How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

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Since Windows 7, Microsoft has built in the virtual WiFi technology into Windows that gives the ability to turn any Windows machine with the supported wireless adapter into a wireless hotspot natively without the help from any 3rd party tools. A pretty feature could be very useful and handy but lacks a pretty and easy-to-use user interface.

Let’s take a look how it works first.

1. Open Command Prompt window as Administrator

You can do so press Win+X and choose command prompt (admin) from the list.

Command Prompt as Admin thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

2. Type the following command to check if you have a supported wireless device.

netsh wlan show drivers

netsh wlan show drivers thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

3. If yes, type the following command to set wireless parameters such as SSID and passcode, and start the service

netsh wlan  set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=myssid key=password
netsh wlan start hostednetwork

netsh wlan thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

4. Turn on Internet Connection Sharing on the network adaptor that has the access to the Internet. You can do so by

  1. Going to Control Panel, Network & Internet, and Network Connections.
  2. Right click the adapter and go to properties.
  3. Turn on the option “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection” under Sharing tab. Make sure to pick the enabled Wireless virtual adaptor as the Home networking connection.

Network Sharing Properties thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

5. That’s it once you click OK. The network connections window should look like something like this.

Network Connection with Virtual WiFi thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

Now I can connect my iPhone to it. Isn’t it nice?

iPhone wifi connection thumb - How To Turn Your Windows 8 or Windows 10 Computer into A Wireless Hotspot Access Point

But that’s too cumbersome, isn’t it? What’s worse is that it doesn’t stay. You need to do it all over again after you reboot your computer.

To streamline a bit, you can save the two netsh commands shown above into a batch file. Right click the batch file and Run as Administrator every time when you need to enable it. You can even save a shortcut to the batch file into the Startup (%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\) to let it run automatically every time when you log in. Make sure you change the shortcut properties to make sure it runs as administrator to gain the right privilege.

If that’s also quite too techy, here 8 free tools that easily turns your Windows system into a wireless hotspot.

58 COMMENTS

  1. I encountered a issue similar to the one tahmat described. I created the network, and then disabled it because my wired connection stopped working. I fixed the wired network, but when I attempt to recreate the wireless hotspot with the command prompt, i get this message: “The hosted network couldn’t be started. The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested operation.”.

  2. i have a problem, i already shared the connection but it dosen’t look like the image, and when i try to connect my ipad it said “unable to connect” any ideas ?

  3. Is there a way to choose on which wifi adapter the virtual hosted network will be created?

    Because I am using an external USB adapter with stronger antenna but windows prefers the interneal one. I use both of them what makes it more difficult, if not, I could simply deactivate it, the it will choose the externeal automatically… any advises? Thanks!

  4. While my windows 8 PC is on Ethernet adapter (i.e. connected to internet through LAN cable and not wirelessly), I had to ensure the “ssid” parameter is set exactly to have the same name as the “connection name” of my regular LAN connection before the setup could work. Thought this may be helpful to someone…..

  5. I followed the steps given above. Everything is done but when i am trying to connect my mobile via wifi, its not happening. Its showing OBTAINING IP ADDRESS,, nothing is happening then.. Help me…………….

  6. I think I broke something. The hotspot was intermittent, so I disabled it trying to cycle it and reset it. Now when I run “netsh wlan start hostednetwork” the command prompt tells me ” The hosted network couldn’t be started. The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested operation.” I tried re-running the whole script again, but I get the same result.

  7. every time i write ssid and key den dis commands strikes back “you must run this command from a command prompt with administrator privilige”…..plz help..!!

  8. I followed the steps given above. Everything is done but when i am trying to connect my mobile(galaxy pocket) via wifi, its not working.It is connected to the network.There is no internet access in my phone. When I checked in network and sharing center the network is having internet access.

  9. ook here’s a mojor problem.. i created it with the cmd method. everything worked fine.
    just due to some reason i disabled that ” local area network *12 ” and then it dissapered. i tried again with the cmd method again. dosnt work. help please…

  10. C:Windowssystem32>netsh wlan start hostednetwork

    The hosted network couldn’t be started.

    The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested opera

    tion.

    i am facing this problem….help meh

  11. Your great idea is too good for the wifi users. Here i had a problem but the present time that are not now cause you gave me the solution.[url=https://www.capelectronicshop.com/]laptop[/url]

  12. if i give “netsh wlan show drivers” . then it is showing that, there are no wireless interface on the system. please let me know , what should i do?

  13. l am getting this after showing network drivers, does this mean this driver does not support AP or hosted network in windows 10 for internet sharing

    Interface name: Wi-Fi

    Driver : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
    Vendor : Intel Corporation
    Provider : Intel
    Date : 1/28/2016
    Version : 18.33.0.2
    INF file : C:\Windows\INF\oem31.inf
    Files : 3 total
    C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\Netwtw02.sys
    C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\Netwfw02.dat
    C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\vwifibus.sys
    Type : Native Wi-Fi Driver
    Radio types supported : 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n 802.11a 802.11ac
    FIPS 140-2 mode supported : Yes
    802.11w Management Frame Protection supported : Yes
    Hosted network supported : No
    Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode:
    Open None
    Open WEP-40bit
    Open WEP-104bit
    Open WEP
    WPA-Enterprise TKIP
    WPA-Enterprise CCMP
    WPA-Personal TKIP
    WPA-Personal CCMP
    WPA2-Enterprise TKIP
    WPA2-Enterprise CCMP
    WPA2-Personal TKIP
    WPA2-Personal CCMP
    Open Vendor defined
    Vendor defined Vendor defined
    Wireless Display Supported: Yes (Graphics Driver: Yes, Wi-Fi Driver: Yes)

  14. Hello, I followed all the required steps above and managed to successfully create the hotspot, however the shared internet didn’t work on any of my device. The network was recognized and founded by the devices but they don’t have internet connection even though the host computer said it did. I have tried this with my laptop and my iPhone and neither worked. On the iPhone it even won’t connect and just loading endlessly. I need help please, thank you

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