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I have a weak Wi-Fi signal that I can receive only by using my Windows 7 Laptop which uses an external Wi-Fi antenna..

I have an iPad which doesn't receive the signal as well - if at all - so I'm thinking if I could use the laptop either to share the connection with USB or make the laptop an Access Point to kind of "repeat" the signal (I don't know if its the right terminology).

Which is the easiest method to do this? I have to set this up remotely so the instructions should be as minimal as possible.

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The GUI option

You can install a virtual router software package such as MaryFi (free) or Connectify.

Creating a hosted network from the command line

Another option is to do what you want from the command line. You must do a three-part procedure.

Part one

Start up a command prompt. Depending on your UAC settings you might need to use Ctrl+Shift+Enter to run CMD as an administrator.

Enter these two commands:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=network-name key=password

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Choose whatever you want for the network-name and password.

This will create a wireless hosted network. Don't connect any devices to it yet. (If you connect some devices now, the devices will be able to communicate with each other, but won't be able to access the Internet.)

Part two

Open up the Network Connections control panel (ncpa.cpl). Right-click on your Wi-Fi controller. Choose "Properties". Go to the "Sharing" tab. Figure out which network controller name represents your Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter. Allow the users of that virtual controller to access your computer's Internet connection.

Part three

Only now should you connect your tablet to the hosted network.

Note

If the laptop goes to sleep or hibernates, the virtual router/repeater won't start automatically after you wake/resume the PC. You'll have to start it again. Or you can just put the first two commands in a batch file and put the file on your desktop.

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  • Thanks. Could I use also a hardware solution to repeat/make the signal stronger?
    – George Katsanos
    Aug 21, 2014 at 9:25
  • Yes, if you have an old router you can Turn Your Old Router into a Range-Boosting Wi-Fi Repeater
    – ICTAddict
    Aug 22, 2014 at 11:00
  • "The wireless local area network interface is powered down and doesn't support the requested operation." happens after executing the second command. Any ways of fixing this or is it a hardware problemo?
    – Rubydesic
    Jan 12, 2016 at 2:04

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