The Windows 8 laptop provides Wi-Fi. What to do before setting up an access point


We need to create a software WiFi router based on Windows 8 that will receive the Internet in some way and be able to distribute this Internet via WiFi.

What do we need?

  • Windows 8.
  • Old WiFi adapter. For example, a USB WiFi adapter was used for this article TP-Link TL-WN722NC.
  • Internet connection. For this article, an ADSL connection was used through the Rostelecom operator. But it can be any connection - PPPoE, VPN, GSM Dail-Up, LTE RNDIS, Ethernet, WiFi.

Step one

You need to make sure that the WiFi adapter is available, turned on and working. If it is not there, then install it. For example, if you have a laptop and it has a built-in WiFi adapter, it can be turned off in the BIOS or with a special hardware button. Without an adapter or with the adapter disabled, you will not be able to distribute WiFi with Windows 8.

Step two

You need to check that your Internet connection is working. Make sure that your computer or laptop has Internet access. Otherwise, what will you distribute over WiFi?

Step three

After this, you need to check whether the “WLAN AutoConfig Service” and “Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)” services are running. This check is done through "Control Panel - Administration - Services". By default, these services start automatically, but it may be that some smart guy “optimized” your Windows and disabled these services. This happens - a student reads a lot on the Internet and begins to “improve”.

Step four

After this, you need to open the Windows console (cmd.exe) with administrator rights. This can be done by opening the Windows 8 start screen, then from it go to the programs menu, find “Command Prompt”, right-click and click “Run as administrator”:

Or open Windows 8 Explorer, open the “File” menu item in it and then “Open command line - Open as administrator”:

Or by opening the WinX menu of Windows 8. There is a special command in this menu:

This menu is opened from the keyboard using the Win + X keys.

Step five

In the console you need to type and execute the command:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=winap key=123456789 keyusage=persistent

Instead of winap And 123456789 you can write a different name for the access point and a different password for it:

Note. Important!

    The password must be at least 8 characters long, this is a requirement for the WPA2 security type that is used in Windows when creating an access point.

    It is better not to use the Cyrillic alphabet in your password.

    Letter case matters - A And A These are different symbols!

Step six

Now you need to start the access point. Again, type and execute commands in the console

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

The second command shows the current status of the access point.

Step seven

Open Control Panel, then Network Connections and there you should see something like this:

In this example, "Ethernet Network 2" is the connection to the Internet. And “Local Area Network 2 winap” is an access point.

Now you need to share (enable Windows ICS) your Internet connection. Select this connection, then right mouse button, then “Properties”, “Access” tab. Enable ICS and specify the connection to which the Internet will be distributed - to the WiFi connection of the access point ("winAP"):

Step eight

Connect the client to this access point and check the Internet. And in the console you can type and execute the command

netsh wlan show hostednetwork

It will show the number of connected clients:

It can be seen that one client is connected.

How to connect a WiFi client to:

  • Laptop (or computer) under Windows - Setting up WiFi in Windows 7.
  • Laptop (or computer) running Linux - Laptop (or computer) running Ubuntu.

Windows 8 Hotspot Management

Stopping an access point with a command netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

Complete destruction of the access point by command netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow

If you want the access point to turn on automatically when Windows boots, then the start command needs to be added to autorun. It's about the team netsh wlan start hostednetwork. The command can be written into a cmd script; you must specify “Run as Administrator” in the properties of this script. Then include the script in autorun.

It is necessary that the connection to the Internet is also established when Windows starts. Otherwise, you will have an access point, but there will be no Internet through it.

Of course this is a very simple access point. But everything is at hand. No third party programs needed. Just Windows 8. And everything can be configured in a couple of minutes.

Some may say that this option does not have many of the capabilities that an access point should have. This is true. Only this is an option when you need to make a WiFi router very quickly and without problems. And Windows 8 provides just such an opportunity - with a minimum of body movements, what is called “on the knee,” to create an access point.

And if your needs are broader and deeper, if you need an access point for every day, or in complex configurations, then you don’t need to use Windows, but buy a decent, or even good WiFi router. A decent WiFi router now costs less than a thousand rubles. And in such a situation, sculpting a design based on a computer and Windows is somehow absurd.

It’s another matter if you need an access point once a month, for a day or for a couple of days. Or on a business trip. Or on vacation. This is where Windows helps us out. You can quickly distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop to a tablet, smartphone or other laptops.

