Windows – How to force enable “Soft AP” to allow hostednetwork

netshwindows 10wireless-access-pointwireless-bridgewireless-networking

Question Status: Unresolved – 7/10/17

My WiFi Adapter, Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 v19.20.0.6, supports the use of creating hosted networks by "Soft AP," I know so because it has been able to before.
But my issue comes that I can no longer able to start the hostednetwork via the usual netsh wlan start hostednetwork

which yields me this error

The hosted network couldn't be started.
The group or resource is not in the correct state to perform the requested operation.

but of course this is due to that

netsh wlan show wirelesscapabilities
...
Soft AP                                     : Not supported

and thus

Hosted network supported  : No

This as I know is a result of a version change in the software and I also have been online seeing that others are having similar issues. Nonetheless, I want to be able to force "Soft AP" to be supported and ultimately force "Hosted Network" to be started, as it is within the capabilities of the wifi adapter.

Note: I would use Windows 10's new built in hotspot creator to do so but you can NOT start it without being connected to the internet, which is my goal. Help would be much appreciated by myself and others with this grief.

EDIT: Registry, Powershell, CMD, Windows Utilities or self-modification of driver files, etc. – are my guesses to what the resolution may look like.

Best Answer

https://www.intel.in/content/www/in/en/support/articles/000023257/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking.html The following Intel Wireless Adapters do not support soft AP and ad-hoc features that implement the new Windows 10 WDI model (driver version 18.30 or later):

Intel® Wireless-AC 9560 Intel® Wireless-AC 9462 Intel® Wireless-AC 9461 Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 Intel® Tri-Band Wireless-AC 18260 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Intel® Tri-Band Wireless-AC 17265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-N 7265 Intel® Wireless-N 7265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165

HACK PART Install Windows 8 (32/64) drivers for the adaptor. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24863/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-Windows-8-?product=83635

which is 17.16.0 version with Hosted Network Capability (In latter versions ability of hosting network is removed).

Trick Part Open "C:\Windows\Temp" or "C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp" folder. Run the "Wireless_17.16.0_De64.exe" with administrator privilage. Quickly jump to "temp" folder & watch for new temporary folder in which contents of "Wireless_17.16.0_De64.exe" are extracted copy that folder / files to desktop (or a new folder) very quickly as within few seconds extracted temporary folder's content will be auto deleted. Now open device maganer (Windows+R, devmgmt.msc, Enter) Network Adapters >>> Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 Right click on "Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165" select "Properties" Driver >>> update driver >>> browse my computer for driver software >>> let me pick from available software......>>> Have Disk >>> Browse (Navigate to drivers copied folder & select appropriate driver file) >>> Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 & Install.

Now with this drivers the adapter will regain the hosted network ability.

Then follow: netsh wlan show drivers

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode= disallow

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="L460" key="12345678"

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="L460" key="12345678" keyUsage=persistent

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

netsh wlan show hostednetwork

netsh wlan show hostednetwork setting=security

commands as per requirement with cmd as administrator.

0. About the Wireless Hosted Network

Basically Microsoft changed the way things are handled in windows 8 and 10.

The wireless Hosted Network is a new WLAN feature supported on Windows 7 and on Windows Server 2008 R2 with the Wireless LAN Service installed. This feature implements two major functions:

The virtualization of a physical wireless adapter into more than one virtual wireless adapter sometimes referred to as Virtual Wi-Fi.
A software-based wireless access point (AP) sometimes referred to as a SoftAP that uses a designated virtual wireless adapter.

These two functions coexist in a Windows system together. Enabling or disabling the wireless Hosted Network enables or disables both virtual Wi-Fi and SoftAP. It is not possible to enable or disable these two functions separately in Windows.

You can read about it more here.

1. Check if your wifi card meets the requirements

At the elevated powershell prompt, type this: netsh wlan show drivers

You should see:

2. Check your services.

You need to check if the following windows services are enabled. Pull up the services screen by typing services.msc in a windows run dialogue box. You can pull it up by pressing the following keyboard shortcut: (Windows-Key + R)

run ->services.msc->"routing and remote access" must be set to automatic
run->services.msc->"internet connection sharing"->startup type-auto(delayed)
(Laptops) Lastly check if your computer's current power plan is not set to battery saving mode. Those profiles can put the wifi card into an energy saving mode, breaking the hostednetwork. In my experience I would have to restart the computer before my wifi hotspot works again.

Now restart your computer to make sure these services are persistently enabled.

3. Set up Hosted Network

Still in the prompt. Type:

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=”DESIRED_NETWORK_NAME” key=”YOUR_PASSWORD”

and then

netsh.exe wlan start hostednetwork

You can check the status and number of connected devices by:

netsh.exe wlan show hostednetwork

3. Share hosted network using your wireless card

In a windows run box (Windows key + R), type: ncpa.cpl and press enter.

Right click on the Ethernet connection you want to share and go to properties -> Sharing. Then check the box for "Allow other network users..".

It does not matter if the "Allow other network users to control..." box is enabled.

You probably don't want to share your Home networking connection with your Wi-Fi adapter. Like in this image below.

Instead you want to select the new connection that appeared after you enabled shared networking above.

You should be done. Check to see if you can now see your new wifi hostspot.

Troubleshooting

If that doesn't work then you have to enable 'ad hoc' support in the wireless card advanced config.

Right click on your wifi connection in the ncpa.cpl screen used above, and go to Properties -> Configure:

A great website that I found that explains what a lot of the variables you see in the advanced tab is: Here

Set the 'ad hoc' variable to enabled.
Set ICS service start mode to auto (delayed):
- Run » services.msc » Internet Connection Sharing » Startup Type » auto (delayed)
- Restart your PC or stop/start the service.

This service will load after about 5 mins once Windows starts. It does not immediately start.

Second solution to make ICS work on startup if 3. did not work:
- Go to Run » services.msc but then, aside from checking ICS service, check for "Routing and Remote Access". If it's on manual you need to set it to automatic – delayed and turned on.
- By default it was turned off, not even on manual mode.
- After I changed it to Automatic and pressed Start, Internet started working.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Windows – netsh hostednetwork issue

Windows – How to start hostednetwork on Windows 8