Use Your PC Computer As A Wireless Router

Overview

If you lack a router but have an Ethernet cable to connect the computer to the modem, then you can use your computer as an ad hoc router, if the computer has a wireless card. Before we talk about the setup process, it’s important to know the requirements. The main requirement is that your computer has to have at least two network interfaces installed on the system. You can either have two network cards or one network card and a wireless card. If you only have one network interface, you can’t convert your computer into a router.

Besides, on Windows computers, the process of setting up this router functionality is called Internet Connection Sharing. However, in order to have clients connect to the host computer wirelessly, you also have to set up an ad-hoc wireless network that connects to the Internet using the other network interface installed on the machine. Next, we will introduce the method to use your computer as a wireless router.

Use PC Computer as a Wireless Router

1. Type cmd in the search box and choose Run as Administrator to open Command Prompt.
2. In the command prompt, type in the following command and press Enter.
   netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=wifi hotspot name key=wifi passwordNote: Remember to replace the wifi hotspot name and the wifi password with your own. Besides, if you want to remove this hotspot, use the command: netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=disallow ssid=wifi hotspot name key=wifi password.
3. Right-click the wifi icon and choose Network and Sharing Center, then click Change adapter option on the right panel.
4. Right-click your Wireless Network and choose Properties.
5. On the Sharing tab, check the Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection.
6. Go back to the Command prompt, type in: netsh wlan start hostednetwork, and then press Enter to open the wifi hotspot.
   Note: If you want to stop the wifi hotspot, use the command: netsh wlan stop hostednetwork.
7. Try to connect your phone or another computer through the wifi hotspot.

Use MacBook as a Wireless Router

1. Select the Apple logo and then click System Preferences > Sharing.
2. Click the words Internet Sharing from the list on the left.
3. From the Share your connection from menu, select Ethernet and Wi-Fi in the To computers using option.
4. Click Wi-Fi Options. A window will appear to allow you to configure the Internet.
5. Enter a name for the wireless network in the Network Name field. This is the name users will see when they try to connect to your network from another computer or device.
6. From the Security menu, select 128-bit WEP. Then enter a 13- or 26-character password in the Password and Confirm Password fields. Leave the Channel setting alone, and your Mac automatically determines the best setting for this.
7. Click OK. You should see the Sharing window in System Preferences again.
8. Click Start to confirm opening the Internet sharing.

Now your Mac is acting as a wireless router. You can connect other computers and devices to the new wireless network you just created, and you can also continue to surf the Internet on your Mac.

Conclusion

Still worried that you can’t share your Internet without a router? The methods are as simple as the methods introduces in this article, so try them now!