But if there is a need to make a permanent access point on a computer, then it is better to do it under Linux. This is how this is actually implemented in WiFi routers. For example, as in this article - Access point on Ubuntu.

Hotspot on Windows 8 does not work

There is no need to swear at Microsoft, at Windows - in general, look for the guilty on the side. The problem in such cases Always on your own computer (or laptop). It could be:

  • Drivers for the WiFi adapter on which you are creating an access point.
  • The WiFi adapter itself.
  • You did something wrong.
  • Any "left" services or drivers/programs that use the WiFi adapter or USB port (if your adapter is connected via USB).

For example, during Windows startup, the WiFi adapter driver can put the adapter into standby mode. And when Windows starts the service hostednetwork the adapter does not wake up.

With a normal WiFi adapter and if you haven’t messed up your Windows with crooked programs and drivers, everything will work fine.

In general, always look for the source of the problem on your computer.

WiFi network protection

Ivan Sukhov, 2014 .

If you found this article useful or simply liked it, then do not hesitate to financially support the author. This is easy to do by throwing money at Yandex Wallet No. 410011416229354. Or on the phone +7 918-16-26-331 .

Even a small amount can help write new articles :)

Many people can no longer imagine their life without the World Wide Web, because we spend approximately half (or even more) of our free time online. Wi-Fi makes it possible to connect to the Internet anywhere and anytime. But what if there is no router, but only a cable connection to the laptop? This is not a problem, since you can use your device as a Wi-Fi router and distribute wireless Internet.

If you don’t have a router, but need to distribute Wi-Fi to several devices, you can always organize distribution using your laptop. There are several simple ways to turn your device into a hotspot, and in this article you will learn about them.

Attention!

Before you do anything, make sure that the current (latest) version of network drivers is installed on your laptop. You can update your computer's software on the manufacturer's official website.

Method 1: Using the MyPublicWiFi program

The easiest way to distribute Wi-Fi is to use additional software. is a fairly simple utility with an intuitive interface. It is completely free and will help you quickly and easily turn your device into a hotspot.


Now you can connect to the Internet from any device through your laptop. You can also explore the program's settings, where you will find some interesting features. For example, you can view all devices connected to you or block all torrent downloads from your access point.

Method 2: Using standard Windows tools

The second way to distribute the Internet is to use Network and Sharing Center. This is already a standard Windows utility and there is no need to download additional software.


Now you can access the network from other devices using your laptop's Internet connection.

Method 3: Use the command line

There is also another way in which you can turn your laptop into an access point - use the command line. The console is a powerful tool with which you can perform almost any system action. So let's get started:

So, we have looked at 3 ways in which you can use your laptop as a router and access the network from other devices through your laptop’s Internet connection. This is a very convenient feature that not all users know about. Therefore, tell your friends and acquaintances about the capabilities of their laptop.

We wish you success!

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.

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

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

  1. 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.

  1. 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”.

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

  1. 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.

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

  1. 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”.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

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

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

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

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

Video instructions

The thematic videos below clearly show how to distribute Wi-Fi from a computer running Windows 8.


Setting up Wi-Fi in 4 steps

1. To create Wi-Fi access point, right-click on the lower left corner of “Start” and launch the command line as administrator. Next, copy the following into the command line:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid= Network_name key= Password

* “Network_name” and “Password” - Change to network name And password.

2. To activate the network enter:


3. Information about connection:
netsh wlan show hostednetwork

4. In " Network and Sharing Center» the new network connection we created will appear. Let's go to " Changing the Settings Settings" and open the properties of the network adapter connected to the Internet and on the tab " Access"put a tick in the box" Allow others... to connect to the Internet on this computer" and select our new network connection in the drop-down list below. Click OK. Now you can connect to our network and the Internet. Tested on Windows 8 Pro and Windows 7.

To quickly launch a Wi-Fi network you can create *. bat file and run it as an administrator, which will speed up the process of starting the network. To do this we need to create a text document with two lines:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Network_name key=Password
netsh wlan start hostednetwork

* “Network_name” and “Password” - Change to the network name and password.


Add-on for Windows 8.1

If Virtual adapter switched off. Let's turn it on.

On a command line running with administrator rights:


netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

To display Virtual adapter In Device Manager, check the Show hidden devices option.

In Device Manager from the Network adapters section in properties Virtual adapter uncheck “Allow disconnection...”


