wi-Fi network, we need to allow other devices to connect to our Windows 8 computer and use its Internet connection. Open the Network Connections Control Panel ( Network and Internet –> Network Connections or “Windows + R”, in which you need to type the command ncpa.cpl). In the window that appears, find your Internet connection and go to its properties. Then on the Sharing tab, activate the option Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection, and specify the newly created wireless network (in our case, Wi-Fi 2).

All we have to do is check the IP address of the new connection. Because Most Internet providers prohibit multi-user access, then the new adapter will not receive the correct network settings via DHCP automatically, in this case you will have to register IP addresses manually.

In the future, all wireless clients connecting to the access point we created will automatically receive IP addresses from the DHCP server built into Windows.

This is how you can quickly and easily organize a Wi-Fi access point (Hot Spot) using standard Windows 8 tools.

Over time, Windows 8, initially criticized by experts, began to spread more widely. Modern laptops began to be “overgrown” with it even at the manufacturing plant. Windows OS version 8.1 was born, and the programs used were updated. “Users” were faced with a question regarding creating a WiFi access point with their own hands. Sometimes this problem baffles even experienced users of a personal computer with the Windows operating system. How to do this? Let us next consider the simplest solution to this issue regarding WiFi.

Creating a network using the Windows command line

Similar to the “seven”, Windows 8 has a built-in ability to become an access point for all kinds of wireless gadgets. To do this, use the command line (cmd) and the “netsh” program.

Click on the connection through which you can access the Internet. Open the “Properties” menu with a mouse click. This could be one of many connections.

We allow other “users” to use the Internet connection by selecting the appropriate box in the “Access” tab. Select the created WiFi connection and click “OK”.

Ready! You can be proud of the result! Now you have the ability to connect various gadgets to the Internet thanks to the created access point.

Conclusion

As can be seen from the above article, creating a WiFi access point in a Windows system is not at all a difficult task. By following the instructions exactly, you will easily make the settings and solve this seemingly difficult task.

In this article you will find all the necessary information on setting up an access point on Windows 8 And Windows 8.1. We will set up Internet distribution from a laptop that runs on Windows 8 and connect our phone, tablet, another computer, TV, etc. to this laptop via Wi-Fi. Our computer will act as a Wi-Fi router.

I have been meaning to prepare this article for a very long time, as this is a very popular topic at the moment. The article on setting up an access point on Windows 7 received a lot of views and comments. And instructions for distributing the Internet from Android devices and even Smart TV are also popular.

Briefly about what we will do and why we should launch an access point on a laptop.

For example, you have a laptop (possibly a personal computer with a Wi-Fi adapter), wired Internet (or Internet via a 3G/4G modem), and devices that can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Modern smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs, almost all have this capability. Do you have Internet via cable, or from a USB modem?

We connect the Internet to a computer that has Wi-Fi and launch an access point on it. In this article we will do this using Windows 8 as an example. That's all, our laptop receives the Internet via cable and distributes it via Wi-Fi to the devices we need. That's the whole scheme. If you don’t want to spend money on buying a Wi-Fi router, or you simply don’t need it (for example, you very rarely need Wi-Fi), then this method is what you need.

Setting up Internet distribution on Windows 8 is practically no different from setting up on Windows 7 (there is a link to the instructions at the beginning of this article). But, I understand that it is much easier to do everything according to the instructions that are written specifically for the operating system that is installed on your laptop. And since Windows 8 (8.1) is actively gaining momentum, this article will be useful.

What should you do before setting up an access point?

You need to connect the Internet to your laptop. By cable or via USB modem. There may be some nuances with a USB modem, see this article if you have Internet via a modem. There's an article for Windows 7, but that's okay. If the Internet is connected via a network cable, then there should be no problems. The Internet must work, sites must open in the browser.
Make sure that your laptop has Wi-Fi and the driver is installed on it. If you have previously connected to wireless networks from this laptop, then everything is fine, it means the driver is installed. If you do not know whether the driver is installed on the wireless adapter, then go to Control Panel – Network and Internet – Network Connections, and see if there is Wireless network. If there is, then everything is fine. If not, then download the driver for your model and operating system from the website of the manufacturer of your laptop (adapter) and install it. Driver for wireless Wireless LAN adapter.

That's all, you can start setting up.

Setting up a Wi-Fi access point on Windows 8 using the command line

This is the first method in which we will not use third-party programs, but will make everything standard features of the operating system. This method is a little more complicated than the second one, which you will find below. But sometimes it’s even easier to configure everything through the command line. Yes, problems can arise through third-party programs.

Right-click on the lower left corner (or Win+X), and select Command Line (Administrator).

