Turn Your Windows 7 Laptop into a Wireless Repeater with Only One Wireless Adapter

Up to date, wireless router is a basic device at home because wireless access point (AP) is required. Sometime, a wireless repeater is also needed in a big house especially that with a big yard. Actually, without wireless router, only a Windows 7 laptop can be turned into a WiFi hotpot or a wireless repeater. Many discussions can be found online regarding how to turn Windows 7 laptop into a WiFi AP or virtual WIFI hotpot, however, the internet surfing is based on a local area connection. If wanna extend a WIFI signal to an enhanced new wireless AP, generally two wireless adapters are considered.

Here, differently, with only one wireless adapter but without 3rd-party software, we can setup a wireless repeater in a Windows 7 Home Basic or Home Premium laptop with only one wireless adapter. This can boost the wireless signal to smart phones, tablet computers, or other wireless devices. Also, the mobility and flexibility allow extending the signal to a yard or a garage conveniently as you want.

It is known that a virtual wireless adapter can be created with a third party software or only Windows 7 built-in commands. But in Windows 7 Home Basic or Home Premium, usually the virtual wireless adapter cannot be created or a hosted network cannot be started. I found a specific approach to clear the issues.

We can follow the steps (successful setup in our two Windows 7 Home laptops),

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

2. A virtual wireless adapter can be created by command of,

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=sameabcd key=12345678

where sameabcd is your new ssid of the virtual AP, key is the password for virtual AP.

If the virutal adapter named 'Microsoft virtual WiFi miniport adapter' cannot be created, we have a specific method here.
Delete all temporary point to point ssid at Manage wireless networks in Network and Sharing Center, and change all static IP to dynamic IP. Then bridge Local Area Connection to Wireless Network Connection, again run the command above, usually, the virtual wireless adapter can be created. If not, update the driver of the wireless adapter. If no again, it means the wireless adapter does not support hosted network. When the 'Microsoft virtual WiFi miniport adapter' is created, delete the bridge immediately.

3. Start hosted network by

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

If the hosted network cannot be started, similarly, we still have a specific approach here.
Delete all temporary point to point ssid at Manage wireless networks in Network and Sharing Center, and change all static IP to dynamic IP. Then bridge Wireless Network Connection to Wireless Network Connection 2, run the above command again, usually the hosted network can be started. Then delete the bridge immediately, and run the command again.

4. Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Right click on Wireless Network Connection and select Properties. Go to the Sharing tab and check "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection." Then at the "Select a private network connection" drop down menu, select Wireless Network Connection 2 and click the OK button.

5. Searching the new created wireless signal, you can now get your smartphone, tablet computer, or any wireless device connected to the new WiFi AP.

If do not need wireless repeater, just stop it by

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

to stop the wireless hosted network.


This method is free and no any 3rd-party software is required.

After you set up the hosted network for the first time, you can just start or stop it by running following two batch files as administrator.


start.bat

netsh wlan start hostednetwork


stop.bat

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork


Or only one batch file as attached. start-stop.zip

Wireless routers can be had for under $45 and get superior coverage.

But if you're still living in your mother's basement apartment, then your above idea may be your best option.

Thanks for comment. I just focused on the function of wireless repeater not only a wireless router that actually cannot have such an ideal coverage in so many cases. For a large house with many stories and big yards, only one normal wireless router is not enough. In this case, wireless routers with function of WiFi repeater should be installed according to your opinion, but sometime not necessary only for temporary use. However, the flexibility of a laptop makes it practice. Actually sometime no power supply is found outside of house for far yard use, this idea may be a good option. Actually, why I have such idea was just from this.

Even for purchase of many wireless routers you suggest, you know the router with repeater function is different from a normal one, meanwhile you usually have to install third party firmware (dd-wrt, tomato, openwrt etc.) and then have a careful setup. In this case, my idea may be a practical option.

Using store-and-forward repeating, regardless if WDS based or not, halves your end point speed. We just use back-to-back radios.

Thanks for a new clue. I have two Cisco wireless routers, one 310n, one 320n. 310n was installed dd-wrt, ever set as repeater. 320n will be set as OpenVpn. As for convenience, for some cases, laptop repeater with battery power is a really good choice, you can imagine it.