Example

Since the subnet mask of my home Internet differs from the default subnet mask, in the properties of TCP / IP 4 we write:

IP address: 192.168.137.1 and subnet mask: 255.255.224.0

Today, not a single PC user can do without the Internet. Every modern person is connected to the global network, but a very common question is how to distribute the Internet wirelessly so that all available devices have access to the World Wide Web. As a rule, this requires a router, but what if you don’t have one? How to distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop on Windows 8? You can find out about this by reading this article.

Creating a virtual network

Before moving on to the question of how to distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop in Windows 8, you need to figure out how to create a virtual group to which all devices will subsequently connect wirelessly.

So what does it take? You can do this in two ways:

  • Using built-in tools - using the command line.
  • Using third-party programs, for example, Connectify, Virtual Router Plus, and so on.

We will consider the first option, since it has the best stability. In addition, programs from third-party developers have simple settings that do not need to be described, since even novice PC users can figure them out.

How to create a homegroup using a laptop

Setting up WiFi distribution from a laptop in Windows 8 starts by launching the command line. Press the Windows key combination + X. In the menu that appears, find and open “Command Prompt (Admin).”

This starts the command prompt with administrator rights. Here you just need to write a few simple commands that will allow you to create a virtual wireless network to which you can connect all devices equipped with a WiFi module. So, here is the set of necessary commands:

  • Creating a wireless virtual group – netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=My_virtual_WiFi key=12345678 keyUsage=persistent. Here SSID is the network name, it can be anything (only in Latin letters), and Key is the group key that will be required to connect.
  • Starting the created network - netsh wlan start hostednetwork.
  • Stopping the network - netsh wlan stop hostednetwork.

How to make an access point in Windows 8: Video

After you enter the first command, it is advisable to restart the computer. If the command is written correctly, a new piece of hardware will appear in Device Manager called “Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter.”

A new connection will also appear (in my case, “Local Area Connection 3”). The name may vary, but usually only the last digit is different - 2 or 3 or 4, depending on how many connections the computer already has. Now we can launch our network. To do this, launch the command line with administrator rights and enter the second command in it. That's it, distributing a WiFi network from a laptop in Windows 8 is ready. Now you need to provide general access, as well as provide the ability to access the Internet.

Setting up sharing

Setting up sharing begins by launching the Network and Sharing Center. Move the mouse cursor to the upper right corner and start the search. We register “Network and Sharing Center” and launch the service. In the window that appears, you need to go to “Change advanced sharing settings.” Here we enable network discovery and other services, and also disable password-protected sharing.

Now other group members will be able to see you online. In order to provide access to files and folders, right-click on the desired document (or folder) and hover over “Sharing”, then select “Homegroup (read and write)”. After this, all group members will be able to see the open folder, copy it to their device, copy their data into it, and so on.

In order to distribute the Internet via WiFi from a laptop in Windows 8, you should return to the Network Control Center and select “Change adapter settings.” Here you need to find the connection through which the laptop accesses the Internet, right-click on it and select properties. In the window that appears, go to the “Access” tab and check two boxes, and in the “Home group connection” line, select the connection that we created (local area network connection 3).

Click “Ok” and close all windows. This completes the setup for distributing the Internet via WiFi from a laptop in Windows 8. This method, of course, requires the user to have some knowledge, which was outlined in this article. However, you do not need to look for any third-party programs that may slow down the system or pose a threat to the system's security.

Also, the built-in tools provide more options, for example, to receive and distribute the Internet you can use only a WiFi adapter, which cannot be done using third-party programs.

Now you know how to distribute WiFi on a laptop with Windows 8. If you do everything carefully and without mistakes, then you will not have any difficulties.

How to easily share WiFi using Conectify Hotspot: Video

I work as a private computer technician. I have been repairing computers professionally for over 12 years, as an amateur since the 90s.
For two years he worked as the head of a service center specializing in connecting subscribers to the Internet and computer assistance.

Video on the topic:

    Hello. This can be due to many reasons. From unsuitable drivers to your operating system not supporting such functions. As a rule, the problem lies with the drivers. I recommend that you use the Virtual Router Plus program. The program is absolutely harmless to your computer, works great and is very easy to set up. Here's how to set it up - . Read the contents of the article and immediately go to the desired point.