In the command prompt window, enter the command (you can just copy and paste):

Where “f1comp” is the name of the network, it can be anything. In English letters.

And “12345678” is the password for the network. You will need to enter it on the device that you will connect to Wi-Fi. Please enter a password of at least 8 characters. You can use numbers and English letters.

Click Enter.

The launch result should appear with information that the network name and password have been successfully changed.

Enter another command:

This is the command to start the access point. Click Enter, and we see this result:

It should say that the hosted network is running. If you have the same result as me in the screenshot above, then you can continue. The command prompt window can be closed.

If you see an error Failed to start hosted network, then run two commands in turn:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

Go to Device Manager, open in the list Network adapters, right click on Hosted Network Virtual Adapter and select Turn on.

We execute two commands to start the network, which I wrote about above:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=f1comp key=12345678

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Allowing the use of public Internet access

Right-click on the connection icon in the lower right corner. Select an item Network and Sharing Center.

In the new window, on the left, click on the item Change adapter settings. Further attention! Right-click on the connection through which you get the Internet (for me it's Ethernet, since it's just a network cable connected to the laptop), and select Properties.

In the new window, go to the tab Access. Check the box next to the item Allow other network users to use this computer's Internet connection.

Below in the list, select the network that appeared after starting the access point. Most likely, it will look something like the screenshot below.

Click OK.

You can take your device and connect it to the Internet via Wi-Fi, which is already provided by our laptop.

You can see instructions for connecting to Wi-Fi: TVs with Smart TVs, Android devices, smartphones on Windows Phone.

The most popular problem is that the device connects to an access point created on Windows 8, but the Internet does not work. Sites do not open. Or when problems arise with obtaining an IP address.

Solution: completely disable your antivirus, antivirus utilities, firewalls. Most likely, they are blocking the connection. If everything works after disabling the antivirus, then you need to add the connection to the antivirus exceptions.

Also, check your Internet sharing settings, as in the screenshot above.

How to start the network after rebooting the laptop?

You probably have a question, how to restore the wireless network after rebooting the laptop.

You just need to run the command:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

As we did above in the article. There is no need to enter the network name and password again. Just start the network.

We distribute the Internet in Windows 8 using the MyPublicWifi program

This is an easier way. We will launch the network not through the command line, but using the program MyPublicWifi. This is a free, small program with a clear interface, although without the Russian language. Instead of MyPublicWifi, you can use Virtual Router Plus, Connectify and the like. Their operating principle is the same.

Download and install MyPublicWifi. You can download version 5.1 from this link (I took the file from the official website http://www.mypublicwifi.com).

The installation is standard. After installation, reboot your laptop and launch MyPublicWifi. If an error appears during startup, right-click on the MyPublicWifi shortcut and select Run as administrator.

Select an item Automatic HotSpot configuration.

In field Network Name (SSID) specify the name of the network to be created.

In field Network Key specify the password that will need to be specified on the device to connect.

Put a tick next to Enable Internet Sharing and select from the list the connection with which your laptop is connected to the Internet.

Click on the button Set up and Start Hotspot.

You can already connect devices to the created network. If, again, there is a network connection, but the Internet does not work, then check the Internet sharing settings (I wrote about this earlier in the article) and disable the antivirus, firewall and other programs that may block the connection.

In the MyPublicWifi program, on the tab Clients you can see the devices that are currently connected to your network.

And on the tab Management You can further customize the program. For example, by checking the box next to the item Enable Firewall… we will prohibit devices that connect to your network from being used to download and distribute files through clients such as Torrent and the like.

And if you check the box next to MyPublicWifi Will be launched on every system start, then the program will start automatically when you turn on the computer.

All is ready! You can use the Internet.

If you encounter any problems, errors or other difficulties during the setup process, you can ask a question in the comments. Describe the problem in as much detail as possible, and we will try to figure it out together. Best wishes!

The Internet has become tightly woven into our daily lives, and we often can’t imagine ourselves without all sorts of gadgets that allow us to exchange messages and access any information in a matter of seconds. However, sometimes a situation arises that you can only connect a cable that provides a life-giving signal to a laptop, but the connection is also needed, for example, for a tablet or smartphone. So can a laptop provide WiFi? Windows 8 and earlier Windows 7 allow this.

This brief review will show in detail how you can create your own Wi-Fi network and how to distribute Wi-Fi from a Windows 8 laptop if you only have it at hand and don’t have a router. In most cases this is easy to do. The main requirement for a laptop will be a wired Internet connection and a built-in Wi-Fi module, as well as all the necessary drivers. This method works with operating systems Windows 8 and earlier. So let's get started.

