Finally, Windows 10 has a standard and simple function that allows you to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi from a laptop or computer. This function is called "Mobile Hotspot". This is a separate tab in the parameters, where you can launch a Wi-Fi access point in just a few clicks. All you need to do is set the name and password of the Wi-Fi network that the laptop will distribute, and specify the Internet connection from which you want to distribute the Internet to your devices. Everything is very simple and straightforward. I checked everything, everything works fine.
Now, in order to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi in Windows 10, you do not need to perform complex configuration of the access point through the command line, as I wrote in the article on setting up Wi-Fi distribution from a laptop on Windows 10, or use third-party programs. It is enough to set up the "Mobile Hotspot" and activate the wireless hotspot function.
An important point! Mobile Hotspot feature appeared in Windows 10 version 1607... After installing the August 2, 2016 Anniversary Update. If your system has not been updated (there is no "Mobile hotspot" section), then there are two options: update Windows 10 to the latest version (via the update center, or by downloading an update from the Microsoft website), or start the access point using the command line ... I gave a link to the instruction above.
I tried different configuration options for this function. Launched the distribution of Wi-Fi from a laptop, and from a stationary computer, via a Wi-Fi adapter. True, it did not work with a PC, I will write at the end of the article about all the possible problems that you may encounter while setting up a mobile access point in Windows 10. I set up the distribution of the Internet, which is connected via a network cable, via a 3G / 4G modem (cellular network), and even over Wi-Fi.
To distribute the Internet, it must be connected to your computer and must work. Also, you must have a Wi-Fi adapter. It is built-in in a laptop, and USB adapters can be used on a PC. It should be connected, the driver installed, and there should be a "Wi-Fi" section in the settings and a button on the notification panel. If you have problems with Wi-Fi, then see this article.
Distribution of Wi-Fi through the "Mobile Hotspot" in Windows 10
First of all, open the parameters. Since we have detailed instructions, I show you how to do it:
Go to the "Network and Internet" section.
We open the section "Mobile hotspot". There will immediately be set the standard name of the Wi-Fi network, which will be broadcast by the computer and also set a standard password that must be used to connect to this network. You can leave them, or you can change them. To do this, click on the "Change" button.
Enter your network name and password. Password must be at least 8 characters.
In the drop-down menu "Internet connection sharing" you need to select the connection through which you have an Internet connection. It doesn't have to be "Ethernet". There may be a connection with the name of your ISP. To launch a mobile hotspot, click on the switch next to "Allow the use of my Internet connection on other devices".
That's all, the computer distributes the Internet via Wi-Fi. You can connect your devices to the mobile network using the set password. A maximum of 8 devices can be connected at the same time. Information on clients of the mobile hotspot will be displayed in the same window.
I tested everything, the Internet worked fine on the devices. I did not notice any breaks in communication.
Launching an access point when the Internet is via a 3G modem (mobile network)
I decided to connect my 3G USB modem to my laptop and try to launch the "Mobile Hotspot". After all, many people use the Internet precisely through 3G / 4G modems, and want to distribute it to their mobile devices, without buying a router. This method will suit you, everything works.
This is how it looks:
I can't say for sure that this method will work on all computers and with all modems, but everything works for me.
We connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, and distribute via a Wi-Fi network
Strange, isn't it? I decided to check this method too. There is not much sense in it, but nevertheless, it may be useful to someone. It turns out that you can receive the Internet via a wireless network, launch an access point and distribute it via Wi-Fi to your devices. It can come in handy when, for example, you were allowed to connect only one device to Wi-Fi. We connect a laptop, and we are already distributing the Internet through the "Mobile Hotspot".
Here's a weird feature, but it works. It turns out that the laptop acts as an access point with a wireless connection.
Mobile Hotspot Management
You can disable the function itself and stop distributing the Internet by simply setting the switch to the "Off" position. in the settings window.
Or by clicking on the button that appears when you click on the connection icon in the notification bar.
Everything is convenient and close at hand.
Possible problems when setting up an access point, and their solutions
As I wrote above, in the process of starting the access point, you may encounter various errors. When I tried to start a mobile hotspot on a stationary computer with a TP-LINK TL-WN721N adapter, I also encountered the error "Cannot set up mobile hotspot. Turn on Wi-Fi". What I just didn’t manage to start the virtual network. At the same time, on the same computer, with this adapter, it is possible to start the distribution of the Internet through the command line without any problems. I wrote about this in the instructions: setting up an access point via a Wi-Fi adapter.
Error "Unable to set up mobile hotspot. Turn on Wi-Fi"
This error looks like this:
According to my observations, this error appears due to problems in the Wi-Fi adapter driver, or due to the fact that the virtual adapter is disabled. At the same time, as I wrote above, I could not defeat this error on one computer. Although, there were all the necessary drivers in the device manager, and they worked. Even if your Wi-Fi is turned off with a button, the mobile hotspot starts up smoothly.
If you think logically, then the problem is definitely not in the absence of a wireless adapter driver, because if there were no driver, then the "Mobile hotspot" tab would not exist at all. In the same way as the "Wi-Fi" tabs in the settings.
Look for the problem in the device manager. First of all, try updating your Wi-Fi adapter driver. Reinstall it by downloading it from the manufacturer's website. If that doesn't work, then go to Device Manager and check if there is a "Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter". It may have a number at the end. It is through this adapter that the laptop distributes Wi-Fi in this way.
To do this, you first need to enable the display of hidden devices. If there is an icon next to the "Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter", then right-click on it and select "Enable".
If that doesn't help, you can still try the tips from this article.
A few more solutions
1 Error "This Internet connection cannot be shared because there is no connection to the mobile network.".
I got this error when I tried to start the distribution of the Internet when connected via a 3G modem. Everything was resolved simply by restarting the Internet connection. Make sure the internet is working on your computer. You can restart your computer, connect to the Internet, and start all over again.
2Error: "The mobile hotspot could not be configured because the computer does not have an Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or cellular connection.".
You will most likely see this error only when your computer is not really connected to the Internet. Check the connection.
This error also appears when your Internet is connected via PPPoE (high-speed connection). The mobile hotspot does not see such internet connections. Wrote more details here: https://help-wifi.com/nastrojka-virtualnoj-wi-fi-seti/mobilnyj-xot-spot-v-windows-10-cherez-pppoe-nabor-nomera-vysokoskorostnoe-podklyuchenie/
3Devices do not connect to a running Wi-Fi network... I have not encountered such a problem, but everything can be. Most often, the connection is blocked by antiviruses and firewalls. Disable them and check the network connection.
Since the problem turned out to be very popular, I prepared a separate article: devices do not connect to the access point in Windows 10. Obtaining an IP address.
Conclusions
Finally, Microsoft has made a simple solution for configuring such a useful and popular feature as an access point. This is much more convenient than entering incomprehensible commands through the command line. Everything works, but of course not without problems. I think the errors most often appear due to old drivers. After all, not all manufacturers have released drivers for Windows 10. And for many devices, these drivers will no longer be available.
If the "Mobile hotspot" function in Windows 10 for some reason does not work, then try starting the access point through the command line. I gave a link to the instruction at the beginning of this article.
In the comments, you can ask questions and share tips for setting up a mobile hotspot on your computer. Good luck!