    Bezprovodoff team 12/18/2015 12:47

    Hello. The solution is obvious - return Windows 7. In general, according to the eight, I will say that the drivers in this OS do not always work correctly. It would be advisable for you to remove the old drivers and install new ones. Of course, the drivers must first be downloaded from the official website of your laptop manufacturer. I can also recommend the following actions. Launch Hardware Manager. Go to the “Network Adapters” folder and remove everything that is there from it (you need to download the drivers first). After this, launch a command prompt with administrator rights and execute the following commands in it:
    netsh int ip reset (if you can’t register it or an error pops up, then write “netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt”).
    route –f.
    netsh interface reset all.
    netsh interface ip reset resetlog.txt.
    netsh interface ipv4 reset resetlog.txt.
    netsh interface ipv6 reset resetlog.txt.
    netsh winsock reset.
    netsh firewall reset.
    After each command, press “Enter”. Reboot the computer. Now we install new drivers and create the distribution again. I recommend that you immediately use the Virtual Router Plus program.

    Alexander 12/22/2015 17:13

    Hello!!! I have such a problem - I entered your data correctly, access appeared on another laptop (phone) it shows (protected) I entered the password correctly without errors, but the computer tells me the password is incorrect. Please tell me what can be done already I changed the password 3 times and the name is still the same!!!

    Bezprovodoff team 12/30/2015 17:02

    Hello. What command did you use? Did it have quotation marks? In the text of the article, the command is written without quotes. Try simply copying it and pasting it into the command line without any changes and check whether your phone and another computer will connect to such a network. Just in case, here is the command, copy and paste WITHOUT changes - netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=My_WiFi key=12345678 keyUsage=persistent. The connection password will be 12345678. If even with this command nothing works, then the problem is most likely that the standards or type of data encryption do not match. Check which Wi-Fi protocol is supported by the phone and the distributing computer, as well as what type of encryption both devices support (the laptop encrypts information using the WPA2-PSK standard).

    Andrey 01/03/2016 13:26

    Happy New Year! successfully created the network, but it does not turn on. after trying to start it pops up: “failed to start the hosted network. the group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the required operation.” Maybe the problem is with my CDMA Internet, do I need wired Internet?

    Bezprovodoff team 03.03.2016 19:05

    Hello. First, you need to set up sharing. Did you do it? Secondly, you need to provide your created network with access to the Internet (allow it to use the connection of this computer). Thirdly, it is necessary that the distributing computer itself be connected to the Internet. If you cannot manually configure distribution and provide Internet access, then I recommend that you use the Virtual Router Plus program. But the previous distribution must be deleted. Here are the instructions -. Now, download the drivers for Wi-Fi and LAN cards (let them be on the computer, they will be needed later). Launch the hardware manager and delete everything that is there from the “Network adapters” folder. After that, launch a command prompt with administrator rights and run the following in it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0vOyaSeY3Y. After this, restart your computer and install the previously downloaded drivers. Now you can launch the Virtual Router Plus program. Here are instructions on how to use it -.

    Bezprovodoff team 08/25/2016 15:37

    Hello. Did you make the distribution based on the video tutorial or the article? There is one very important difference. In the video tutorial, the author writes a command with quotes. That is, the network name and password are enclosed in quotes. In theory, quotation marks are necessary, but in practice it turns out that it is often the quotation marks that create additional problems. That is, you need to write the command without quotes. Try just copying this command (netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=My_virtual_WiFi key=12345678 keyUsage=persistent) and just paste it into the command line without changes. If there is still a problem with the password, then it is possible that the problem lies in the difference in WiFi standards. That is, a laptop can distribute the network in WiFi 802.11n mode, while the phone only accepts WiFi 802.11b or g. These standards operate at different frequencies, so they will be able to see each other, but not connect to each other. It is necessary to check the supported standards. Tell me the model of your laptop and phone and I will tell you what standards they support.

    Bezprovodoff team 09.21.2016 21:53

    Hello. You may be entering the wrong password. Or maybe the problem is in the type of data encryption. Try making the network open in the router settings (remove the password). If the phone connects, then the problem is with data encryption. In this case, try setting the WPA encryption solution in the router settings. If there is an item “WPA-PSK\WPA2-PSK”, then select this option. If this doesn’t help fix the situation, then try rebooting your phone and router. As a last resort, if all else fails, you will have to reset your phone to factory settings.

    Bezprovodoff team


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