Hidden WiFi Hotspot

In this episode, Hidden WiFi Hotspot . . .

As many of you know, I'm a MAC user at home and a PC user at work. Recently I read an article from one of my favorite online newsletters, How-To Geek, that caught my eye, How to turn your Windows PC into a WiFi hotspot. You can click the link in the blog post to review the entire article if you like but here is a quick summary.

Did you know, Windows 10 and Windows 11 both have built-in features that can turn your laptop (or desktop) into a wireless hotspot, allowing other devices to connect to it and share your internet connection. Here's how it works.

Thanks to a hidden virtual WiFi adapter feature in Windows, you can create a WiFi hotspot. At the same time, you're connected to another WiFi network or wireless router, sharing one WiFi connection over another.

Why Share Your PC's Internet Connection?

Let's say your phone doesn't get good WiFi or cell reception when you're at your computer, but your PC is connected via an Ethernet cable. If your PC desktop or laptop has built-in WiFi, you can create a WiFi hotspot, then connect your phone, tablet, (or any other wireless device) to that hotspot. Then, your device's wireless traffic is routed back through the Ethernet line, giving you satisfactory performance.

Here’s a little Geek talk for those concerned about network security. WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E use WPA3, which enables encryption on public WiFi networks. But not all networks you'll encounter use those standards yet. If you want to encrypt all of your wireless traffic on a WiFi network, you can fire up a VPN on your PC (probably a laptop), then connect all of your wireless devices to that laptop's hotspot. Then all your internet traffic will be encrypted, and you don't need to worry about whether or not someone is snooping on your online activity.

Another option when you're traveling, circumvent Per-Device Fees. During a hotel stay, on a plane, or anywhere else, many WiFi networks these days have per-device fees. That’s so frustrating. This is another workaround used for the built-in WiFi hotspot functionality. When you arrive sign up for the WiFi plan with one device — your laptop — and create a mobile hotspot. Then connect your other devices to your Windows PC's hotspot.

So, how do Share an Ethernet or WiFi Connection in Windows 11?

1. Open the Windows Settings app by pressing in combination the Windows key, plus the letter I, or search for "Settings" in the Start Menu.
2. Once Settings is open, click "Network & Internet," then click the "Mobile Hotspot" arrow to select it from the list.
3. Turn ON the Mobile hotspot toggle.
4. Under Network properties you will see the name of your computer's WiFi network and its password.
5. Click Edit and you can change the name and password if you like.

Sounds easy enough, but let’s face it, as a MAC user changing Widows settings always seems to be a BIG challenge. To view the complete article, click the link in the Blog post or check out the How-To Geek Newsletter; it's free.

I’m Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.