Wifi share with laptop

How to Share Your Internet Connection in Windows Using Ethernet or Wi-Fi

Get Internet on any device by attaching it to your Windows 10 PC.

In many situations, you can connect all of your devices to the same Wi-Fi network so getting them online is no problem. But what happens when one of your devices doesn’t have access to the connection, either because there it doesn’t have Wi-Fi, there is no Wi-Fi or the access is restricted (as in a hotel that only allows one connection per room)? Fortunately, you can easily share your Internet connection in Windows 10 and you can do it over a direct Ethernet connection or by turning the host PC into a hotspot. The client device doesn’t even have to be running Windows.

The direct Ethernet solution comes in very handy when you have one device that has Wi-Fi helping another that doesn’t. Recently, I needed to share my Internet connection over Ethernet when I installed Ubuntu on a Raspberry Pi. The Pi has Wi-Fi, but I couldn’t get Ubuntu to support it out of the box so I just plugged my Raspberry Pi’s Ethernet port into an Ethernet-to-USB adapter, which I attached to my Windows laptop.

How to Share Your Internet in Windows Using Ethernet

1. Connect your client device to your host PC using an Ethernet cable. If either device doesn’t have a free Ethernet port, use a USB-to-Ethernet adapter.

2. Go to the Network Connections menu. The easiest way to get there is by searching for “Network Connections” in the Windows Search box.

3. Right click on the active Internet connection and select Properties.

4. Toggle “Allow other network users to connect” to on from the Sharing tab and select the relevant Ethernet port from the pulldown menu. Note that, if you have VPN software installed, you may see a lot of virtual Ethernet ports on your list and you’ll need to pick the real one.

After you click OK, Internet should flow to your client device over its Ethernet port.

How to Share Your Internet in Windows via Wi-Fi Hotspot

So let’s say your PC has a cellular connection and your friend’s laptop doesn’t or perhaps you have a desktop that’s connected via Ethernet but you need to get your tablet online and there’s no router. Turning your WIndows PC into a mobile hotspot for other devices is quite easy.

1. Navigate to the Mobile Hotspot settings menu. You can get there by typing “Mobile Hotspot” into the Windows search box.

2. Toggle “Share my Internet connection” to on.

3. Select the source of your Internet connection if it’s not already chosen by default. Chances are that, unless you have more than one Internet connection at once, the menu will show the correct source on its own.

4. Select Wi-Fi on the “Share my Internet connection over” menu if it’s not already selected.. Bluetooth is way too slow.

5. Click the Edit button under “Network band.”

6. Set the Network name, password and network band. This will be the SSID and password that your client devices need to connect. Note that, if you are sharing a 5-GHz Wi-Fi connection, your client devices will need to support 5 GHz also. Some older devices such as Raspberry Pi 3s and Zeros can only do 2.4 GHz

You should now be able to connect to your WIndows 10 PC from other devices, just like it was any other hotspot. However, when I tried this the first time, I got an error on my client device saying “failed to obtain IP address.” Perhaps that was because I had shared my connection over Ethernet previously. Whatever the reason, here’s how to fix it.

How to Fix the Failed to Obtain IP Address Problem in Windows Mobile Hotspot

1. Navigate to Network Connections, right click on your Internet source and select Properties. You can see how in steps 2-3 and in the “how to share over Ethernet” section above.

2. Select Local Area Connection* on Sharing tab. Make sure that “Allow other network users to connect” is toggled to on.

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Use your Windows PC as a mobile hotspot

Turn your Windows PC into a mobile hotspot by sharing your internet connection with other devices over Wi-Fi. You can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection. If your PC has a cellular data connection and you share it, it will use data from your data plan.

1. Select Start , then select Settings >Network & internet >Mobile hotspot.
2. For Share my internet connection from, choose the internet connection you want to share.
3. For Share over, choose how you want to share your connection—over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi is usually faster and the default.
4. (Optional) Expand the Properties section, then select Edit and enter a new network name, password, and network band. Select Save.
5. Turn on the Mobile hotspot toggle at the top of the Mobile hotspot settings page.

