Top 8 Free WiFi Hotspot Software for Windows (2020)

At that place are many dissimilar ways to plow your PC into a virtual WiFi router, and then in instance yous're looking for ways to do that, allow's accept a comprehensive look at all of them and let yous decide which one works best for you. While there are a plethora of third-party software that will convert your computer into a WiFi router, you can also create an on-demand WiFi hotspot on your PC natively either by running a few lines of code through the command prompt or, via the Windows GUI past just clicking through a few options. Today, we'll have a expect at all these methods, then permit's commencement off past checking out the 8 best gratis WiFi Hotspot software for Windows available right at present:

All-time Free WiFi Hotspot Software for Windows (2020)

Before nosotros get to our list, be sure to check our list of WiFi analyzer apps. They will aid you analyze the forcefulness of WiFi connexion in your home then y'all tin can find out the right place to put your Windows 10 laptop for getting maximum network strength. With that said, lets get to our article, shall we?

1. Connectify Hotspot

Connectify Hotspot is, by far, the best-known and most popular software to plough your PC into a WiFi hotspot. The program is available in a free avatar that would be good enough for many, but for a more comprehensive feature ready, yous will need to opt for one of the two paid versions: Pro or Max. The main difefrence between the free and the paid versions is that the free version allows users to share cyberspace from Ethernet and WiFi networks simply, while the paid versions also bring the power to share cellular data. Existent-time network usage monitoring is another characteristic that'due south common to all versions of the software, and and then is ad-blocking for connected clients.

What you don't get in the free version, nonetheless, is the ability to choose a custom SSID, firewall controls and a wired router mode, all of which are available in the 'Pro' version that costs $34.98 per year. The company also offers a 'Max' version that comes with more bells and whistles, like a bridging manner, WiFi repeater style and custom DHCP controls, all of which tin be yours' for a absurd $59.98.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Free, Paid versions start at $34.98)

2. mHotspot

Like Connectify, mHotspot is also a Windows program that transforms your PC into a virtual WiFi router, but unlike its more well-known analogue, it is a completely free software without any premium versions, which means you lot get to use all its features for free. mHotspot allows users to share LAN, Ethernet, cellular and WiFi connections with multiple devices across platforms, including, laptops, smartphones, tablets, PDAs and other PCs. Information technology is 1 of the near feature-rich gratis software in its category, and is officially available on Windows vii, 8 and 10. You tin can connect up to 10 devices to a hotspot created past this software that can also deed as a repeater to extend the WiFi range. In terms of security, mHotspot secures your WiFi hotspot with WPA2 PSK countersign security.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Free)

3. HostedNetworkStarter

HostedNetworkStarter is however some other software that you can use to turn your PC into a WiFi hotspot. It is a great fiddling utility that works similarly to the ii programs mentioned before on this listing, insofar equally information technology creates a WiFi hotspot with the help of the wireless network adapter of your PC and, allows whatever device with WiFi support to access the network and the Internet connectedness available on your computer. Information technology supports Windows 7 thru x (both 32 and 64-flake versions), but doesn't work with Windows Vista or XP because of the lack of support for the WiFi Hosted Network feature in those versions of Windows.

One of the coolest things about the program is that you don't need to install the program on your computer in guild to run it. You can but download the zip file, unzip it, and run the executable file correct off the bat. Power users can too use command-line parameters to enhance the functionality of the software.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Free)

4. MaryFi

MaryFi is nevertheless another gratis software that can plough your Windows PC into a virtual router. Information technology's mode more than characteristic-filled than Connectify's complimentary version, given how it supports all kinds of internet connections, including, but not limited to, Ethernet, WiFi and cellular. As is the instance with the other programs on the list, a wide variety of devices can be hooked upwards to connections created past MaryFi, so whether y'all're looking to get WiFi connectivity for your phone, tablet, music thespian, gaming console or other laptops and desktops, MaryFi's got you covered. The program uses countersign-protected WPA2 Encryption for privacy and security. One thing to remember here is that software is just said to compatible with Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 officially, and not with Windows 10.

