Quick Tip: How To Turn Your Windows 10 Creators Update Device into a Wi-Fi Hotspot

Although connectivity has become nearly ubiquitous for most of us there are still times you might need to create your own hotspot to share a single internet connection to other devices.

In the past the only way to do this in Windows was through third party software but that has changed in the Windows 10 Creators Update.

You can now create your own Wi-Fi network that can be shared over your devices Wi-Fi broadcast even if it is receiving its own Internet connection over that same channel.

You can customize the network name, password, and which Wi-Fi band is used (2.5 or 5 GHz if your device supports both).

Here is how it works.

Step 1

Open the Windows Settings App and select Networking & Internet.

Step 2

Open Mobile Hotspot Settings and Configure Hotspot

A - Select which connection you will share. If your device has a wired connection then you will have the option between that or Wi-Fi.

B - Edit Network Name, Network Password, and Network Bands (2.5 or 5GHz)

C - This is turned on by default so toggle this off if you would prefer that Bluetooth connected users be unable to turn on the Wi-Fi Hotspot.

D - Toggle this setting to turn on your Wi-Fi Hotspot.

Here is the screen you will see for editing your Wi-Fi Hotspot in Step B above.

Step 3

Monitor Devices that are Connected to your Wi-Fi Hotspot

You are allowed to have a maximum of eight devices connected to your Wi-Fi Hotspot at any given time. The Mobile Hotspot settings page will show you those connected devices including the device name, private IP, and MAC address.

Note: As I am writing this how-to I have a Samsung Galaxy S8 connected to the Surface Book as a Wi-Fi Hotspot as shown above.

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