Using my laptop as a router

My laptop is connected via Ethernet to the Internet and has a Broadcom 4313 wireless card as well. Is there a way to enable the wifi card to start broadcasting as if it were a router so my iPhone can use the laptop's Internet connection?

 

Virtual Router - Wifi Hot Spot for Windows 7 / 2008 R2

Connectify - Turn your Windows 7 laptop into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

 

I think Windows 7/Vista has a feature that can make your wifi in adhoc mode which others can connect to it, then enable the 'routing and remote access' service(this one was there since the XP era) would turn it into a wireless router.

Set up a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network

 

Just tried this, created a network, clicked Share Internet, but my iPhone cannot join even though I entered the right password.

 

ah, sorry to hear that it didn't work. unfortunately, i don't have iphone so nothing more I can help.

that said, if you want to share internet, i think get a cheap wireless router is much easier.

edit:

this guy has an iphone so may be his blog may help

http://alaashaker.wordpress.com/200...aptop-using-a-wireless-ad-hoc-network-iphone/

 

Thanks that worked perfectly!

 

I would not use WEP for security though, WPA(2) preferred.

 

This looks very interesting. We will be travelling in Europe and will get Internet connectivity through a UMTS USB stick, and I was thinking about a way we could share the connection rather then swapping the stick from laptop to laptop. This may be much easier than taking a router along. Has anyone tried and compared these applications?

 

It depends on how your UMTS is set up. If it's just a standard networking device you should be fine. But most of the dongles I've seen use a dialer program of some sort, and those likely prevent re-sharing of the Internet connection. The concept should all be the same, though.

 

Yes, the stick only works with a specific application, didn't think about that. Will certainly try it out once I'm there, and also curious about the "connectify" app anyway.

 

The carriers have written there software so sharing is not possible under there control. When I first started using a modem in 2006 I could share the web between two computers with a cat5 cable in XP. I use a router for this currently. I have Verizon and use a usb720 modem and plug the modem into a Cradlepoint MBR1000 evdo router. If you post the carrier and what model modem you have someone can direct you to which routers will work with it. You can also go to the Cradlepoint web site or the 3gstore and find this info out. Cradlepoints newest 3g/4g router the ctr35 is there least expensive model. It is an N router and you can hook up to 16 devices to it. It has great security and many other features. If free wifi is available you can deliver it through the router without making changes to settings and save on your wireless fees. You should research what you are going to be charged for your usage in advance and set it up. I read a post where a man and his son were traveling and they were charged over 20,000 dollars for the 3g usage for one weekend. Get with your carrier and see what plans they have available for when you travel. You can research much of this through the evdo forums also.

 

I know the OP has a Broadcom card, but for any others who find this thread: if you have an Intel WiFi 5100 or better you can use Intel's MyWiFi software to share your internet. You can be connected wirelessly and simultaneously share a new network. It's how I wirelessly connect my printer to my computer without using a router.

 

Thanks. I had installed Connectify yesterday and it worked fine. So I tried MyWiFi today and interestingly it used the wireless profile I had created yesterday with Connectify, but with more options. So far I have not been able to enable Internet sharing as this is done by another PAN, and an error occurs. Maybe the Connectify device (which I had exited) is interfering?

Update: I disabled the first Virtual Miniport Adapter in Devices and could enable Internet sharing easily. I think I will prefer MyWiFi over Connectify, but the final verdict will come with using the UMTS stick when in Europe in a few weeks.