Whether you're connecting to the internet using a wireless or wired adapter, similar to previous versions, Windows 10 allows you to share an internet connection with other devices with a feature called "Hosted Network".

Hosted Network is a feature that comes included with the Netsh (Network Shell) command-line utility. It's was previously introduced in Windows 7, and it allows you to use the operating system to create a virtual wireless adapter – something that Microsoft refers to "Virtual Wi-Fi" — and create a SoftAP, which is a software-based wireless access point.

Through the combination of these two elements, your PC can take its internet connection (be it an ethernet connection or hookup through a cellular adapter) and share it with other wireless devices — essentially acting as a wireless hotspot.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to verify if your network adapter supports the feature, how to configure and enable a wireless Hosted Network, and how to stop and remove the settings from your computer when you no longer need the feature.

To follow this guide, you'll need to open the Command Prompt with administrator rights. To do this, use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut, and select Command Prompt (Admin).

How to check if your wireless adapter supports Hosted Networks in Windows 10

While some adapters include support for Hosted Network, you will first need to verify your computer's physical wireless adapter supports this feature using the following command:

NETSH WLAN show drivers

If the generated output shows Hosted network supported: Yes, then you can continue with the guide. If your wireless adapter isn't supported, you could try using a USB wireless adapter that supports the feature.

How to create a wireless Hosted Network in Windows 10

Creating a wireless hotspot in Windows 10 is relatively straightforward — don't let the command line scare you. Simply follow the steps below to configure a wireless Hosted Network:

1. While in Command Prompt (Admin) enter the following command:NETSH WLAN set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=Your_SSID key=Your_PassphraseWhere the SSID would be the name you want to identify your wireless network when trying to connect a new device, and the passphrase is the network security key you want users to use to connect to your network. (Remember that the passphrase has to be at least 8 characters in length.)

2. Once you created a Hosted Network, enter the following command to activate it:NETSH WLAN start hostednetwork

How to share your internet connection with a Hosted Network in Windows 10

Up to here, you created and started a Hosted Network in your Windows 10 PC. However, any wireless capable device won't be able to access the internet just yet. The last thing you need to do is to share an internet connection using the "Internet Connection Sharing" feature from a physical network adapter.

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu, and select Network Connections.
2. Next, right-click the network adapter with an internet connection – this could be a traditional Ethernet or wireless network adapter — select Properties.Note: In Network Connections, you should now see a new our new Microsoft Hosted Virtual Adapter which is labeled Local Area Connection* X, and with the SSID name.

3. Click the Sharing tab.
4. Check the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection option.
5. Next, from the Home networking connection drop-down menu select the Microsoft Hosted Virtual Adapter.

6. Click OK to finish.

At this point, you should be able to see and connect any wireless capable device to the newly created software access point, and with access to the internet.

How to stop sharing an internet connection with other devices in Windows 10

If you want to temporary stop allowing other devices to connect wirelessly through your computer, you can type the following command in the Command Prompt and hit Enter:

NETSH WLAN stop hostednetwork

At any time, you can just use the start variant of the command to allow other devices to connect to the internet using your computer as an access point without extra configuration:

NETSH WLAN start hostednetwork

Similarly, you can also use the following command to enable or disable a wireless Hosted Network:

NETSH WLAN set hostednetwork mode=allow

NETSH WLAN set hostednetwork mode= disallow

How to change a Hosted Network settings in Windows 10

In the case you want to change some of the current settings, such as SSID or network security you can use the following commands:

NETSH WLAN set hostednetwork ssid=Your_New_SSID

NETSH WLAN set hostednetwork key=Your_New_Passphrase

How to view the current Hosted Network settings

There are two commands to view the Hosted Network settings on your computer:

The following command shows the mode and SSID name in use, max number of clients that can connect, type of authentication, and cipher:

NETSH WLAN show hostednetwork

And the following command will also reveal the current network security key among other settings, similar to the previous command:

NETSH WLAN show hostednetwork setting=security

How to disable a wireless Hosted Network in Windows 10

While the setup of a wireless Hosted Network in Windows 10 is not very complicated, Microsoft doesn't make very straightforward to remove the configurations when you no longer need the feature.

Although you can use the stop or disallow commands, these actions won't eliminate the settings from your computer. If you want completely delete the Hosted Network settings in Windows 10, you'll need to modify the Registry.

