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You can turn your laptop equipped with Microsoft Windows 8 into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

There are three ways to do this on your laptop. One of them requires that you delve into the command prompt, a task many feel unwilling or unprepared to handle. If you are one of these people, there’s still a way to make your laptop a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Windows 7 Hotspot instructions

Create a hotspot with “Virtual Router Plus”

Here’s what you’ve got to do, based on our trials from sources:

  1. Download Virtual Router Plus. This is a free, open-source program that you can download onto your computer
  2. There’s an option on the site to download the program. Click to start the download
  3. Once the file has downloaded, extract and launch it
  4. When installing the software, be careful to only install the additional software if you feel it will be of use; otherwise, click Skip then Cancel for the offers presented:virtualrouteplus
  5. Choose and enter a name for your network
  6. Do the same with a password that is at least eight characters long
  7. Click Start

To get your other web-enabled devices connected:

  1. Connect your device to the network you just created on your laptop with the program called Virtual Router Plus
  2. Type in the password and press Enter

If you’ve input everything correctly, your device should be connected to the Internet via the hotspot you’ve created on your laptop.

If you don’t want to download Virtual Router Plus, there’s another way to set up a Wi-Fi hotspot with Windows 8 on your laptop.

Set up a Wi-Fi hotspot using a command prompt

Here’s how you get started, we’ve also referenced howtogeek.com for these steps:

  1. On your laptop’s keyboard, press Windows + R to launch a run box
  2. Once the window appears, type ncpa.cpl in the bar, and press Enter
  3. Your network connections will open. Right-click on your Wireless network adapter
  4. Click Properties
  5. In Wi-Fi Properties, you’ll see two tabs. Click the Sharing tab
  6. Check the box beside the command that reads, Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection
  7. Uncheck the second box beside the command that reads, Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection
  8. Right-click in the bottom left corner of your screen to start an administrative command prompt (Command Prompt (Admin))
  9. Use the netsh command. Type it in this way:
    netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=[name of your network] key=[password of your choosing]
  10. The next command broadcasts the network you’ve created:
     netsh wlan start hostednetwork
  11. The last command shows you what channel you’re on, and how many users are connected to your network:
    netsh wlan show hostednetwork

That’s it! Follow these steps and you should be able to use your Windows 8-eqipped laptop as your very own hotspot for other devices and/or users.

This is a guest post from Ryan Harris.  We encourage you to reach out to him with questions on this post or anything else tech related on Twitter – @harrisryan30.  Outside of his failed attempts at comedy on Twitter, Ryan is a copywriter for a variety of sites – including internet.clear.com.  Please connect with him on Twitter for guest post requests or if you need copywriting guidance with your site!

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Comments

5 thoughts on “Set Up a Wi-Fi Hotspot with Windows 8 [How to]”

  1. Asrin475 says:

    Thanks , and How to remove the “hostednetwork”

  2. Anonymous says:

    if you left the command prompt window open, just type in “stop hostednetwork”

  3. Anonymous says:

    and just fyi, the command that is written here is wrong. it should say:
    netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=[name of your network] key=[password of your choosing]

    1. Rich says:

      Thank you! I’ve updated the guide.

  4. Vantastic irpan djuliansyah says:

    i’ve been set the wifi with command prompt..but i foget the password.

    how do i get my password again?

Comments are closed.


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