If you didn't know yet, there is the possibility of using your desktop computer as a wireless access point and share your internet with other users, In case you don't have one router at home.
Of course, it's important that your computer already has a Wi-Fi adapter installed, which will be used in reverse; that is, instead of receiving the signal, you'll be able to transmit it. You'll also need to download the software to turn your PC into a Wi-Fi router.
Top 5 Softwares to Turn PC into WiFi Router
Knowing the requirements, we evaluated a range of useful software programs on the market that would help us with these purposes. Some are paid and offer a great array of settings and configurations to customize the process, while others have free versions and may be a bit more limited.
But let's learn a little more about the programs to use your PC as a Wi-Fi router below.
▷Read: The 5 Best Programs to See Who's Connected to Your WiFi ▷
1. Connetify Hotspot
Connetify Hotspot is an application that lets you turn your PC into a virtual WiFi router using the initial connection your computer is paired to. This means it first needs an internet connection to share, which can be via LAN or another wireless network.
The program comes with a free trial version that is very limited, but to unlock advanced features such as setting a password for your new access point, you will need to purchase the Premium version.
Essentially, Connetify can be a solution when you have a router that only supports a few devices or if you don't have the password to use it on other devices. It's also perfect if you want to use your computer as a fairly sophisticated repeater.
However, it has its downsides, such as the need for your wireless card to be compatible and the signal generated not being long-range , which could be a drawback in many cases.
Download it on their Website |
2. Free WiFi Hotspot
But if you're looking for more configuration and customization options for your shared Wi-Fi network , Free WiFi Hotspot will be more than helpful. First and foremost, we can tell you that it works on all versions of Windows , including Windows 10.
Its interface design is very clean, intuitive and also indicative, with a console that shows us the connected devices , the amount of data used and the protocols that are created to share the connection, all in real time.
Free WiFi Hotspot will also let you add a name for your new wireless access point, as well as set a password with your preferred security level. If you have multiple wireless cards in your PC, you'll need to select the one you want to use.
There are no limits on the number of devices that can connect, and it's practically the best program for sharing Wi-Fi from my PC , whether the internet comes via mobile data, LAN, Bluetooth, or other means.
Download it on their Website |
3. OSToto Hotspot
OSToto Hotspot, also known as 160WiFi, is a very complete and versatile solution, with several exclusive functions that will help you monitor the connections created from your own computer.
The key advantage is that, regardless of where your device is connected to the internet, you can turn it into a wireless router to share the signal, although you will obviously need a wireless card. There's no limit to the number of devices you can connect, unless you block them.
Yes, OSToto Hotspot lets us block any unknown device from stealing our signal. We can even set a maximum and minimum bandwidth limit for each device, in case we have a network with a limited Mbps capacity.
There are several security protocols to protect the connection, including a customizable password, and it allows you to choose the access point name. However, it lacks a feature for monitoring real-time data usage.
4. Virtual WiFi Router
We receive numerous recommendations for Virtual WiFi Router, as it's one of the best programs for turning your PC into a WiFi router. Its interface design is quite modern, and it even lets you choose a theme from blue, green, red, and black —a nice aesthetic touch that's definitely worth considering.
But what we're really interested in are the configuration options, so we can set a password, establish a network name, and start sharing our internet.
Virtual Wi-Fi Router can hide your network so you can only connect manually by adding the name and password. There are no limits on the number of devices that can connect, but if there's an intruder, you can block them in seconds.
The app lets you monitor bandwidth usage and activity across all devices. It can occasionally glitch and disconnect, but considering it can be configured to start with Windows, it's worth a try.
5. My WIFI Router
If we could evaluate a tool based on its interface design, My WIFI Router would be the winner, as it has a fairly modern style and all its functions are easily accessible.
Furthermore, it's quite popular due to its ease of setup, requiring only a username, an alphanumeric password, and the security protocols. Here, you can protect yourself with the classic WEP and WPA2 encryption methods.
As if that weren't enough, My WIFI Router comes with an exclusive and very useful feature not found in other programs on this list: a shutdown scheduler. This allows you to configure it like a timer to automatically turn off the connection at a specific time.
Besides turning your PC into an access point , it also lets you monitor all connections and remove any device that doesn't have permission. The connection is stable and doesn't consume many system resources.
Conclusions
Share your computer's internet connection, use it as an access point or repeater, and more with programs that turn your PC into a WiFi router. Many users are unaware of these tools, even though they can be extremely useful in many situations.
Almost all the applications are very similar, although you may notice some differences in features and configuration options, so you'll have to choose the one that best suits your own requirements.
▷You should read: Fixing "Server IP Address Could Not Be Found " ▷
Using this type of software can get you out of many tight spots, help you save money on buying sophisticated routers, and even allow you to extend your connection to places where the modem signal doesn't reach, as it allows you to turn your PC into a repeater.
Sure, the connection speed will probably be a little slower and you might encounter obstacles when connecting through protocols like Bluetooth (which doesn't go at high speeds), but they're worth it.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.