Platform: Windows
Downlaod: (Free)

5. Maxidix HotSpot

If you are looking for a Connectify alternative so I would highly recommend Maxidix HotSpot. It's a modern-looking software and works very similar to Connectify minus the adware that comes with it. What I like well-nigh Maxidix is that information technology'due south pretty fast in establishing a hotspot connection and works on Windows 7, 8, 8,1 and of course, ten without whatsoever issue. And yes, Maxidix HotSpot supports dual-mode i.e. connecting to a WiFi access point and simultaneous hosting of virtual hotspot using a single WiFi adapter. On tiptop of that, yous can also track all the devices that are connected to your hotspot and further, you lot can block them likewise. The best part nigh Maxidix Hotspot is that how uncomplicated it's to use. Y'all don't need to get into network configuration or manually set your DCHP address. Only set up your network name and countersign and you are done.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Free)

6. Baidu WiFi Hotspot

Baidu WiFi Hotspot is another gratuitous software to create an instant hotspot on Windows PCs. It's a lightweight tool and takes up simply 5MB of space. The connection is blazing fast and it does not bog down your computer. Like to other free WiFi hotspot software, Baidu WiFi hotspot can besides parallelly connect to a WiFi bespeak and create a hotspot using the same WiFi adapter. There is also an option to create a hotspot using the WLAN connection. There is some sort of customer management as well where you can browse and blacklist users from eating your internet bandwidth. But the best role almost this WiFi hotspot is that it also brings local file sharing betwixt your smartphone and PC which is astonishing. I would say, if y'all want a feature-rich software for creating WiFi hotspot on Windows computers then Baidu WiFi Hotspot is a top pick.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Gratuitous)

7. Virtual Router

If yous are looking for an open-source solution to create a WiFi hotspot on Windows then check out Virtual Router past Codeplex. It's complimentary, works on Windows seven, 8, eight.1, and x and does not crave any expertise to ready. In example you are unaware, Codeplex was a project developed by Microsoft itself for creating and sharing open-source programs and Virtual Router is the production of that endeavor. Sure, it'southward not in active development right now, but hey it works without any result. As for security, it'southward encrypted using WPA2 protocol which is largely used in routers and wireless network devices. Dissimilar many other programs in this list, Virtual Router is particularly unique because information technology'south open-source and will not bombard you with any kind of ads. So, if you want a unproblematic and effective WiFi hotspot tool for Windows then look no farther than Virtual Router.

Annotation: Yous might require .NET Framework to run this awarding on Windows 10.

Platform: Windows
Download: (Complimentary)

8. MyPublicWiFi

By now, you have got the idea. Apart from Connectify, all the other programs on our list today are completely gratis to utilize without whatever feature restrictions, and this particular software is no exception either. It allows users to ready up an net access betoken much like the other programs on this list, but it offers a few interesting possibilities for its users that none of the others offer. The app actually comes with a built-in firewall that tin can be configured to restrict admission to specific websites or protocols. Information technology likewise allows you to "record and rail all visited url pages on your virtual WIFI-Hotspot", making it a really user-friendly tool for parents looking to keep their kids safe on the large bad web.

Equally is the instance with any decent WiFi software, MyPublicWiFi also uses WPA2 Encryption for privacy and security, but if you set upwards the network, you volition be able to view the IP addresses, device names and MAC addresses of the continued clients. Different many of the other programs on the list, MyPublicWiFi is officially uniform with Windows 10, aslope Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Server 2008 R2.

Platforms: Windows
Download: (Costless)

Bonus: Virtual Router Plus

Virtual Router Plus is a free and open up source WiFi hotspot program that's based on Chris Pietschmann's Virtual Router project that'due south hosted on Codeplex for now, simply every bit with but virtually all other open up source projects on the site, will exist migrating to GitHub by the end of this year. The plan is written in C# and, is officially available but on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. It did seem to work alright on a Windows x laptop, effortlessly creating a WiFi access bespeak for my Android smartphone. Like HostedNetworkStarter, this 1 as well doesn't need an installation to work on your estimator, so yous can simply unzip the compressed file and run the .exe file to get started. The program doesn't have any ads and nor does it track users' spider web action. It uses the WPA2 encryption for privacy and security.

Platform: Windows
Downlaod: (Free)

Creating WiFi Hotspot in Windows Without Installing Any Software

• Via Windows GUI (Windows ten Only)

While third-party software can brand the task of creating a WiFi access betoken out of your PC a actually easy proposition, many users like myself try to keep their computers free of boosted software to the extent possible. If you belong to that category, you may be more interested in some of the native means in which you can ready up WiFi hotspot on your Windows computers without having to resort to third-party software. Windows 10 takes the pain out of setting upward a WiFi access signal by letting you practise that in a few easy clicks. I'm sure many of y'all already know how to practise that, only for those who don't, here'due south what you need to do:

Note: This feature was simply rolled out in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, so it isn't available in earlier builds of the OS. I tried this on an HP Envy laptop running Version 1607 (Build 14393.726) and information technology works perfectly on it.

• Using Command Prompt / Batch File

You can actually also use the control prompt to activate the WiFi hotspot feature of your Windows PC. While this should, in theory, work on all versions of Windows from 7 onwards, some of you lot may stumble on an unexpected barrier like I did. To employ this mode, the WiFi adapter on your reckoner needs to support a feature called 'Hosted Network', which, a lot of the contempo HP laptops apparently do not. However, I checked with a Lenovo laptop of my colleague, and everything worked swimmingly on his PC. Since not every computer out at that place will not support this method, we'll kickoff need to check if our device is compatible with what nosotros're trying to accomplish.

