Connectify Hotspot

Connectify Hotspot
Developer(s) Connectify
Initial release December 2009[1]
Stable release 8 / 26 March 2014[2]
Operating system Windows 7 and later[3]
Available in English
Type Software router
SoftAP
License Freemium
Website www.connectify.me

Connectify is a software company focused on developing software for consumers. Connectify's flagship product Connectify Hotspot, is a software router for Microsoft Windows. It can enable a Windows PC to serve as a router over Ethernet or Wi-Fi. Along with a Windows 7 or 8 certified Wi-Fi device it can act as a wireless access point. This enables users to share files, printers, and Internet connections between multiple computing devices without the need for a separate physical access point or router.

History

According to Connectify CEO and founder Alex Gizis, back in 2009, the idea for the Connectify product started when the development team was testing wireless networking hardware at an Army base. Their hardware technology was driving Humvees wirelessly over miles, but the team itself was juggling USB drives to sneakernet files between Windows laptops. For the next trip out, they brought a hardware router, but the bulk of that extra gear, and the need to plug it in, became an issue. To address this need, they developed the original Connectify application, now known as Connectify Hotspot.[4]

Overview

Simple wireless ad hoc networking was introduced in the Windows operating system family with Windows XP.[5] Windows 7 added support for the Virtual Wi-Fi, which allows a single physical wireless adapter to be split into two logical adapters. Windows 7 also added support for generating SoftAPs, which allows the creation of a virtual access point on a computer (together with Virtual Wi-Fi, this feature is called "Wireless Hosted Network" by Microsoft).[6] Connectify takes advantage of these features to create an infrastructure mode wireless network and effectively turn the Windows 7 PC into a wireless access point.[7]

Connectify is released on the freemium model. The free Connectify Lite license delivers basic wireless access point functionality. Some features in this edition are limited; for example, the SSID of a Connectify Lite network will always start with "Connectify-". Additional paid Connectify Pro features include wireless repeater capability, more complete 3G/4G network sharing, automatic configuration features, firewall controls and priority technical support.

Reception

Connectify has been generally well received by the press. These reviews can be found in Lifehacker,[8] PC World,[9] GigaOM,[7] Engadget,[10] ReadWriteWeb,[11] TechRepublic,[12] Maximum PC,[13] IT Reviews,[14] and MakeUseOf.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Vilches, Jose (22 December 2009). "Wi-Fi sharing utility Connectify 1.0 launches, remains free". TechSpot (TechSpot, Inc). Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "Connectify 8 is Here!". Connectify Blog. Connectify. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Connectify for Windows". Connectify. System Requirements. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  4. ↑ "The Birth of Connectify".
  5. ↑ "Ad Hoc Internet Sharing with Microsoft Windows XP" (Microsoft Word document). Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft Corporation. 4 January 2005. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  6. ↑ "About the Wireless Hosted Network (Windows)". Windows Dev Center. Microsoft Corporation. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rupley, Sebastian (29 October 2009). "Connectify Is Early Evidence of Why Win7's "Virtual Wi-Fi" Matters". GiaOM. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  8. ↑ "Connectify Restores Wi-Fi Hotspot Powers to Windows 7". Lifehacker (Gawker Media). 2 November 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  9. ↑ Keizer, Gregg (30 October 2009). "Unfinished Windows 7 Feature Turns Laptops Into Wi-Fi Hotspots". PC World (PCWorld Communications, Inc). Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Unfinished Windows 7 feature exploited for virtual WiFi hotspots". Engadget (AOL Inc). 2 November 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  11. ↑ O'Dell, Jolie (28 October 2009). "Turn Your Windows 7 Computer Into a WiFi Router In 5 Minutes, Free & No Hardware". ReadWriteWeb. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  12. ↑ Mah, Paul (9 February 2010). "Create a Wi-Fi Access Point using Connectify". TechRepublic (CBS Interactive). Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  13. ↑ Soper, Mark Edward (2 November 2009). "How-To: Turn Your Windows 7 PC into a Wireless Access Point". Maximum PC (Future US, Inc). Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  14. ↑ Taylor, Kelvyn (2 March 2010). "Connectify - Connectify 1.1 review: turn any WiFi-enabled Windows 7 PC into a wireless hotspot for free". IT Reviews. Net Communities. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  15. ↑ Slangen, Simon (29 October 2010). "Create A Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Using Connectify & A Windows 7 Laptop". MakeUseOf. Retrieved 9 January 2012.

External links