First steps

To begin with, I would like to note that this method does not require any additional program; you can distribute WiFi from a Windows 8 laptop using standard system tools. First, you need to turn off the Internet on your laptop by simply unplugging the cord. We will connect it later, when we have made some of the necessary settings.

After this, you should start working by opening the command line. You can do this by typing cmd in the search field of the Start menu. After the search results appear, find the cmd.exe shortcut at the top, right-click and launch the console as administrator.

The third step is to enter our first command, which can simply be copied. It’s worth noting that you won’t be able to paste the copied command into the command line using the usual Ctrl+V combination, but you can use the context menu that appears after right-clicking and selecting “Paste.” The command itself looks like this:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

After entering the command, the console should notify us that a mode has been launched that allows you to create and edit networks in the body of the wireless network service. At this point we can say that almost a third of the way has already been completed, it’s really simple! So you were able to make a little progress in how to distribute WiFi through a laptop. Windows 8 itself helps us with this, and this function was built into it from the very beginning, just hidden from users.

Creating a network and specifying its parameters

The next command is designed to create the wireless network itself. We need to give it a name and protect it with a password so that our neighbors don’t use our Internet. To do this you need to enter:

netsh wlan set hostednotwork mode=allow ssid=XXXXXXXXX key=YYYYYYYYYYY.
key Usage=persistent.

In this case, the characters XXXXXXXX mean the name of your future wireless network, and YYYYYYYY is the password that you can enter to connect to it. Don't forget that the password must contain at least eight characters. Try to come up with a moderately complex password so that it is not easy to guess. In this way, you will protect yourself from unauthorized use of the Internet access you paid for. In addition, when entering the network name and password, use only Latin characters and numbers; entering other characters is undesirable and sometimes unacceptable.

Launching the created wireless network

Using another command, we launch the previously created wireless network. To do this, enter the following on the command line:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork.

After this, a message should appear in the console that the previously created hosted network was launched successfully. However, this is not the end, since it can connect devices, but does not yet have access to the Internet itself. In order for it to appear, we need to properly configure our However, we have already decided the main question of how to distribute WiFi from a Windows 8 laptop, because at this stage you can already detect a new network and connect to it.

Setting up Internet access

For further configuration, go to the Network Sharing Center included with the Windows operating system. It can be found in the control panel or called through the network connection icon in the tray. In the very center you need to find the link “Change adapter settings”.

Once in the next menu, we look for our wired Internet connection adapter, through which we will receive the signal. It is usually not difficult to find, since laptops in most cases only have two adapters: one for a wired connection, the other for wireless networks.

By right-clicking on its icon, go to properties. Next, we find the “Access” tab and in it, using a checkbox, we allow other computer users to use the Internet connection, and in the drop-down list on the same tab (there is only one there) we find our previously created connection and select it. This concludes the question of how to distribute WiFi from a Windows 8 laptop.

After this, you just need to return the cord to the connector and connect from any gadget to the newly created network. You don’t need to make any more settings if you only plan to use the network for surfing through a browser or exchanging messages. If you need, for example, to download a file via torrent on a mobile device, then you will need to do a couple more steps.

How to open full access

If you need to run additional protocols for downloading files via torrent, or for email, then in the “Access” tab, which we opened earlier, you need to find the “Settings” button. A list of services will open from which you can select the ones you need. If you don't know which ones you might need, the best solution is to run them all. Now we can say that you have completely learned how to distribute WiFi from a laptop. At the same time, Windows 8 became even a little easier for you, because you could simultaneously figure out how to work with the command line.

Disadvantages of this method

However, like everything in this world, this method of creating a wireless network is not without its drawbacks. After rebooting the laptop, the created network will disappear and will have to be created again. Since the settings for the adapters will be saved, it will be enough to enter only commands in the console, but this is still not entirely convenient. To make the task easier, you can use programs that automate this process and help distribute WiFi from a Windows 8 laptop. F1Comp and other sites are full of instructions on this topic. Or, if you have the financial opportunity, purchase an inexpensive wireless router so that you can untie your laptop from the cable and move around your apartment with it without any problems.

One of the many scenarios for using a computer involves turning it into a wireless network access point. This feature can be useful if your router suddenly fails or if you need to distribute wired Internet to mobile devices in its absence. This can be done using the operating system or by installing special software. In this article we will take a closer look at how to distribute Wi-Fi from a laptop running Windows 8.

Support for software virtualization of Wi-Fi networks is implemented by Microsoft at the operating system kernel level. The technology is called Virtual Wi-Fi, and its use has become a mandatory condition for certifying wireless adapters for compatibility with Windows. In other words, theoretically, any laptop can work in access point mode.

