So I am at the airport and my laptop has built in mobile broadband and I have a cheap roaming subscription. Now I would like to do Internet connected stuff on my iPhone too, but that roaming data is ridiculously priced. Now with Windows 7 you can share your internet connection (nothing new) but you can make it an access point!

With the the drivers that came with Windows 7 for the Intel Wifi card, Windows also installs the Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter:

To configure it use the network shell command NETSH in Administrator elevated Command Prompt:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=BinkLaptop key=ChangeMe09

This configures a Wireless Lan network with SSID “BinkLaptop” and protected with the key “ChangeMe09”

Next enable Internet sharing on your internet connected network card, in my case that is the Wirelless Broadband modem card. Select the virtual Wifi as home networking connection:

Disable all but IP

Next start the hosted network:

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

Voila! That’s it

Now connect your phone or other WiFi enabled device to your Windows 7 Laptop Access Point

UPDATE (Thanks to ArnaudA Bink.nu member, see comments)

I use Windows 7 x64 Edition. The most Intel WiFi cards are not supported yet.

Supported Devices

Connectify works with new Windows 7 logo-tested WiFi devices, and many older devices that have compatible Windows 7 drivers. There are a number of Intel WiFi devices that do not have proper driver support. We are working on a solution that will allow Connectify to work with all WiFi devices (and even older versions of Windows) and will make an announcement when Microsoft have a resolution.

These devices are known to be compatible:

•Atheros AR5005GS (as in the TP-Link TL-WN651G)

•Atheros AR5007EG with 8.0.0.238 firmware

•Broadcom 4310-series (in many Dell laptops)

•D-link AirPlus G DWL-G510 Wireless PCI Adapter (driver version 3.0.1.0)

•Intel 5100/5300 (with latest drivers from Intel's site, version 13.0.0.107, 64bit systems only)

•Ralink RT2870 (in many 802.11n USB dongles)

•Realtek RTL8187SE (with the drivers that came with Windows 7)

•Realtek RTL8192u with 1370(Beta)

These older devices are known to be incompatible:

•Atheros AR9285 (likely others too)

•Belkin Wireless G MIMO devices (as of version 3.1.2.0)

•Broadcom 4320-series (in many Dell laptops)

•D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G122

•Gigabyte GA-WPKG 802.11g

•Intel 5100/5300 on 32 bit systems

•Intel 3945/4965,2200BG (most Intel cards, unfortunately)

•Mac Book Builtin Broadcom devices

•Realtek RTL8187 (like in older 802.11bg USB dongles)

•Zydas ZD1211 (also in 802.11bg USB dongles)

3G Mobile Broadband and Wireless Internet devices

Some wireless broadband providers' hardware disallows the use of their device in an ICS setup. Microsoft are working on a solution to support all of these and will make an announcement when we have a resolution.

These devices are known to be compatible:

•Clear 4G+ Mobile USB

•Dell 5520

•Franklin CDU680

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