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You can make a computer share its internet connection with nearby devices using built-in hotspot or Internet Sharing settings. On Windows, turn on Mobile hotspot; on a Mac, configure Internet Sharing; on Ubuntu desktop, enable Wi-Fi Hotspot. The computer then acts as an internet gateway for connected devices, but the setup and available connection options depend on its operating system and network hardware.
Choose the internet connection to share and how devices will connect
Before switching anything on, identify two things: the connection that brings internet to the computer (the upstream connection), and the connection that client devices will use. For example, a computer connected to the internet by Ethernet may share it over Wi-Fi. The sharing feature can only use the connections and controls its operating system and hardware provide.
- Check whether your computer has internet through Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular service.
- Choose a sharing interface offered by your operating system, commonly Wi-Fi or, on Windows, Bluetooth.
- Set a network name and password if the system provides those controls, then connect a phone, tablet, or other client device.
Windows Internet Connection Sharing can configure a system as a gateway for a small network, including services such as name resolution and DHCP. Microsoft’s policy documentation says ICS is available only when two or more network connections are present. That explains the gateway role; it does not establish that a computer hotspot matches a dedicated router’s availability, performance, or feature set. Microsoft Learn: Policy CSP – Wifi
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- Open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot.
- Under Share my internet connection from, choose the connection the PC uses to get online.
- Under Share over, choose Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Microsoft identifies Wi-Fi as the usual, faster option and the default.
- Optionally open Properties to change the hotspot network name, password, or band.
- Turn on Mobile hotspot. On the other device, select the hotspot name and enter its password, or scan the QR code if available.
Windows 11 also provides a Mobile hotspot quick action in Quick Settings. Microsoft’s instructions cover Windows 10 and Windows 11; the exact controls available can depend on the PC’s connections and hardware. If the PC shares cellular service, connected devices use data from the PC’s cellular plan. Microsoft Support: Use your Windows device as a mobile hotspot
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- 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢-𝐅𝐢 𝐎𝐧-𝐓𝐡𝐞-𝐆𝐨 - Connects to public Wi-Fi and creates a private, secure network for all your devices. Supports multiple devices at once, ideal for hotels, Airbnbs, airports, and even home use. VPN connectivity enables secure remote work. This is not a Mi-Fi device or mobile hotspot.
- 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐲 - Offers (1) Router Mode for Ethernet or USB (phone) tethering connections, (2) Hotspot Mode for secure access to public WiFi , and (3) AP/RE/Client Mode to extend WiFi, add WiFi to wired setups, or connect wired devices wirelessly.
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Windows 10 support status
Microsoft states that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. The Mobile hotspot instructions still cover Windows 10, but the support status is an important consideration when using it in 2026.
Share a Mac’s internet connection
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > General > Sharing.
- Enable Internet Sharing, then click Configure.
- Choose the internet source under Share your connection from.
- Under To devices using, select the port or interface client devices will use.
- If sharing over Wi-Fi, set the network name, security option, and password, then click Done.
Apple recommends WPA3 Personal if all client computers support it, or WPA2/WPA3 Personal if some support only WPA2. Apple also warns that using the same port for the internet connection and local network can disrupt the network in some cases. Its example is a cable-modem setup that could unintentionally affect other ISP customers and lead the ISP to terminate service; this is a conditional warning, not an outcome Apple says applies to every Internet Sharing setup. Apple Support: Share the internet connection on Mac with other network users
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- 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 - TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. Advanced security is integrated into the device’s design, development, and ongoing maintenance.
Create a Wi-Fi hotspot in Ubuntu desktop
- Open the system menu and expand Wi-Fi.
- Select All Networks, open the top-right menu, and choose Turn On Wi-Fi Hotspot….
- Use the generated network name and security key to connect other devices. A phone or tablet can join by scanning the QR code.
Ubuntu’s desktop instructions describe sharing an internet connection configured on another interface, such as a wired or cellular connection. They also warn that one wireless adapter can connect to or create only one network at a time. If the computer is already connected upstream over Wi-Fi, the hotspot flow may ask you to disconnect from that network; do not assume a single adapter can maintain the Wi-Fi connection and broadcast a separate hotspot simultaneously. These steps apply to Ubuntu desktop, not automatically to every Linux distribution or desktop environment. Ubuntu Documentation: Create a wireless hotspot
If the hotspot will not start or devices cannot connect
- Check the source connection: confirm the computer is online and that you selected the correct upstream connection in the sharing settings.
- Check available interfaces: make sure the operating system offers the chosen sharing method and that the computer has the required network connection.
- For Wi-Fi-to-Wi-Fi sharing on Ubuntu: check whether the computer is already connected to Wi-Fi. Ubuntu documents the one-wireless-adapter, one-network-at-a-time limitation.
- Check client credentials: connect to the hotspot’s displayed network name and enter its current password, or use its QR code when offered.
- For a Mac: review the selected source and destination interfaces, and take Apple’s same-port warning into account before sharing through a port also used for the local network.
The cited setup guidance does not establish a universal troubleshooting procedure for every Wi-Fi adapter or Linux distribution. Adapter capabilities can vary, so a hotspot failure alone does not show that every PC is unable to share a connection.
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- 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐲 - Offers (1) Router Mode for Ethernet or USB (phone) tethering connections, (2) Hotspot Mode for secure access to public WiFi , and (3) AP/RE/Client Mode to extend WiFi, add WiFi to wired setups, or connect wired devices wirelessly.
- 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢-𝐆𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 - 1x 2.5 Gbps WAN and 1x 1 Gbps LAN ports, along with WiFi 7 speeds, enable fast wired and wireless data transmissions.
- 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 - TP-Link is a signatory of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Secure-by-Design pledge. This device is designed, built, and maintained, with advanced security as a core requirement.
When a PC hotspot is the right fit
Built-in sharing is useful when you need to pass an existing connection from a computer to nearby devices and the computer has compatible interfaces. It depends on that computer and its network connections. If your goal is a persistent household gateway, a dedicated router is a separate option; the operating-system setup guidance does not provide a performance or feature comparison between routers and computer-hosted hotspots.
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