Windows 7 App Turns Your Laptop into Virtual WiFi Hotspot

Windows 7 has been out less than two weeks and already we’re seeing third-party applications to exploit code in it. Gotta love the internet. The latest, called Connectify, takes advantage of a feature that Microsoft originally coded into Windows 7 but never finished. This piece of superfluous code makes it possible to turn a laptop into a virtual WiFi hotspot that can send an internet connection to any nearby WiFi-enabled devices.

Obviously this isn’t something that most people will use on a daily basis, but it certainly can come in handy. For instance, if you have only one Ethernet jack but several laptops that need to connect, Connectify allows the connected laptop to broadcast a signal to other devices. Potentially it could even allow several people to avoid connection costs at businesses by only connecting one laptop, but I’m sure the proprietors won’t approve.

Connectify is a free application that activates the dormant “Virtual WiFi” code in Windows 7 and is currently in beta testing. It will allow you to tether (hook up to the internet via your laptop’s ad hoc hotspot) any WiFi enabled device to your laptop no matter what operating system it’s running. Once the application is out of beta testing, in about six weeks, the final version of Connectify will probably come in a free, ad-supported version and a full version for an undecided amount.

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