In this guide, we will discuss how to set up Wi-Fi sharing from a laptop on Windows 11, using built-in system features and third-party applications.
Like in previous versions of Windows, Windows 11 users can share internet from a laptop or computer (with a Wi-Fi adapter) to other devices via Wi-Fi. This material provides a detailed explanation of Windows 11’s built-in Wi-Fi sharing capabilities, possible difficulties and their solutions, as well as alternative methods using third-party software.
Windows 11 offers a built-in “Mobile Hotspot” feature that allows sharing your internet connection with other devices via Wi-Fi. The process of activating this feature is quite simple:
1. Find the Internet connection icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and click on it.
2. If the “Mobile Hotspot” icon is not present, click on the pencil icon to open the quick actions editing menu. If the option is already there, proceed to the next step.
3. Click “Add” and add “Mobile Hotspot,” then click “Done.”
4. Now, among the quick actions, a “Mobile Hotspot” button will appear, which you can use to enable internet sharing from your laptop.
5. Right-click on this button and select “Go to settings” to open the Wi-Fi sharing settings. These settings can also be found by navigating to Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Hotspot.
6. In the “Properties” section, you can change the network name, password, and choose the frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, depending on your device’s capabilities).
This feature usually works reliably, but sometimes problems can occur, and connected devices may not be able to access the internet.
If you encounter problems with Wi-Fi sharing in Windows 11, here are some recommendations that may help:
1. The function does not turn on: download and install the original drivers for your Wi-Fi adapter from the official website of your laptop’s manufacturer. Even if they list drivers for previous versions of Windows, try them — often they work better than those installed automatically by the system.
2. Connection Drops: disable the power-saving mode for the mobile hotspot and select the “High Performance” power scheme in the power settings.
3. No internet access on connected devices: check if the correct network is selected for sharing in the hotspot settings (the one through which the laptop is connected to the internet).
4. Disable Antivirus: some third-party antivirus programs may block Wi-Fi sharing, check their settings or temporarily disable protection.
5. Internet Sharing from a SIM Card: some mobile operators block the ability to share internet on certain plans. Make sure this is not your case.
This method is suitable for both Windows 11 and earlier versions of the operating system. Here is the sequence of steps:
1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (you can also use Windows Terminal — right-click the “Start” button and select the desired option).
2. Enter the command and press Enter:
netsh wlan show drivers
3. Check for Hosted Network Support: find the “Hosted network supported” line. If it says “Yes,” you can proceed with the setup. If “No,” the method won’t work (but you can use the built-in hotspot). Sometimes, installing different versions of the Wi-Fi adapter drivers can help.
4. Create a network by entering the following command:
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=softcomputers key=secretpassword
Here, WiFi_Name is the network name, and Password is the password (must be at least 8 characters).
5. To start Wi-Fi sharing, use the command:
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
If everything went successfully, a message will appear indicating that the hosted network has started.
6. To allow devices to access the internet through the shared network, press Win+R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
7. Open the Internet connection properties by right-clicking and, on the “Sharing” tab, check the option “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection.”
– A message appears stating that the hosted network cannot be started. Sometimes, rebooting the laptop or reinstalling drivers helps.
– The “Sharing” tab is missing in the connection properties. This can occur if you have only one connection or if sharing is already enabled for another connection.
– Ensure that the “Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)” service is active. Check its status via Win+R -> services.msc.
– Some antivirus and firewall programs may block hosted networks. Check their security settings.
Most applications used for sharing Wi-Fi in older versions of Windows are also compatible with Windows 11. One such utility is Connectify Hotspot. It can help in situations where built-in methods do not work, as it uses its own drivers and services. However, the utility is paid.
There are also free utilities that can perform a similar function, such as Virtual Router Plus, MyPublicWiFi, and others.
In most cases, one of the suggested methods will work if your laptop is equipped with a modern Wi-Fi adapter with up-to-date drivers and support for the necessary functions. However, keep in mind that if you try to share another Wi-Fi network via Wi-Fi using a single adapter, it may not work on all devices.