To do that, open up Command Prompt (search for cmd or command on the search pane) and type or re-create+paste the post-obit, the

n hitting 'Enter/Return':

netsh wlan show drivers

This is what the output looks like on my piece of work laptop (HP with Windows ten) that doesn't support hosted networks.

This is how information technology looks on 1 of my colleagues' laptop (Lenovo with Windows 10) that supports hosted networks, which means the pull a fast one on does work on his device.Now that we've established the prerequisites for this method to work, let's get forward for those of you whose network adapters do support the feature. In the command prompt, enter the following control to create the hosted network, and hit 'Enter':

netsh wlan set up hostednetwork style=permit ssid=DontStealMyWiFi key=idontneednopassword keyusage=persistent

Heed y'all, the 'SSID' and 'Key' parameters could exist anything yous want them to be, and in my instance, I but happened to pick "DontStealMyWiFi" and "idontneednopassword", so you should supervene upon them with whatever y'all feel like. Yous tin also set the 'Cardinal Usage' parameter to either "persistent" or "temporary". Even if you lot omit information technology altogether, past default, it will still be 'persistent', but information technology'due south simply good practice to specify all the parameters manually. Either way, now that y'all've created the hosted network, you'll demand to actuate information technology with the following command:

netsh wlan showtime hostednetwork

That'due south it. You've successfully created a hosted network on your PC, thereby turning it into a WiFi router for all practical purposes. In example you want to terminate or conciliate the hotspot, just use the post-obit command:

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

• Create a Batch File to Automate the Task

If this is a one-fourth dimension experiment that you lot're unlikely to use on a regular basis, you can skip the next few steps, but if y'all do want to share your PC's cyberspace connection with other devices on a regular basis, you can create what'due south known as a batch file – a simple program that tin can automate repetitive tasks on your PC. To do that, copy+paste the following few lines on Notepad.

@echo off
CLS
:Carte du jour
Echo.
Repeat Printing one To Set up WiFi Sharing Attributes
Repeat Printing two To Starting time WiFi Sharing
ECHO Press 3 To Stop WiFi Sharing
Echo Press 4 To Exit
Repeat.
SET /P M=Please Press ane,ii, 3 or 4, then press ENTER:
IF %M%==1 GOTO Fix
IF %K%==2 GOTO START
IF %Yard%==3 GOTO STOP
IF %M%==four GOTO EOF
:SET
netsh wlan set hostednetwork manner=allow ssid=DontStealMyWiFi key=idontneednopassword keyusage=persistent
GOTO MENU
:Showtime
netsh wlan get-go hostednetwork
GOTO MENU
:Cease
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
GOTO Menu

Note: As mentioned earlier, you lot can change the 'SSID' and 'Cardinal' parameters to anything you desire. As for me, I chose 'DontStealMyWifi and 'idontneednopassword' respectively.

In one case you're done choosing the SSID and password of your choice, merely save the text file with a .bat extension instead of the default .txt extension. You may become a warning about the dangers of changing file extensions, but only disregard that and become ahead anyways. That's information technology! You've successfully created a batch file. Running information technology will get you the post-obit effect.

• We're mostly done with it, merely there's just 1 final step before yous get a fully functional WiFi hotspot through your PC. Right click on the network icon on your taskbar and click on "Open Network and Sharing Center".

• At present click on the proper name of your active connexion, the 1 you want to use for your WiFi hotspot. For me, it's our role WiFi.

Finally, click on Properties > Sharing > and check the box next to "Allow other network users to connect …". Also retrieve to pick the connexion type of your internet from the drop-down menu. Information technology could be a flake of a trial and fault thing if you accept multiple options and not sure which one to pick, so don't beat yourself up over that. Finally, click on 'OK'.

That's it folks! Your PC is now acting as a WiFi router, and is an access signal for other devices to connect to the cyberspace.

Turn your Windows PC into a Wireless Router in a Few Simple Steps

While converting an Android smartphone into a wireless router literally takes well-nigh 3-4 taps on most devices, doing the same with your Windows PC is absolutely a bit more work, just you lot don't really take to be a tech whiz to be able to achieve that. If you lot've e'er felt the need to share your laptop's cyberspace connectedness with your Android Tv set, phone, tablet or other devices, now y'all know exactly how to. If you like this article, also read how you can speed up your Windows 10 device. Well that'south all from us, allow us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: https://beebom.com/free-wifi-hotspot-software-windows/

Posted by: gutierrezlethent.blogspot.com

Share this post