How to Make an Ubuntu Laptop as a WiFi Hotspot?

You may know how to make a laptop with Windows 7 as a WiFi hotspot, then when you have more than one computer but only one Internet cable line or do not like to be restricted by the cable, you can enjoy the Internet wireless without an extra wireless router.

Actually, it can also be implemented on Ubuntu OS, sounds great? Yes, it is! How to manage it?

The following content will show you how to set up this task step by step with pictures.

1. Right click net manager on the laptop with wireless hardware (these days most of laptops have wireless modules) and connected with internet by cable, then choose “Edit Connections…”, click it as shown like Figure 1;

Figure 1

2. Click the menu “Wireless”, and click “Add” button, then fill the blanks: your “Connection name”, “SSID”, fill what you like, then choose “Mode” option as “Ad-hoc”, for others there is no need to change, shown as Figure 2;

Figure 2

3. The next step is set up your key for the connection, click “Wireless Security”, choose “WEP 128-bit Passphrase”, fill your own “Key” in case others can use your wifi connection, as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 3

4. As for “IPv4-Settings”, choose the option “Shared to other computers” for “Method”, as shown in Figure 4;

Figure 4

5. No need to change “IPv6 Settings”, OK, click “Apply” to finish the setup work, as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 5

6. Left click the wireless icon on the right top corner and left click the last option: “Create New Wireless Network…”, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6

7. On the new pop-up window, choose your created wireless, such as my “www.tumutanzi.com”, and click “Create” button, type your set password if needed, as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7

8. Now, you should see the “Wireless Networks”  with a computer icon which means this wifi is the wireless connection by a computer rather than a wireless router (Figure 8).

Figure 8

So now you can use the wireless connection you already created on the other laptops, select it, and input the Key (password you made).

OK, you are using the WiFi from the laptop connected with cable Internet!

Is it great? Yes, it is, this is the power of Linux, since this is only possible on Windows 7 of Microsoft family, no way for XP.

The above method has been tested on my two laptops, the WiFi works for my iPad and iPhone. The following is the information (hardware and software) of my two laptops.

• HP 520 laptop, Ubuntu 10.04, cable Internet
• Intel Corporation 82562ET/EZ/GT/GZ – PRO/100 VE (LOM) Ethernet Controller Mobile (rev 01)
• Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection (rev 02)
• Acer Aspire one netbook, Ubuntu 10.04, WiFi offered by HP 520
• Atheros Communications Inc. AR5001 Wireless Network Adapter (rev 01)
• Atheros Communications Atheros AR8132 / L1c Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (rev c0)