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How to Use your PC as a Wi-Fi Router in a Few Simple Steps

Turn your PC into a router via Settings or let a third-party tool do the work for you

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Making the best of your connection was always imperative. If you’re, say, stuck with an outdated modem that lacks Wi-Fi support, you’ll be able to use nothing but the wired connection.

However, no one said that you can’tturn yourPCinto awirelessrouterthat spreads the joy of the internet to all surrounding Wi-Fi-capable devices (read: every modern device out there).

Because of that, we offer a few ways to take the full potential of yourPCand use it as a virtual router. The router that we all need and deserve.

If you’re not accustomed to creating and configuring virtualwirelessrouters, the steps we provided below should show you how to do it in no time.

How to turn your PC into a Wi-Fi router

1. Use Windows resources

After theWindows 10 Anniversary Update, Windows 10 users are able to create a Wi-Fi hotspot with nothing else but system resources. This feature comes in handy in many scenarios and eliminates the need to install various third-party programs in order to share the Wi-Fi or wired connection to other devices.

1. Right-click on theStart buttonand open theSettingsapp from the options.

2.SelectNetwork & internetfrom the menu that opened.

From the left pane, selectMobile Hotspot.

4.Toggle ON theShare my internet connection with other devicessetting.

5.Click onEdit.

Give yournewly-created Hotspot a name and set apassword, then click onSave.
Now that your Wi-Fi is set-up, all you need to do is try to connect to it using another device.

Basically, everything you need is a Wi-Fi adapter and a few tweaks and you’re good to go.

The procedure is as simple as they come, but we made sure to walk you through in the steps above.

2. Try Virtual Router Manager

If for some reason you’re unable to utilize the built-in mobilehotspot, there are also third-party programs (or rather tools) that should correct that injustice.

There’s a multitude of tools, some better some worse, so we curated them and brought to you the most reliable ones.

The first tool is widely regarded as the best virtual router manager and it’s called, expectedly, Virtual Router Manager.

The tool is completely free and it’s easy to set up.

Besides that, it comes with quite a simple and intuitive interface, and it’s light on resources. Here’s how to use it on Windows 10 (or any other Windows version, for that matter):

3. Use Connectify Hotspot

The second tool is also quite popular in the virtual routers niche, it’s a freemium tool, and it’s calledConnectify Hotspot.

In comparison to Virtual Router Manager, Connectify is a ted more feature-rich and it holds the overall simplicity and intuitive design. However, it can get on your nerves with frequent ads and pop-ups reminding you to buy the premium version.

The setup is quite similar, but, just in case you’ve run into trouble, make sure to check the steps below:

The steps listed above should be enough to allow you to use your Windows 10 computer as a router. Now, if your hardware configuration does not allow you to follow the steps mentioned earlier, you can simply install one of thesehotspot software solutionson your machine.

Download your software of choice, install and simply follow the on-screen instructions to get the job done.

That should conclude it. Now you should be able to use yourPCas a virtual router and spread the Wi-Fi joy to a whole household. Finally, don’t forget to share your questions and suggestions below. We’ll be happy to hear from you.

How to Use your PC as a Wi-Fi Router in a Few Simple Steps#

How to turn your PC into a Wi-Fi router#

1. Use Windows resources#

2. Try Virtual Router Manager#

3. Use Connectify Hotspot#

How to Use your PC as a Wi-Fi Router in a Few Simple Steps

How to turn your PC into a Wi-Fi router

1. Use Windows resources

2. Try Virtual Router Manager

3. Use Connectify Hotspot