Suppose you have a WiFi adapter installed on your computer, but your main internet connection uses the LAN port. No mobile device that depends on WiFi could access the web under those conditions, unless... the WiFi adapter becomes a kind of virtual router. There are several tutorials that enable this function via the Windows console, but Virtual Router reduces the work to a couple of clicks.
Wireless connections have become a fundamental resource for millions of users, and when they fail, well... let's say there is no shortage of colorful expressions. Whether it's temporary issues or a more serious hardware problem: if there are mobile devices at home, there should be a relatively stable WiFi access point. Most providers already include WiFi in their modems, but if someone is in the bind of buying a router and the budget has declared war, there is another option. With the help of a WiFi adapter (whether internal or via USB) and a bit of software, any desktop or laptop can be turned into a virtual WiFi router. Where does that software come from? From the Virtual Router project.
Once installed, Virtual Router asks for an SSID name for the virtual wireless network, a password with a minimum of eight characters (WPA2 security), and the shared connection (this means that the physical internet connection must be previously shared with the WiFi adapter in the network properties). If all goes well, pressing Start Virtual Router should make your mobile devices detect the virtual WiFi network as if it were generated by a real router. "Tethering, in the other direction." The final performance will depend on many factors, but the available speed will be more than sufficient for the demands of any smartphone or tablet.
As always, I've tried to thoroughly evaluate Virtual Router's operation, and I'm afraid I didn't have much luck on Windows 10 64-bit. Maybe it's my WiFi network adapter, its driver, or some other tantrum of the operating system. Virtual Router hasn't been updated in more than three years, but it lists Windows 7 and Windows 8 as supported operating systems. In other words, my bad luck is only mine, and with half the market firmly under the wings of Windows 7, Virtual Router remains a valid option.