Important: Before you change anything settings on your computer, it's worth noting that editing the Windows Registry can be a dangerous game that can cause irreversible damages to your system if you don't know what you are doing. As such, it's recommended for you to make a full backup of your system or at least System Restore Point before proceeding with this guide. You have been warned!

1. Open the Start menu, do a search for regedit, hit Enter, and click OK to open the Registry with admin rights.
2. Scroll down the following path in the Registry:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\currentcontrolset\services\wlansvc\parameters\hostednetworksettingsRight-click the HostedNetworkSettings DWORD key, select Delete, and click Yes to confirm deletion.

3. Restart your computer
4. Open to the Command Prompt and use the following command:NETSH WLAN show hostednetworkYou will know that you have successfully deleted the settings when the Settings field reads Not configured.

5. Make sure you turn off "Internet Connection Sharing" in the physical network adapter that was sharing the internet with other devices. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu, and select Network Connections.
6. Right-click the network adapter, and select Properties.
7. Click the Sharing tab.
8. Uncheck the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection option.

9. Click OK to complete the process.

Things you need to know

Although the wireless Hosted Network feature in Windows 10 allows you to implement an access point solution to share an internet connection with other devices, it's not meant to be a solution to replace a physical wireless access point.

Also, there are a few things you want to consider. For example, wireless speeds will dramatically be reduced compared to the rates provided from a physical access point. Perhaps it would not be a big deal for internet browsing, but downloading or transferring big files could be an issue for some users.

You also need to consider that your computer needs to be always turned on to act as a wireless access point. If the computer enters into sleep, hibernate, or restarts, your wireless hotspot will stop working, and you will need to start manually the feature using the

NETSH WLAN start hostednetwork

command.

You cannot run a SorftAP and ad hoc at the same time on Windows. If you need to create a temporary network connection between two computers, setting up ad hoc will turn off SoftAP — you can run one or the other, not both at the same time.

Wrapping things up

Wireless Hosted Network is a nifty feature in Windows can be a great tool to have for when you need to create a wireless access point on the go. It won't match the performance of a physical wireless access point, but it can be useful for many unexpected scenarios — like having one wired ethernet connection and several devices you want to get online. It's not a replacement for the real thing, but in a sticky situation, it can be just the fix you need.

More resources

For more tips and tricks on Windows 10, and get the latest news, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks

Internet can almost be called the lifeblood of our society; if the internet goes down or our phones lose signal, it is like a part of us dies. Whether you view the aforementioned statement as a glum view of today’s society or an undoubtable truth – we are going to make sure you get internet onto your tablet or PC as long as you have a Windows Phone by your side.

We are going to dive into two different methods to get LOLcats and the rest of the internet to your PC. The first involves using your phone’s built in tethering ability and carrier support to get the job done; the second involves a bit of a proxy configuration, but we will be sure to walk you through both.

Carrier Tethering

The easiest way to turn your Windows Phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot for you devices is to enable carrier tethering. Depending on your specific carrier and their terms of service, you may be able to activate tethering without any additional charge or you may be forced to fork over a bit more money. If you are unsure of which option you will have to take, follow our steps below as you will be given a message telling you to contact your carrier if your current plan does not support tethering.

The Detailed Explanation

Begin by unlocking your Windows Phone device and head to Settings, which can be found in your app list by swiping to the left from the home screen. Once within Settings, the fourth option down should be entitled “Internet sharing” – select it.

This is the point at which you will discover whether or not your current data plan supports the use of tethering. You will see a single toggle switch for switching Internet Sharing on or off – click it to enable tethering. If the ability is supported, you will now be presented with a collection of other options and you can continue on down below, otherwise you will be presented with an error message telling you to contact your carrier to enable the feature.

However, wait! If tethering is not enabled on your current data plan, you can either call your carrier or skip to the next section where we show you how to “tether” on a plan that does not support it.

If you phone does support tethering, you should now see a notification telling you can share your internet connection over Wi-Fi with a number of guests. If Internet Sharing is left inactive for a few minutes, it will automatically shut off to conserve battery life – something important to note.

Below the brief description of Internet Sharing, you will now see the Broadcast name of your network, the network’s password, and the number of guests connected. To change any of these settings you can hit the “Setup” button onscreen. It should be noted that you must have a password on your Wi-Fi network, Internet Sharing will not allow you to go without one.

