Windows 10 and 11 and macOS computers can also pick up a signal from the network and share it again.
Imagine a scene like this: the description of the cabin or apartment where you are going to spend your vacation says that yes, it has Wi-Fi, but when you arrive, you see that due to its peculiar geographical location and an old-fashioned wireless router (there is no Wi-Fi 7), you have to be glued to the antenna to get the Internet. Or that yes, The Internet reaches the living room and the kitchen, but not the bedrooms, garden or balcony, which is ruins your intentions to socialize, watch movies or work during a beach or mountain vacation.
The good news is that this problem has been solved and Get better WiFi coverage , without getting involved in disputes with the homeowner and without investing in a signal extender, can be done quite simply. How? Using a modern mobile phone.
The vast majority of recent years Android and iPhone devices allow share your 4G or 5G connection as a Wi-Fi access point, but many people don’t know that Android devices can also replicate a wifi signal by generating a different signal (not in the case of the iPhone) and without using paid mobile data. It’s the same with a Windows or Mac computer: they can take over the wifi network they’re connected to and redistribute it to third parties.
So, for example, with a mobile phone we can connect to the wifi network where we are, strategically place it halfway between the router and the place where we really want to be (and where the initial signal does not reach), and that’s it: the mobile will serve as a wireless bridge (and without using mobile data).
However, unlike a power extender, they will not share the name of the wifi network, but will be independent: the mobile will be linked to a device that has an Internet connection, while other devices will connect to the second wifi network created by the smartphone.
We can choose the name of this network, set a password, Define how many devices can connect, set the network to shut down if no other device is connected for a while, and more.
Here’s how to set it up
It is very simple to use: in the phone’s notification menu there is an icon that appears from above and in which we activate wifi or Bluetooth; Long pressing the “Mobile Access Point” button(where mobile internet is shared), we will be able to access the configuration menu. It can also be searched for in your phone’s settings.
You can connect your mobile phone to a WiFi-connected device with a cable and set the settings “Mobile hotspot and Tethering‘ (mobile internet access and tethering) and enable the “Tethering to USB network” option. Alternatively, you can do it via Bluetooth by enabling Bluetooth on your device and computer by activating the option ‘Bluetooth tethering ” and that’s it. Depending on the Android version, the name of the option changes (“Networks and Internet” and “Connections” are other ways you can find this option in Settings).
It is possible to use even a phone that is no longer used, since no part of the process requires a 4G line: if the device is quite modern, we can use it as a backup for this purpose. If it’s very old and doesn’t have Wi-Fi sharing as a backup applications such as NetShare+ or PdaNet+ can be used.
If it has a built-in wifi signal repeater function (it should be installed on most devices with Android 7 or higher), using an old phone as a bridge has the advantage of not draining the battery of the phone you use every day, since, it must be said, This feature discharges the boot faster (and your phone may ask you to keep it plugged in). In addition, with an additional device we can continue to reply to messages from our own if we do not carry a computer, take photos or listen to music; If we have to leave, we can leave another device as a bridge for the rest of the family to keep in touch, etc.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this trick will have a negative impact on the available bandwidth (“speed”) because the connection will be split between the two devices. This feature can also increase the number of sensitive applications such as video games and video gamesdelays. In other words, The data will take a little longer to load.On the other hand, if a lot of wifi networks or a lot of devices are connected to the tethering point, interference may occur.
Whether it will be noticeable or not will depend on the initial connection Bandwidth , from how modern the router is equipped and what version of WiFi the mobile phone that we use to create a wireless bridge has.
It’s a matter of trial and error: in general, the results are good – especially Use during holidays or on a remote working day– and if that doesn’t work, you can go back to your original settings by tapping the Wi-Fi hotspot or mobile hotspot button on the mobile phone you used as your signal extender.
One more. So much Windows 10, so much Windows 11, both the latest versions of macOS allow you to do the same: take advantage of your Internet connection (Wi-Fi or wired) and create a personal access point that allows other devices to access the Internet through that secondary wireless network that your computer has created.
With Windows, the mobile hotspot is activated by a pop-up button that appears when you tap on the Wi-Fi icon. It is also located in the “Network and Internet” section of the settings, searching for the options “Mobile hotspot” and “Share my internet connection from”. Next, you need to select the Wi-Fi network, in some cases it is allowed to configure the network name and password. To activate it, turn on the “Mobile Access Point” and other devices will be able to connect.
MacOS in the system, this is System Settings/General/Share internet/Share your connection from /Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi Options /Share internet and that’s it.
