You might be wondering why anyone would ever need multiple WLAN adapters on the same PC, well to be honest, you don’t need but its sometimes good to have. In any case where you’re connected to an existing wireless access point and want to connect to another network whether that be a separate access point or even set up an ad-hoc connection, Virtual WiFi will allow you to do just that. But perhaps the scenario that is more appealing is the idea of a mesh network. In a mesh network, every client becomes a repeater, growing the network organically as more clients connect. Virtual WiFi enables this, since every client can become an access point too.

Connectify is a first beta software program that makes use of the Virtual Wifi capabilities of Windows 7. Windows 7 users can use the Connectify software to share the Internet connection of their computer system through a secure WPA2 encrypted hotspot. Other computer devices with wireless capabilities can connect to the hotspot to make use of that connection.

The program is currently provided as a beta version after registration on the Connectify homepage. Configuration of the service requires the following steps:

To get started, click on the Connectify logo in the Notification Tray.

1. Select the Internet connection you wish to share
2. Choose a name for your new wireless network
3. Choose a wireless passphrase
4. Press the Internet Sharing button to turn on your wireless network
5. Now, from your other devices, you can see your wireless network. Choose to join it, and enter the wireless passphrase to connect.

It is expected that the public release version will turn commercial with the likely probability that free software alternatives will be released eventually. Connectify is only compatibly with Windows 7 at this point. The software can be downloaded from the Connectify homepage.

2Hotspot is a free software that can create all kinds of wireless hotspots. Each 2hotspot network is comprised of a controller software installed on the main computer, the so called Location Management Portal which is used to create and manage the hotspot on a website and the End User Portal which can be used by end users to obtain Internet access.

The service makes use of Microsoft Microsoft Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and either a wireless router or wifi card. The online help of the wireless hotspots creator walks you through the process of installing the software.

It basically boils down to the following four installing steps: Preparing the Internet and Private Connections, Configuring Internet Connection Sharing, Testing Connectivity and installing the 2hotspot controller.

Update: The 2Hotspot website is no longer reachable. While it may look like technical issues on their side, the site has not been available for some time now which seems to suggest that there is more to it than a brief down time. Windows users looking to create wireless hotspots can look at Connectify instead, a program that allows them to do just that, albeit only under Windows 7 and newer Microsoft operating systems.