The Quick Explanation

1. Go to the Settings area on your Windows Phone.
2. Select “Internet Sharing” from the list.
3. Click the toggle switch to enable tethering (if your data plan does not support it, you can either follow the next section below for an alternative method or contact your carrier to enable it)
4. Hit the Setup button to create a network SSID and password.
5. Connect your devices and being browsing the web.

That is it – you are setup and ready to tethering. Simply head over to your PC or other Wi-Fi enabled device and connect to your newly created network. Remember though, you are using your phone’s data and as such, should be conscious not to use too much. If you are using Windows 8, the operating system will automatically detect when you tethered and will try its best to reduce the amount of total data usage. Some programs also recognize this mode, such as Norton’s suite of security programs, which will prevent downloading updates during this time.

Tether-X

Maybe you are paying your bill’s (which are probably quite expensive), but you still do not have tethering ability and to get such a feature, you must pour out even more of your hard earned cash. That doesn’t seem very fair, does it? You paid for the data and should be able to use it however you like. Under that clause, we are going to show you how to tethering your device even if your carrier does not want you to.

We are going to begin by downloading a free application from the Windows Phone Marketplace entitled Tether-X. You can acquire the app by clicking here, searching for it in the marketplace yourself, or by scanning our handy dandy QR code included below.

The Only Explanation

Tether-X works by setting up a proxy server (or “engine”, as they call it), which all your internet data requests on your PC will be routed through. We will accomplish this by setting up a network between your phone and your device, and then configuring the proxy. Since the steps are a bit detailed, we have carefully outlined them below:

1. We will begin by setting up an ad-hoc network (or direct connection) between your PC and your Windows Phone device. To start, head to your Windows 8 Start Screen and type “cmd”. You will see an application called “cmd” appear in the results, but instead of hitting enter – hit “Ctrl-Shift-Enter” to launch the program under administrator control.
2. Once the Command Prompt program is in front of you, we can setup the adhoc network. Type the following without quotes into the command prompt and hit Enter: “netsh wlan set hosted mode=allow ssid=tether-x key= microsoft”. Note: You can change “tether-x” to any network name you would like, and you can change “microsoft” to any password you like – we have provided the above as examples. Once you have hit Enter, you should see three notifications stated that the network has been setup.
3. To launch the newly created network, now type the following without quotes into the command prompt: “netsh wlan start hosted”. You should receive a message stating that “The hosted network started”.
4. Head to your Windows Phone device and opening the Wi-Fi menu under Settings. If all was setup as it should be, you will now see “tether-x’ as an available Wi-Fi hotspot to connect to. Connect to the network with the password we setup before (“microsoft”) and then continue on to the next step.
5. On your Windows PC, go to the start screen and type “Internet Options” – hit Enter.
6. You will be presented with the Internet Properties window, select the Connections tab, and then select the button “LAN Settings”. Within the Window that pops up, select the first checkmark box entitled “Use a proxy server for your LAN”.
7. In the address field - enter the IP address of your phone (To acquire the IP address, click on the listed “tether-x” network under Wi-Fi settings on your Windows Phone.). In the port field, enter “8080” without quotes. Once all is filled out, hit “OK” to close the dialog window.
8. Finally, on your Windows Phone, head back to the Tether-X app and select “Start Proxy Engine”. You are now all set and ready to browse the web via your phone!

IMPORTANT:

When done tethering your phone via Tether-X you must go back into “Internet Options” and disable the “Use a proxy server for LAN” option for your internet connection to work normally again. When you wish to use tethering again, simply reconnect to the Tether-X network you created and turn back on the proxy server settings. Note: You may have to update the IP address.

Let us know if you have any questions about either methods by commenting below and we will be sure to answer them! As always, you can contact myself on Twitter for one-on-one help by clicking here (I love you guys that much).

Earlier today we reported that the Surface 2 with LTE has begun to arrive at select Microsoft Stores for an impending launch.  The Surface 2 with LTE shipments are starting to arrive at Stores in order to build up inventory for an imminent launch. Here in the United States the Surface 2 with LTE will work on AT&T’s network, while abroad you’ll be using Vodafone. The option to hop to the internet without Wi-Fi or tethering is definitely appealing. But we’re wondering how the majority of you all connect to the internet on your tablet.

There are a few ways to connect your tablet to the internet. Which do you mostly use on your tablet?

Wi-Fi

We’re guessing this is how most of you connect your tablet to the internet. Mostly because it’s the easiest and probably cheapest option. Your home has Wi-Fi, as does your office and most public locations like coffee shops or airports. Plus all tablets have Wi-Fi, whereas all tablets don’t have a cellular options.

Cellular

True mobile maven? Then you’re probably connecting your tablet directly to a cellular network through LTE. Cellular is great for a lot of people. At a coffee shop and don’t trust the public network? Connect directly to your data provider. The big downside of cellular is the extra cost on top of the data plan for your smartphone. Though it is super convenient.

Tether from Windows Phone

Another great option to connect your tablet (or ultrabook) is by tethering from your Windows Phone. Sharing the data connection from your Windows Phone with your tablet is awesome for when there’s n Wi-Fi and you need to be connected. The drawback is reduced battery life on your phone. Another is that most carriers (at least in the US) don’t include tethering in your basic smartphone data plan. If it’s already an extra charge you might just want to go the cellular route.

Other

Use some sort of alien technology to connect your tablet to the internet? Please tell us about it in the comments after you take the poll below.

Reading this in our Windows Phone or Windows 8 app? Head to the browser to take the poll. On mobile? Go here to take part. m.wpcentral.com/how-do-you-connect-your-windows-tablet-internet

If you are enjoying Skype Premium, your happiness with the service is about to improve. This week the folks at Skype have introduced Free Wi-Fi for premium subscribers. The service will only be free throughout the month of August, but – free is free!

Instead of shelling out a ridiculous amount of money to jump on a Wi-Fi hotspot at an airport or train station, you can simply use Skype’s al la carte internet service. Normally you would connect to one of the one million worldwide hotspots and use your Skype credit to buy just the right amount of Wi-Fi, but this month it is all free if you are already paying for premium.

So go ahead, run to the nearest airport and enjoy your free Wi-Fi for the remainder of the month.

Have you ever used a Skype Wi-Fi hotspot – how was the service connection?

Source: Skype Blog

One handy feature on our Windows Phone devices is Internet Sharing. It allows you to share your cellular data connection over Wi-fi with other devices (laptop, tablet, etc.).

The bad thing is that carriers usually charge you for this service or limit the number of devices that can be tethered (which make no sense seeing that it's your data). We've been tipped that AT&T has made a change to the guest or device limit they impose on their Internet Sharing settings.

Apparently, at some recent point in time, AT&T expanded the number of guests or devices you can share data services with from five to eight. We aren't sure if you have to actually sign up for the service to see the increase in guests or if this is a gradual roll-out type of change.

My Lumia 920 is still showing a limit of five guests but then again, I'm not signed up for the service. Let us know in the comments if your seeing the changes on your AT&T Windows Phone or if you're on another carrier you're seeing the changes.

Thanks, Kai, for the tip and screen shots!

With the latest versions of Windows Phone consumers are able to make use of Internet Sharing, depending on carrier, device capabilities and allowance. But what if it doesn't work as planned? Many have encountered issues when attempting to connect to the Internet via a Windows Phone.

Devices are able to view and connect to the new access point created by the smartphone, but Internet access isn't available. Luckily, there are a few steps that should resolve the issue, thanks to folk at the Nokia forum and beyond. So what does one have to do to get Internet Sharing back up and working?

Solution 1 - update Access Point (Nokia only)

The first suggestion is to update Nokia Access Point settings (you can scan the QR codes in this thread to access the system app listing), but this doesn't always fix the problem, which leads us to the second step that can be carried out. If updating (or editing - if you know what you're doing) the settings app doesn't achieve anything, or if you're using a non-Lumia Windows Phone, be sure to check out APN settings. Moving on, captain.

Solution 2 - fiddle with APN connections

Essentially the second fix has the active APN connection reactivated through creating a dummy entry and switching between the two.

Only one connection should be present in the Access Point of the Settings, but adding a second entry (bypassing all the warnings that come with the setup process) would then present two entries. Switching to the newly created connection (select and hold > activate) would then disable the connection that was automatically entered using mobile operator data.

Now all that's left to do is reactivate the main APN entry again. Connecting a device to the Windows Phone will then be able to access the Internet through the smartphone. If this works out, then it's just an issue which required an APN reactivation, but if not then we'll have to look at other options. Have you encountered issues with Internet Sharing, have any of the steps above helped solve the problem? Let us know in the comments.

As usual, Windows Phone Central can't take any responsibility should your Windows Phone fall apart, or decides to take over the world.

Source: WPXbox

We've been informed by a reader that Orange UK is currently rolling out a number of updates, including 8112, for the Lumia 800 Windows Phone. Included in this update is Internet tethering support, which has been absent from the device since launch late last year. 

This follows the 8107 software update, which the UK carrier released back in March. 8112 is also the build that was being shipped with the AT&T Lumia 900. This is number one of three.

We were also informed that Windows Phone Tango build 8773 was then downloaded and installed. Following the Tango upgrade was a 12220 firmware notification.

Let us know if you've received any update notifications in the comments.

Thanks, James, for the heads up!

A lot of hay has been made over Windows Phone "Tango" aka CR3/build 8773 of Microsoft's mobile OS. The update contains a lot of minor things and is mostly focused on compatibility with 256MB devices for emerging markets and low-cost Windows Phones.

Nokia is hard at work with updating their ROMs for all Lumia phones and in fact if you use Navifirm to check, the Lumia 710 and 800 are getting heavily populated with new Tango updates, presumably being readied for roll-out in June.

We grabbed one of those ROM, OS 8773 with firmware 12120 from Mexican carrier Telcel to see what it has on board. Presumably, these changes you see in the above video will also be on the Lumia 800 and 900 ROMs as well, so consider this a sneak peek. Here is what's new:

• Call forwarding - forward your calls to a designated number for (1) all calls (2) when I don't answer (3) when I am busy (4) when my phone is turned off
• Call waiting - enable/disable
• SMS delivery confirmation* - on/off
• MMS delivery confirmation* - on/off
• SMS Character set - Reduced (no accents, standard SMS) or Full
• Send MMS acknowledgement* - on/off
• Internet Sharing (aka WiFi tethering)
• Enhanced MMS - Send voice notes, multiple images, video
• Nokia branded Marketplace icon

As you can see, some of those features are pretty great (especially Internet Sharing) but they're also not necessarily "must have" items either, making Tango a minor update, something we've been emphasizing for some time now. Still, Nokia has done a nice job here and we expect T-Mobile to roll this out sometime in June officially (just a guess).

Some of you may wonder if the OS feels any different (faster, smoother, etc.) and to our eyes, no, it feels exactly the same. Perhaps there are some optimizations here and there but we really didn't notice it. We should also note the MMS issues we had in the video are probably due to this not being a T-Mobile ROM and more over, Nokia pulled their Network app to be fixed  (it'll be back soon) so we can't configure our MMS gateway for T-Mobile.

If you have any questions, ask away in comments. And yes, we'll see about whipping up a tutorial on how loaded Tango on our T-Mobile phone for you 'leet hackrz out there.

* Items with asterisk were not covered in video

We've reported twice on Nokia getting ready to serve up some Tango ROM updates along with new firmware for the Lumia 710. First was a planned update for China and it was followed by an update for the carrier Proximus in Belgium.

Both ROMs contained  OS 8773 which is known as Windows Phone Consumer Refresh 3 (CR3) or just "Tango" and will have either 12111 or 12120 firmware on board to coincide with the pushed update. But what a lot of folks were wondering is if the firmware enabled Internet Sharing aka Tethering, a feature long missing from the Lumia 710 and Lumia 800.

Indeed we can now report that at least some of these software updates will have this on board as site WP7.nl has installed and verified that this feature in present. Of course, we don't necessarily expect all updates to contain these as it will technically be up to the carriers but a good portion will opt for the pay-in service of wireless tethering.

We expect Nokia to begin pushing these update for both regions and more in a few weeks presumably June, if an earlier report is correct. In the meantime, Nokia will probably begin to populate their servers with more updates for other carriers for the big OS refresh. We'll keep you posted.

Update: Interestingly, Nokia has pulled the 8773 ROMs from their servers. Thanks, Francesco

Source: WP7.nl; Thanks, Niels, for the tip

We've previously reported on how the Lumia 710 and 800 do not support Internet Sharing, but the 610 and 900 do. It's a slight pain that has separated Lumia Windows Phone owners. Thankfully Nokia has confirmed that tethering will be available on both the Lumia 710 and 800 in a future firmware update - something we're currently on the lookout for.

The folks from Plaffo are reporting that the official Nokia Lumia Update section of the website is reporting that Lumia 800 firmware on Vodafone in Italy is currently in development. The site notes that they've already received 12070 so this alteration on the update page has to be a future version. As well as Italy, both Vodafone Spain (thanks SmartphoneApps.es) and UK are also "software under creation".

Should the manufacturer be working on the next version, this would hopefully include the missing tethering functionality. Are you with Vodafone and already on 12070? You could well be the first in line for Internet Sharing.

Source: Plaffo, via: SmartphoneApps

Just yesterday we reported that China was destined for some Tango ROM goodness for the Nokia Lumia 710. This was verified by peeking in on Nokia's own servers where they like to toss up the ROMs before they're pushed out (yet another reason to like the company, we suppose).

Tonight, with a quick cache refresh of our NaviFirm software we were able to seen yet another Tango ROM show up, this time destined for Belgium operator Proximus. This ROM has a slightly different firmware as it's labeled 8773.12120 versus the 12111 we saw for China.

We haven't loaded this one up but we feeling a little safer about English being on board. The big question everyone is wondering is Will the bring tethering to the Lumia 710? Our hunch says yes, at least for those carriers who want it.

It was speculated that Nokia did not tie the battery-saver update in the Lumia 800 (and 710) to the tethering feature for fear it could limit adoption by carriers. By separating them, Nokia could get the important battery fix out to the most users while it separately delivers the tethering update.

We imagine we'll find out soon enough. At least it's a good sign that Nokia is pushing out these updates on a wide-scale and we imagine the Lumia 800 will follow soon too.

via: Mi Movil Windows; Firmware image via Francesco S.

The Lumia 800 (as well as the Lumia 710) is expected to receive a firmware update sometime soon to enable WiFi tethering on the handset, a feature that was introduced in the Windows Phone "Mango" update. We previously reported that Plaffo has confirmed a tethering update is on the way and all Lumia handset owners will be able to utilize the Internet sharing functionality - dependent on their carrier of course.

It would appear (looking at the photo above) that the feature is already active on some handsets, according to a We Love Windows Phone.hk reader. While it's not yet known when the said update will be pushed out to consumers, it's a positive sign to see Internet sharing actually on a Lumia 800.

Source: WeLoveWP.hk (Translation)

Nokia Lumia handsets are all set sport WiFi tethering with an imminent update, according to a report by Plaffo. We previously touched on the lack of tethering support found with the Lumia 710 and 800, and an FAQ article for the Lumia 900 stated the two handsets should be receiving an update in the near future to activate said feature.

The Lumia 610 and 900 both reportedly support Internet sharing out the box, which was introduced in the Windows Phone "Mango" update. Should Plaffo's source for this news, who's employed by Three in Italy, hold out we should see Nokia work with carriers to push out a firmware update that will address the issue of not being able to create a hotspot with a Lumia handset.

We do not expect to see tethering enabled in any of the current firmware released, which all sport battery improvements. This is due to Nokia ensuring carriers continue to roll out new versions with important stability fixes and do not skip an update to avoid tethering.

Source: Plaffo

In a Lumia 900 FAQ we recently covered, Nokia has confirmed that the WiFi hotspot / tethering feature will be present on the Lumia 610 and 900 Windows Phones at launch. As for the 710 and 800, which are currently missing this highly desired functionality, we'll likely see an update in the future to activate it. It's pleasing to know that it's actually on the way for owners.

What's more is that Damian Dinning, camera guru at Nokia, has confirmed on Twitter that the company are looking to introduce a panorama feature on the Lumia 800 - something the Windows Phone lacked for many trigger happy users. Unfortunately, there's no word on a date or if we'll see this introduced on other Lumia handsets, though it makes perfect sense to expect such a roll out. 

Source: @PhoneDaz, via: PocketNow

Good news for those on Vodafone in Australia: the carrier has approved the HTC update that will enable WiFi internet sharing on the 7 Trophy, this just weeks after announcing that they were testing it:

This is excellent news as HTC certainly seems committed to their customers in getting this update to as many devices and carriers as possible. We'll keep an eye out for when it goes live.

Source: Vodafone Blog; Thanks, Gary H., for the heads up!