Creation and configuration

There is no graphical interface for managing network virtualization in Windows 8.1. We will perform all operations on the command line using the network shell utility.

Use the keyboard shortcut Win + X to open the Power User menu. Launch PowerShell with elevated privileges.

Enter the driver check command “netsh wlan show drivers”. The second frame in the screenshot highlights the positive response of the system.

Having made sure that the wireless network module driver supports access point mode, we proceed to creating it. Enter the following command: “netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=testnet key=22339988”. In this line, the variables are the network name “ssid” and the key “key” to access it. You can specify your own values after the “=” sign. The name must be in English, and the password must be at least eight characters.

So, the network parameters are set. All that remains is to launch it and configure external access. Enter the next control command: “netsh wlan start hostednetwork”.

Launch the “Run” menu using the combination Win + R. Enter “ncpa.cpl” into the text field, opening the network connection settings.

The access point we created with the name “testnet” is visible in the list of connections. Select the current wireless connection and call the context menu.

Let's move on to the last item on the list.

In the properties of the current connection, open the “Access” tab. In the drop-down menu, select the name of our virtual network assigned by the system. Check the box that allows other users to use the connection. As a result, we should have the settings shown in area “B”.

Now the computer distributes Wi-Fi from a virtual adapter without a router, and the network is available for connecting external devices. The screenshot shows that the created connection is used on the phone.

In the same way, you can create a network for distributing not only wired but also mobile Internet, which the PC receives from a modem. For example, “share” the signal from the 8211F USB whistle, which is sold in any Megafon or MTS store, by organizing temporary “country” Wi-Fi on its basis.

Control

Connection management is done entirely through the command line. At the same time, you can perform all operations with it that are also available for a physical adapter. Let's look at a few useful commands that are needed to manage the connection.

Virtual Wi-Fi technology allows you to connect up to 100 external devices simultaneously. This could include smart home parts equipped with ESP8266 chips or stationary PCs with a TP-Link WN822N adapter. You can check the current status using the command “netsh wlan show hostednetwork”. As a result of its execution, we receive general information about the name, encryption type, channel used and the number of current connections.

You can stop the network by running the command “netsh wlan stop hostednetwork”. In this case, the specified parameters are saved by the system and applied upon restart without additional configuration.

To remove a virtual adapter, use the command “netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow”.

As a result of its execution, we completely delete the current network. Next time you will need to create it by setting new parameters.

Bugs and limitations

Improperly disabling a virtual adapter may limit the service from starting again. This may be an error shown in the screenshot or accompanied by the text “The wireless LAN interface is turned off and does not support the requested operations.”

In this case, you can perform the following actions: completely delete and re-create the virtual connection.

Using the Power User menu, you need to launch Device Manager.

In the “Network adapters” section, find the device indicated by the arrow. Call the context menu and activate it using the “Engage” item.

The next “start” command will return the ability to use the laptop as an access point.

The virtual adapter created in Windows only operates at 2.4 GHz. It is impossible to use it to distribute a “fast” network in the 5 GHz range.

Wi-Fi distribution software

The inconvenience of the standard method is the lack of a graphical interface. Users who don't want to bother with the command line can use Wi-Fi sharing programs. We will look at their capabilities using the example of a free one.

During installation of the program, you should agree to place the shortcut on the desktop. When you launch it for the first time, it will issue a warning, requiring administrative rights for itself.

By calling the context menu on the shortcut, go to the marked item. Launch MyPublicWiFi with elevated privileges.

In fact, the program is a graphical add-on that implements the network shell commands described above. In the main window we see the automatically specified network name and access key. The program determines the type of connection and the current IP address, offering to enable the extension of the created connection to access the Internet. By clicking on the designated button, we start the process of creating a new virtual network.

Program management is concentrated on the “Management” tab and is divided into four blocks. The first one is designed to change the interface language, but Russian is not in the list. The third item allows you to view the history of connections made through the created access point. By checking the second and fourth boxes, we disable work using the P2P protocol or enable autorun of the utility when the operating system starts.

Stopping a virtual adapter is done using the button indicated by a frame in the main window. By default, restart is performed with the original parameters saved. To change them by giving the network a different name and access key, you need to change the position of the switches, check the box in the marked area, after which the SSID and Key fields will become available for editing.

You can distribute the Internet using MyPublicWi-Fi to 32 external devices. The presence of a graphical interface makes creating an access point a little easier, but all its functions are completely identical to those implemented in the system by default.

Finally

Using a virtual adapter for network distribution is a temporary or “emergency” measure. Any router copes with this task better, while providing additional protection. The capabilities of free programs and built-in OS solutions should be enough for most users, but more demanding ones may consider the paid Connectify Hotspot as an alternative.