Convert your laptop into virtual router

Your hotel room have free internet access, but can only be accessible by your laptop via network cable. You want to share the internet access for your smartphone, but you did not want to invest in portable wireless router for some reason.

As I need to use Microsoft Windows machine for my work, and I have Windows 7 OS laptop, I can simply setup wireless ad-hoc, allowing my smartphone to connect wirelessly to my laptop, and finally internet access. Sound great!!! Except my android phone in my case cannot find the wireless access point from my laptop. USELESS FUNCTION! (And I'm not gonna waste my time troubleshooting it)

Giving up? Fear not! I managed to come across an article on Lifehacker on how to share the internet with your laptop without setting up the troublesome Microsoft ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

Introducing Virtual Router. The setup is very simple and straightforward.

1. Download the software
2. Install it
3. Enter the desired name in Network Name (SSID) field
4. Enter the password in Password field (RECOMMENDED)
5. Choose the correct network connection in Shared Connection field (Usually the 'Wireless Network Connection')
6. Press the 'Start Virtual Router' button

Instantly my smartphone can detect the wireless signal I shared from my laptop! Simple and straightforward. Despite still in beta stage and the last update was in 2009, so far I do not detect any major issue from using it. 

Go ahead and give it a try. You will love it!

Visit the official website