Windows 10 allows you to start a Wi-Fi hotspot on your computer, allowing you to share your wireless connection with several devices. This could be a useful thing if you are restricted to just one device per person on the Wi-Fi network or perhaps if you have only one password.
It’s a hidden feature, so there is no on/off switch to access this. However, there are several ways to achieve this.
Set Up Wi-Fi Hotspot Using the Command Prompt
This method does not require you to download any third-party application. You can easily set up a Wi-Fi hotspot using the built-in tools in Windows.
First, you need to open the command prompt with administrator privileges. Press the “Windows + X” key on your keyboard and select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the pop-up menu.
Now we will create the hotspot. Simply enter the following command and press the Enter key:
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=maketecheasier key=password
The SSID is the name of the WiFi connection and can be changed to anything you want. The KEY is the password and can be changed, also but bear in mind that it has to be at least eight characters.
Next you need to start the following command to start the WiFi hotspot:
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
Your WiFi hotspot should be activated and usable. You can check its status in the network and sharing center of your control panel.
You can now connect your devices to the hotspot and use the same WiFi connection without using third-party tools.
You can turn off the hotspot when not in use with the following command:
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
Set Up WiFI Hotspot with Connectify Hotspot
If you’re not a fan of the above method, there are several applications that you can download and use to share your WiFi connection with other devices.
One of the more popular ones is Connectify Hotspot. Its free version basically does the same thing with the Command Prompt method, but you can turn your computer to a wired router or WiFi repeater with a subscription.
Once the application is installed, click the “Try it out” button to start using the tool. Your hotspot will be assigned a default name and password, but you can change this. Keep in mind that with the free version your hotspot name must start with “Connectify.” For example: “Connectify-me” or “Connectify-mte.”
Make sure to choose the correct Internet connection to share and set your password. Once done, you can start the hotspot by clicking the “Start Hotspot” button.
Now you can connect any other device to your Connectify Hotspot as you would with any other WiFi hotspot.
Let us know your preferred method of creating a WiFi hotspot on your Windows PC. If you have any alternatives to Connectify, don’t forget to share them in the comments section below.
Republished with permission from MakeTechEasier. Read the original.
