Convert your Windows into a WiFi hotspot and share your connection

If you got an internet connection via a network cable on your laptop and you want to share it with other computers and devices here's diffrent ways (Pick the one that is right for your needs):

 - By setting up an ad-hoc wireless network through the graphical menus or through the command line interface.
 - By using simple applications (eg. Connectify Hotspot Pro - $40 USD, but there's free ones, check the rest of this topic)

 

1 - Ad-Hoc Wireless Connection via Windows Menus

a/ Through graphical menus: (easy to set-up and suitable for short and temporary connection)

 - Go to ''Start Menu'' > ''Control Panel'' > ''Network and Sharing Center'' then choose ''Set up a new connection or network'':

 - Select ''Set up a wireless ad hoc (computer-to-computer) network'' then click ''next'':

 - You’ll now see a window that explains what an ad-hoc wireless network is and it tells you a few things about it.

 Note: devices using the ad-hoc wireless network must be within 30 feet of each other, in any direction.

 - Now click ''next'', that will show you the window where you can set the name of your network and what kind of security it has on it. (WPA2 security type recommended), choose your password then click ''next'':

 -  Congratulations! You’ve just created an ad-hoc wireless network!

b/ Through command line or batch file: (same pros as the ''graphical'' but automated and quicker to set up)

 - Open a command line (Start menu > and type ''cmd'' in the search field) or (use combination button: ''windows buuton'' + ''R''), right click on the Command Prompt program and select ''Run as Administrator''

 - Type: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=YourSSID key=YourPassword keyusage=persistent (change YourSSID to whatever you want to name the network, and YourPassword to whatever password you want on the network) then click ""enter''

 - To turn your network on type: netsh wlan start hostednetwork

 - When you want to close out your network type: netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

 - If you want to create a Batch File for this, open up Notepad and copy and paste the following into it. (change YourSSID to whatever you want to name the network, and YourPassword to whatever password you want on the network).

@echo off
CLS
:MENU
ECHO.
ECHO…………………………………………
ECHO.
ECHO Press 1, 2, or 3 to select your task, or 4 to Exit.
ECHO…………………………………………
ECHO.
ECHO 1 – Set Wifi Sharing Attributes
ECHO 2 – Start WiFi Sharing
ECHO 3 – Stop WiFi Sharing
ECHO 4 – Exit
ECHO.
SET /P M=Type 1, 2, 3, or 4, then press ENTER:
IF %M%==1 GOTO SET
IF %M%==2 GOTO START
IF %M%==3 GOTO STOP
IF %M%==4 GOTO EOF
:SET
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=YourSSID key=YourPassword keyusage=persistent
GOTO MENU
:START
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
GOTO MENU
:STOP
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
GOTO MENU

 - Save the file to your desktop as something like AdHocNetwork.bat. (With the .bat extension insteed of .txt !). Now, when you want to create an ad-hoc network, all you have to do is run the batch file (as Administrator) and follow the menu prompts. It’ll look like this:

2 - Using Hotspot applications

 There are plenty of software applications (between free and paid ones) that make setting up your Windows PC as a virtual WiFi router as easy as can be.

 Best paid one: Connectify Hotspot (from $20 to $45)
 Just set your hotspot network name and your password then click ''start''

 Free Hotspot applications: (for your security please download only from the given link)
   Virtual Router Plus, Virtual WiFi Router, VirtualRouter, WiFi Hotspot Creator