Technology & Productivity How to share your wireless internet connection with family and friends.

Brian Carlson, CompleteMarkets - Industrial Hillside, NJ 07205

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Traveling is a fact of life, whether done for business or pleasure; there are times when you will need to leave familiar surroundings for destinations unknown. But what are some important things to bring on these journeys? Items like a toothbrush, clothing, camera, or even a laptop will always make the list. One thing that most people don’t realize that they can “pack” is the internet. Traveling without the internet is the equivalent of not having eyes, ears, or a voice in the global village that is today’s internet. A smartphone is a good start, but it will only get you so close. Accessing the internet only through a smartphone is like looking at the Grand Canyon through a three inch window, it works in a pinch but you are guaranteed to miss the big picture.

Connecting that smartphone to your laptop can improve the experience, but at what cost? Not many people are interested in adding an extra $40 to a phone bill that is already overflowing. Wi-Fi is the best solution that won’t break the bank. It’s available in hotel rooms, camp grounds, airports, and even in airplanes nowadays. Wi-Fi is fast, like a mythical unlimited 4G connection compared to a dialup connection. But many of the places that offer Wi-Fi have monetized it, charging a separate access fee for each connected device. These separate fees can add up when connecting a laptop, smartphone, and tablet. Add the same amount of devices from a co-worker or significant other and the daily access fees can rival the price of a hotel room. But there is a useful, and legal, way around paying for each connected device and it doesn’t require an extra monthly bill or traveling with more digital gear.

The solution is called a “Virtual Router,” and is simply a piece of software that you install on a laptop. There are a couple different options available from various software companies, but Connectify is my favorite because it can be used for free and integrates with firewall software that satisfies my inner security-geek. The instructions are straightforward: connect to the network, agree to the terms of the provider and pay for access, turn Connectify on and allow your other devices to connect to the new Wi-Fi hotspot that is being broadcast from your laptop. The second time you use the software it becomes even easier, since your devices will remember and connect automatically to the Connectify hotspot. The only trouble that I have experienced with this software is when simultaneously using free firewalls like AVG, ZoneAlarm, or Comodo. These are all good security applications but they can get a little confused about multiple internet connections bouncing through the laptop they are installed on. Windows Firewall, however, works like a champ with Connectify and comes with the added bonus of protecting your connected devices.

14 year(s) ago

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