Note: You can turn on your mobile hotspot remotely if your PC has cellular. To allow your Windows PC to turn on your mobile hotspot, both devices must have Bluetooth and be paired.

Turn your Windows 10 PC into a mobile hotspot by sharing your Internet connection with other devices over Wi-Fi. You can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection. If your PC has a cellular data connection and you share it, it will use data from your data plan.

1. Select Start , then select Settings >Network & Internet >Mobile hotspot.
2. For Share my Internet connection from, choose the Internet connection you want to share.
3. If desired, select Edit > enter a new network name and password >Save.
4. Turn on Share my Internet connection with other devices.
5. To connect on the other device, go to the Wi-Fi settings on that device, find your network name, select it, enter the password, and then connect.

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Free WiFi Software for Laptop to Share Any Internet Connection

Turn Your Laptop Into a WiFi Hotspot — Easy, Fully Compatible, No Issues

Need to share an Internet connection with other devices? Or extend your WiFi range without any additional routers? Or bridge your game console onto your home network? Sounds like you need a free WiFi software for laptop!

Connectify Hotspot is the most popular and easy-to-use free WiFi software you can install on your laptop or computer. It lets you share Internet from your laptop, PC or tablet with your smartphone, media player, game console, e-reader, other laptops and tablets, and even your nearby friends. Whether you’re traveling, at home, or just working from a coffee shop, Connectify Hotspot keeps you connected anytime and anywhere. Follow along below as we explain how to share Internet with other devices with this free WiFi software for your laptop.

Four Steps to Get a Working Wireless Hotspot with Connectify Hotspot Free WFi Software for Laptop

Connectify Hotspot work on any computer, laptop or tablet that’s running Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, as well as Windows Server 2008 R2 and Server 2012. In fact, it’s the only free mobile hotspot software that works without issues on any PC with Windows 10.

Here are 4 steps to use the Connectify Hotspot free WiFi software for laptop to share the Internet connection with other devices:

1. Download and install the latest version of Connectify Hotspot on your PC or laptop.
2. Give your Hotspot a Name (SSID) and Password. In the Connectify Hotspot 2018 you can even add Emojis and Special Characters to your Hotspot Name!
3. Press the ‘Start Hotspot’ button to share your Internet connection. Make sure you have the ad blocker option selected,
   to save bandwidth, money and battery life.
4. Connect your devices. Any WiFi enabled devices can connect to your Hotspot!

What You Also Get by Using Connectify Hospot Free WiFi Software for Laptop

With most free WiFi software apps for laptop that “help” you share your Internet connection, you may encounter issues related to NAT levels, peering, Chromecast apps won’t find your Chromecast, your Apple TV won’t show up for your Mac to stream to… the list goes on.

Connectify Hotspot is the most popular virtual router software and free WiFi software for laptop. Apart from helping share the Intenet connection, here’s what you’ll get more from Connectify Hotspot:

• Boost your WiFi range with WiFi Repeater Mode in your dorm room or office and getting full coverage in your dorm room.
• Save up to 60% of Internet bandwidth by using the built-in universal ad blocker. It even blocks in-app ads!
• Easily bridge other devices onto your home network with WiFi Bridging Mode: eliminate all game consoles (Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox) and smart TV issues with your home WiFi network!
• Save Money While Traveling: Get all devices online for the price of one when being charged for Internet per device at hotels, on airplanes, etc.
• Share any Type of Internet Connection with All your Devices: share Internet from existing WiFi networks, LAN, DSL, 3G/4G, even tethered smartphones!

Download Connectify Hotspot FREE WiFi software for laptop today and seamlessly connect all your devices to wireless Internet. You won’t even have to waste any time with creating an account. See how this powerful app can ease your traveling pains and make sure all your devices stay connected, no matter where you are.

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