Connectify takes control of Windows 7's Virtual Wi-Fi feature and turns the laptop into a hotspot.
PC Advisor reports that Philadelphia developer Nomadio has discovered an unfinished Windows 7 feature (Virtual Wi-Fi) that can turn a laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot. That means other devices in the near vicinity can access the Internet without the need for special tunneling software. The company has now exploited the uncovered treasure and created a free application called Connectify, released just last week.
Microsoft's research group originally began development of Virtual Wi-Fi years ago; the feature would take a network card and virtually split it into several, separate adaptors. However, Microsoft halted its development back in 2006, but apparently never removed the feature from the operating system. Now it appears in Windows 7 as "Native 802.11 Virtual Wireless Fidelity (Virtual Wi-Fi) object identifiers (OIDs)".
Alex Gizis, CEO of Nomadio, told PC Advisor that driver support for Virtual Wi-Fi was never finished. With that said, the driver-level "stuff" isn't present, however the "low-level code" is still intact. There's also no application or setting to turn the feature on. Naturally, this is where Connectify comes in.
But Gizis was quick to point out that the software differs from Internet connection sharing. "For one thing, it shows up as a real wireless access point," Gizis said. "Two, internet connection sharing has issues. It returns to the default settings every time you shut down a connection. And three, you can join another wireless network and still run the Connectify Hotspot on the same Wi-Fi card."
Head to the official Connectify website to learn more about making your Windows 7 laptop an Internet hotspot.
I remember reading an article about it, cause my first thought was 'Hey, now I can use the virtual wifi to conquer my apartment complex' various routers, and combine their connections to get better throughput :3
This is the money maker here. Any laptop can now be used a signal extender, basically.
Possibly even more important, you don't need a wireless router if you have a desktop near the modem, just plug the modem directly into the PC, and boom, WiFi router.
Didn't you need one network card for an 'adhoc' network, and one other to connect to the internet, or can you with one and the same card be connected to a wifi, while sending wifi signal to the pc/laptops?
One 802.11 adapter (Built in or Wi-Fi card)
= 1 Wi-Fi adapter
+ 1 Virtual Wi-Fi Adapter which can act as an access point.
The only new thing here is the Connectify software from Nomadio.
It was the big thing and if i remember the orginal article i read
said that all windows 7 new wifi adapters had to support mutiple
connections. It was to allow mesh networks. I forget what microsoft
calls the actual term. But Its on there knowledge base, and was on
the net months ago. Atleast 2 months ago.
Somehow I don't think they will, I cant think of any instance where they slapped a devloper for increasing the functionality of windows, after all they never stopped software like tweakUI, object desktop, mermory managers and other windows optimisation/customisation apps which tapped in to 'features' or code unavailable through the standard interface. Besides if the code was part of any sent as part of a developer kit then I dont think they even have recourse to.
dude... are you even reading??????
dude... are you even reading??????
*forgot about the citation there
well, your desktop would need a wireless adapter...
might as well spend that money on a router so you dont have to have you pc on to use ur laptop.
I'd be wary about lag when bouncing a signal using the same device like that anyway.
i have never seen a reasonable Linux fan in my life! what is wrong with you people?! why are so angry about microsoft?!!
what's the problem here? what is wrong about this news?! if you can, if you know anything about operating systems, please enlighten us!
Maybe because they got rid of the gamer/drm o$ idiosyncrasies, and are sick of wintarded m$ fankiddies... Microsuxx "networking" is a prime example.
Half a year ago, m$ marketingdroids, and media ad pu$hers, drummed about the wonderful new virtual Wi-Fi "feature, not a bug", as the latest and greatest achievement in $even's networking, to just drop it dead (apparently years ago, but magically resuscitated, and again left unfinished) in the final version of vi$hta sp2+lipstick.
"Since 2002, Microsoft Research has been exploring a fascinating idea to virtualize the WiFi adapter, turning a single piece of hardware and radio into virtually (pun) unlimited adapters. Years after the project was seemingly abandoned, it is now uncovered Virtual WiFi technology has been baked into the Windows 7 networking foundations."
There is no such blatant false advertising in the penguin world...
After you'll use a *nix system, you'll never ask stupid questions again.
It's pretty obvious you're just a Microsoft hater. I grew up with Unix and I'll stick with Windows now. I still use Unix, yes Unix not the bastardized child Linux incarnations, to play with but I'll stick with an OS that runs 100% of commercially available software natively. Most Linux fun boys are mainly just Microsoft haters. Ossie wasn't a glimmer is his daddy's eyes when I was using Unix. Come down off your soapbox and stop sounding like an idiot.