There is a feature in the windows 7 operating system that makes it possible to turn your laptop into a wireless internet access point or Wi-Fi Hotspot. What the feature does is let you use any internet connectivity you may have and share it with a bunch of other users as if you are all connecting from one wireless hotspot. As long the gadgets you want your internet connectivity with are Wi-Fi enabled, the whole sharing process becomes very easy.
Wireless Hosted Network Feature
Microsoft killed it this time with this feature. Basically, the feature is meant to allow multiple users access the internet from multiple wireless networks through the use of just one wireless card and there is no need for any other hardware, wires or any other devices. The Wireless Hosted Network feature is a small but effective and interesting piece of technology in the windows 7 operating system. However, you have to know how to activate the feature for you to use as it is intentionally hidden by default. What the feature effectively does in a nutshell is make your laptop a router through making your physical wireless adapter into a variety of virtual wireless adapters from which other devices that are Wi-Fi enabled such as PCs, laptops, game consoles etc can tap their internet connectivity.
Requirements
For you to enjoy the services of the Wireless Hosted Network feature in windows 7, first of all you must be using windows 7 approved wireless adapters. What this does is that, soon as windows 7 detects your wireless adapters and can run it, meaning it is a supported version, the computer will automatically create a new connection called “Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter. But if you more than one available adapter, it is still okay as windows 7 simply takes the one adapter it deems fit and can work with, that is it can support it and creates the wireless connection.
There are two ways to turn on the Wi-Fi feature in Windows 7. You can either do it via a command line scripts prompt or the most common simple process through the Connectify function.
Using Connectify
If you want to use connectify to activate your wireless internet connectivity and sharing, simply download the software from the company’s homepage. It is open source software and thus should be readily available, no registration or price tags should be paid. Simply click on the connectify icon in the notification tray and choose the internet connection you want to share out. Once you have done this, create a new name for the wireless network you will be sharing and create a password as well for the connection. If you can see the Mode box, just pick Access Point from the menu but if not, settle for the “Ad Hoc” and just click to open. From the given options, just choose “Start Hotspot sharing” tab and you will be ready to start sharing your internet wireless connection.
Should be relatively easy to carry out the sharing procedure and join wireless networks as you wish.
