How to use your Laptop/PC as a Wi-Fi router using connectify software


In this article we will see how to configure our laptop/PC as a Wi-Fi router. We can configure our laptop as Wi-Fi router and get connected our other smart devices and share our internet connection via this configuration. This is very easy with the wireless adapters and free available softwares.

Need of using laptop as a Wi-Fi router:


In this technology world, almost every one needs the usage of internet for their own purpose. Sometimes we need to share our internet connection to our other devices and this sharing of network connection with other smart devices needs a wireless router. There are many wireless adapters available in markets, but the disadvantage of using this routers is that these adapters are usually fixed in our home place and we cannot carry it to the places we need because of its power requirements.



But if we want to connect our Mobile Phones or other Android devices, then router is the only way. Using router option one can share their laptop network connection with other devices using Ad-hoc method.
configuration using Ad-hoc router
But using Ad-hoc connection enables you to connect only single device at a time. In this article we will see how to configure our laptop as a Wi-Fi repeater with the help of wireless adapter and with the help of some free softwares.

Things needed for converting laptop as a Wi-Fi repeater:


We can easily use our Laptop as a Wi-fi repeater and share the network connection to our mobile phones, and other smart devices. We can do it with the help of free softwares and a wireless adapter and the cost of this wireless adapters is very low that we can get it for RS700 also.

The laptop or PC used for configuration should be in windows XP SP2 or higher operating systems. The system should have an internet connection and the connection may be of broad band or DSL, USB 3G or of any. And we need a wireless USB adapter, but in some PC's there will be already wireless networking interfaces in its Mother board. The wireless USB adapter is needed only if the PC does not contain this facility.

The next thing needed is two wireless network interfaces for converting PC or laptop into a Wi-Fi repeater, the first one will work as a client to receive the Network connection from the wireless router and the second one will help to transmit the same network connection to other devices. Normally, laptops will already have a single network interface and for converting it as a repeater we need to install another one wireless USB adapter, while the PC's will need two USB adapters.

Software needed for configuration of Wi-Fi repeater:


There are many free Softwares available for the purpose of using our laptop as an Wi-Fi router; all we need to do is downloading any one of them from the internet. This softwares helps to convert a laptop/PC with internet connection as a wireless router or repeater. This softwares enables the process of connecting other devices with the system and sharing the network connection. Here I used connectify software for the configuration and it can be downloaded from this link.
Connectify: www.connectify.me

Steps for configuration of Laptop/PC as a Wi-Fi repeater:


After the installation of this software, the following steps has to be followed for the configuration.

Steps in Router mode:


  • Step 1: Enter the settings by clicking the settings tab.

  • Step 2: Enter the Hotspot name of your network or the SSID name.

  • Step3: Choose a strong password contains 8 digits for the security of wireless network connection.

  • Step 4: In the "internet to share" drop-down list, select the one which you want to share. This may be of your broad band connection, dial up or anything.

  • Step 5: In the "Advanced settings" tab, go to "share over" drop-down list and select wireless interface. In the "sharing mode" drop-down list select security mode for the network.

  • Step6: After this click "start hotspot" button. Now your laptop/PC is a Wi-Fi router and we can connect the other devices using the SSID or hotspot name and the password.

configuration using connectify software

Steps in Repeater mode:


configuration using connectify software -2
  • Step 1: Enter the settings by clicking the settings tab.

  • Step 2: Enter the Hotspot name of your network or the SSID name.

  • Step 3: In the "internet to share" drop-down list, select the first wireless network interface.

  • Step 4: In the "share over" drop-down list, select the second network interface. But it should be checked that first network interface should be configured already to connect to the host.

Now your laptop is configured and you can share your internet connection to other devices.
connection to mobile through laptop
connected to mobile and  using internet via mobile sharing internet to mobile by using laptop as a router.



Conclusion


Using the above steps now your Laptop/PC is configured, it can be now used as a wireless router and you can share your internet connection to your other smart or Android devices. This configuration is very easy, it can be done fast and it works effectively to share the internet connection.


Comments

Guest Author: P. Saraswathy25 Sep 2012

Very good article and very informative on WiFi router using connectify software. New one, though learning.



  • Do not include your name, "with regards" etc in the comment. Write detailed comment, relevant to the topic.
  • No HTML formatting and links to other web sites are allowed.
  • This is a strictly moderated site. Absolutely no spam allowed.
  • Name:
    Email: