Creating A Wifi Hotspot For My Smartphone

[vagabond48]

In a week, I will be using my building's wifi hotspot. Unfortunately, it only allows one user per account. I just bought my wife a Samsung Ace2 smartphone and want it to be able to access my laptop when I am connected to the building's wifi hotspot. I am currently using XP Pro with Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG. Can someone suggest how I can do this? I really don't want to purchase 2 separate wifi hotspot connections.

Thanks

Edited December 24, 2012 by vagabond48

[monty]

As far as I know can't be done easily, as you have only 1 wireless adapter in your laptop.

For what you want, you'd need 2, one connecting to the building's wifi and the second to share the connection towards other users...

Unless you can connect your laptop to the building's internet with a cable, you'll be out of luck...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[monty]

Or you could buy a 2nd wifi adapter (usb) and use that.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[lomatopo]

Not sure if this works for your application: http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/internet-sharing-tethering/ht/how-to-set-up-an-ad-hoc-wireless-network.htm

Android 4.x.x supports WiFi Direct, but I'm not sure if your Ace2 has 4.x.x? http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/p/wi-fi-direct.htm

[vagabond48]

Or you could buy a 2nd wifi adapter (usb) and use that.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

I was just about to ask this. I see these 150M wireless mini USB adapter wifi 802.11n on ebay for under 200B. Will these work for me?

[TwentyBaht]

vagabond48,

Would suggest looking at a "Connectify Hotspot" from your laptop.

http://www.connectify.me/

Works well on Win7. WinXP??

Cheers

[lomatopo]

I've used the Tenda W150M in some IPTV apps. It can also function in WISP mode which would address your application.

http://mixsats.tarad...iFi Bridge.html

Edited December 24, 2012 by lomatopo

[SpaceKadet]

Connectify will not work on Windows XP. You need to upgrade to Win7.

Even with the second WiFi adapter you will not be able to create a WiFi hotspot. Some people here might suggest to use Windows ICS, but this can only create Ad-Hoc Wifi networks, and Android does not support onnection to Ad-Hoc networks.

[Dork]

http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/WL330N3G/

I carry this travel router with me for sharing a paid wifi connection in hotels. There are other similar devices available but run of the mill routers don't support this function. The function you need is sometimes described as "hotspot mode" or "wifi account sharing"

I'm pretty sure a DD-WRT flashed router can also manage this but have never tried it.

As other posters have suggested, it can be done from a laptop running Win7 or a 3rd party application but from my experience it's finicky to setup and not very stable if the wifi signal you are receiving is not strong.

[SpaceKadet]

That is a nice gadget Dork! And yes, it will do what the OP has been asking for. I've already written to Santa too...

[JakeBKK]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

[vagabond48]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

I like this reverse method but really don't have a clue how my XP laptop would connect to the smartphone hotspot connection.

[monty]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

Can't do!

You can only activate wifi hotspot to share mobile internet (2G/3G).

When you are connected to wifi and want to activate the hotspot function, it will tell it's going to disconnect the wifi connection first so it can enable the hotspot function!

[JakeBKK]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

I like this reverse method but really don't have a clue how my XP laptop would connect to the smartphone hotspot connection.

Your smartphone than creates it's own "mini hotspot" like samsung-phone which your xp computer can hook up to.

monty: you are right. stock ics can't - sorry about that. but there are lot of tethering apps out there.

Edited December 26, 2012 by JakeBKK

[monty]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

I like this reverse method but really don't have a clue how my XP laptop would connect to the smartphone hotspot connection.

Your smartphone than creates it's own "mini hotspot" like samsung-phone which your xp computer can hook up to.

monty: you are right. stock ics can't - sorry about that. but there are lot of tethering apps out there.

Looked at several tethering/ sharing apps and non can share wifi.

To share wifi you need two wifi adapters and no phone that I know of has this.

Using your phone as a hotspot you can only share the 3G internet of your phone, you cannot re-share a wifi access point.

Would like to see the app that can do that, would love to be provem wrong...

Sent from my GT-I9001 using Thaivisa Connect App

[lomatopo]

do it the other way around. 1)hook you smartphone up. (2/3/4 G or wifi) and use mobile hotspot (in gingerbread download an app / in ics in settings) - 2) log-in with your notebook.

This won't work. Mobile AP does allow one to share the phone's mobile data connection (2G or 3G) via WiFi, but there is no way to simultaneously share the phone's WiFi connection both 'upstream' and 'downstream'.

There are some 'reveres tethering' apps, which can use bluetooth between the phone and a PC, and then use the WiFi Mobile AP on the phone, but I haven't found any reliable 'off-the-shelf' apps.

Does the Asus WL-330N3G take a SIM directly, or does it take a USB aircard?

[poanoi]

Buy a wifi router, it works like a charm.

The router will then serve both your pc & phone, as many as you want

Edited December 26, 2012 by poanoi

[JakeBKK]

Why not simply use the usb cable to share the connection ?

[monty]

Why not simply use the usb cable to share the connection ?

This you can do.

But it looks like the whole point of the OP is that both he, on his laptop, and his wife, on the phone, can use the single internet connection simultaneously.

Bit hard for the wife if her phone is hooked up to hubby's laptop with a USB cable

[vagabond48]

Why not simply use the usb cable to share the connection ?

This you can do.

But it looks like the whole point of the OP is that both he, on his laptop, and his wife, on the phone, can use the single internet connection simultaneously.

Bit hard for the wife if her phone is hooked up to hubby's laptop with a USB cable

I guess a 100 meter cable could work for us

[David006]

hmm...... one of those too hard basket things..have hooked up our androids to my pc via wifi ...androids see the pc okay .....pc has a wet string wireless modem 1G ? internet connection..still struggling to get android to access the internet though.........tink I will just buy a 1000bt router....before I throw the fricking thing out the window....

[AlaskaDave]

I had the same problem where I lived last year. One account that can be accessed by only one computer at a time. A real PITA.

To get around this you have two options not counting buying an air card. They've both been mentioned but I'll add one detail. The wi-fi router option will work but you have to buy a router. Not expensive but you can use a free tethering application for your Android smartphone which will make your phone an access point for one of your computers. Your phone is connected to the computer by a USB cable and dTac or True provides Internet data over the phone connection. The application is called PDANet. There is a small application that runs on your computer and one that runs on your smartphone. When you want to use that second connection you merely fire up PDANet on your phone, then start the app on your computer. When they inform you that a connection exists, away you go.

Now that we're living in a building where we can use multiple devices, I nd still find occasion to use PDANet when i'm traveling. Some hotels don't have free wi-fi and in some the signal is weak. That's when the tethering comes in handy.You will probably need to upgrade your Internet options with the cellphone service provider but it's fairly cheap as long as you don't download too many movies. The connection speed through dTac is respectable, about 2Mbps down, so you have a useable high speed connection on tap at all times. The app is free but if you want too use it to access secure sites like your bank, it will eventually nag you to buy a $15 lifetime subscription.

I've used it for over a year now and it works beautifully.

[Dork]

Does the Asus WL-330N3G take a SIM directly, or does it take a USB aircard?

No it doesn't take a SIM directly, you need to attach a 3G dongle. Though I've never done that because, as others have said here, most smart phones can share 3G and since of my travelling is to other countries where data roaming might bankrupt me.

The attraction of this device is that it can "share" a paid internet connection that requires a login whether by cable or wifi. Travelling in Asia, the rule of thumb is - stay in a USD20 hotel and you will get free wifi - stay in a USD200 hotel and they will charge you USD20 for the wifi. Per device!

[Fgis]

CONNECTIFY ME is a miracle !

Works perfectly, nothing to setup !

Bu you can also use a micro USB wifi adapter to share the wifi internet connection that your computer gets from hotel.

[Dork]

CONNECTIFY ME is a miracle !

Works perfectly, nothing to setup !

Bu you can also use a micro USB wifi adapter to share the wifi internet connection that your computer gets from hotel.

Great suggestion!

Just downloaded it and as you say, it works perfectly - at least on my home wifi. It could even share my VPN connection from notebook to smartphone which will be useful for me in China.

Have you tried sharing a paid (web login) wifi account with Connectify-me?

[MikeENZ]

Anyone used this?

Moving somewhere where the only internet available is wifi:

http://www.asus.com/Networking/WL330NUL

and if so where can I get it from?

[Maestro]

http://www.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/WL330N3G/

I carry this travel router with me for sharing a paid wifi connection in hotels. There are other similar devices available but run of the mill routers don't support this function. The function you need is sometimes described as "hotspot mode" or "wifi account sharing"...

This is the device I would recommend, too. Configure it as a "Repeater" and it does exactly the job you are looking for. I bought mine by mail order from invadeIT: http://www.invadeit.co.th/search/wl-330n3g/. Use the username and password you have been given for your single-user use to configure it, then plug it into any wall outlet and anybody within range can use it with the login data you give him/her.

[Maestro]

I have the habit of reading through the users guide before buying a device and the one for the Asus WL-330N3G is here: http://www.manualowl.com/m/Asus/WL-330N3G/Manual/298800.

There is also a YouTube video here: