How to distribute the Internet from a computer via cable or Wi-Fi

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Several easy ways to share the internet with mobile devices and other computers.

If you need to share the Internet with multiple gadgets, but don't have a router at hand, you can do without one. This instruction will help you turn your computer into a router for distributing the Internet through an access point (Wi-Fi network) or Ethernet wire.

How to share the internet on a Windows computer

1. How to distribute the Internet from a computer using the "Mobile hotspot" function (Windows 10 only)

The fastest way to share the Internet wirelessly, no additional programs or complex settings required.

1. Find the Mobile Hotspot menu: select Start → Settings (gear) → Network and Internet → Mobile Hotspot.

2. In the "Internet Connection Sharing" field, select the type of connection that connects the current computer to the Internet. It can be a Wi-Fi (or 3G) or Ethernet wireless connection.

3. Click "Change" and in the next window specify the name and password for the new wireless network through which the computer will distribute the Internet.

4. At the top of the page, enable the "Allow other devices to use my internet connection" option.

After that, you can distribute the Internet through the created Wi-Fi network. It is enough to connect the necessary devices to it using the password created in the third step. And you can turn off the distribution of the Internet in the same place where the wireless connection is turned off - in the "Network" window on the taskbar.

2. How to distribute the Internet from a computer via the command line

Another way to share wireless internet without third-party software. Not as simple as the previous one, but it works not only in Windows 10, but also in previous versions of the OS.

1. Start the command line. To do this, enter "Command" in the search for the system, right-click on the found element and select "Run as administrator".

2. To create a new network for distributing the Internet, enter the command in the line

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode = allow ssid = Stacy key = 4419E1z #

and press Enter. Instead of Stacy, you can enter any other network name, and instead of 4419E1z # - any other password.

3. To activate the created access point, enter the command

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

and press Enter again. If the commands worked, you will see the following text.

4. Now allow other users to access the Internet through the created network. First, open Windows Control Panel and select Network and Sharing Center.

5. Then right-click on the icon for connecting your computer to the Internet, select "Properties" → "Access" and check the boxes next to the permission requests. In the "Home network connection" field, select the wireless connection created in the second step of the instructions.

After that, you can connect other devices to the Wi-Fi network configured in this way using the specified password. To disable the hotspot, enter

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

… To re-enable it, use the command

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

If the Internet does not work on the connected devices, open the “Device Manager” menu through the “Control Panel”, expand the “Network adapters” item and check that all devices from this list are turned on. If you find inactive among them, enable them using the context menu.

If you encounter other problems, try reinstalling the network adapter drivers manually by downloading them from the manufacturer's website, or automatically using the DriverPack program or service. The latter will do everything for you.

3. How to distribute the Internet from a computer using third-party software

If you don't want to mess with the command line, you can use a special utility to quickly configure a wireless access point. With the free Connectify Hotspot software, you'll be up and running in minutes.

1. and install Connectify Hotspot.
2. Run the program and follow the prompts on the screen. The Russian interface language can be selected in the settings. The utility will ask you to set the type of computer connection to the Internet and the parameters of the new wireless network. After that, it remains to click on the start button to activate the access point.

When you're done, you can distribute the internet to other devices over Wi-Fi. You can manage the wireless network right in the program window.

Connectify Hotspot also has a paid version with additional features. For example, it allows you to distribute not only landline Internet via Wi-Fi, but also 3G and 4G. Hotspot Pro costs $ 35.

4. How to distribute the Internet from a computer using a cable

If you need to share the internet with another computer that doesn't have a Wi-Fi adapter, you can do it using a regular internet cable. This method is called network bridging.

1. Connect the Ethernet ports of both devices with a cable.
2. On the computer from which you want to share the Internet, open the "Control Panel" and go to the "Network and Sharing Center" → "Change adapter settings". The names may vary from version to Windows.
3. In the window that opens, select two connections using the Ctrl key. The first one should be responsible for connecting your computer to the Internet. The second is for connecting a second computer to this one. Right-click on any of the two connections and select "Configure Bridge".

In a few seconds, a new connection should appear with the name "Network Bridge", and the status "Connected, Connected" should be displayed next to the used connections. If everything goes well, the Internet will work on the second computer. But this may not happen immediately, but after 10-15 minutes.

How to share internet on Mac

In macOS, it's pretty easy to set up Internet sharing both via cable and Wi-Fi. You do not need additional programs for this.

1. Expand the Apple menu and go to System Preferences → Sharing.
2. Check the "Shared Internet" box on the left pane and specify the type of connection between the current computer and the Internet in the "Shared connection" list on the right side of the window. For example, if it is connected to the Network via a cable, choose Ethernet.
3. In the For Computers Using box, select a method for sharing the Internet with other devices. For example, if you want to distribute the Internet without wires, choose Wi-Fi, if by cable, then Ethernet.

If you selected Wi-Fi, uncheck the Internet Sharing box, click Wi-Fi Settings and set the hotspot name and password, then check the Internet Sharing box again.

After making these settings, you can connect other devices to the computer in the chosen way.