We've had a number of reports sent in from readers and the like with regards to updates being rolled out to a number of devices including the HTC HD7, Mozart, and Samsung Focus. Many reports mentioned Internet sharing being enabled, but we can't confirm for each device and carrier. 

Have you received an update, and if so is Internet sharing included? Let us know, along with your device and carrier, in the comments below.

Update: The following is a list of devices and/or carriers that are currently rolling out updates (will add more carriers/devices to the list as comments come in):

• HTC Mozart / O2*, One Call*, Telenor*
• HTC HD7 / O2*, T-Mobile*
• HTC Titan /
• HTC Trophy /
• Samsung Focus / 

* denotes confirmed Internet sharing capabilities.

Thanks to everyone who sent this info in!

For those who are into the whole custom ROM scene--a small but dedicated crowd--you'll be excited to know that DFT have finally released their v2 of their Freedom ROM. We reported back in October that this was in the works and Dark Forces Team has come through, as usual.

This version has quite a few suprises on board including:

• Support for 20 languages
• Internet sharing for gen 1 HTC devices
• Updated HTC XAPs from Titan/Radar
• Fully unlock with IE download XAP

The ROM is only available for generation 1 HTC devices e.g. Trophy, HD7, Mozart, 7 Pro and Surround) that are GSM. However, the team has noted that they are working on a CDMA versions for our Trophy and Arrive friends too.

While not for the casual user, custom ROMs offer some unique benefits including the ability to have tethering enabled. If you want to brave those waters, head over to XDA Forums for more info.

Thanks, Chris P for the heads up!

It appears that both the AT&T Samsung Focus S and Flash will be capable of Internet Sharing. Or at least that's what AT&T's Support Websites are indicating.

Support sites for both the Focus S and Flash contain instructions on how to turn on your personal hotspot with these new Windows Phones. Both instructions do note that there is a prerequisite to have a compatible rate plan. We're not sure if that means you have to belly up for a DataConnect plan or if the DataPro 4GB plan will do the trick.  Personally, I'm crossing my fingers that the old unlimited plans will work.

You can find the tethering information for the Focus S here and for the Flash here at AT&T Support.

Thanks goes out to Ryan for the tip!

HTC Mozart owners residing in India are receiving an update to be able to use Internet Sharing, according to a report at welovewp.hk. Aviraj Ajhekar, an employee at Microsoft India, has published an article stating his Mozart received a firmware update and was then able to tether.

Unfortunately, welovewp.hk  reports that a similar update received in Hong Kong doesn't enable the feature, which further confirms the final decision being up to carriers. We've recently covered ThreeUK allowing Internet sharing on the Samsung Omnia 7, as well as LG Germany.

Have you received a firmware update that enables this WiFi feature?

Source: wplovewp.hk, Aviraj Ajhekar  Thanks Simon!

We have been keeping an eye out for WiFi tethering to makes its way onto different first generation WP7 devices via Mango and firmware updates, and now it seems that the LG Optimus 7 just got it.  According to users on Plaffo, a new update is being pushed for the Optimus 7, which adds the ability to use your phone as a wireless hotspot.  Sadly, not all first generation devices will be able to do this, but it looks as though the Optimus 7 is one of them. 

We haven't heard anything from our peeps yet.  Has anyone else been able to get this up and running?

Source: Plaffo (Thanks, Antonio!)

In a great write up at WP Down Under by guest contributor DZX, the Windows Phone Internet Sharing option is put to the test on a Samsung Focus (using the same methods we used to load it up on ours). Our experience with Internet Sharing is like many others: simply great. It's fast, easy to use and works every time. But that's a non-critical, non-scientific opinion. What do the numbers say?

DZX looked at three important areas in testing Windows Phone Internet Sharing: speed, battery and range

On speed, it was noted that there was no difference between the speed of the Focus itself versus when being used as a modem. What that means is that you'll experience no loss is 3G speeds when tethering--it's as efficient as you can get with not a drop of bandwidth wasted. Win.

Probably the biggest concern with tethering is the battery. Traditionally, using your phone as a modem drains the battery extremely quickly and while the temperature increased 5°C from idle, it was well within the limits of the device. So how'd the battery do? Turns out, very well. After about 30 minutes of browsing the web on the laptop (consuming 26.6MB and uploading 3.41MB of data), the battery was down 3% or about an hour of 'estimated time remaining'. Translation: Battery life is not significantly impacted by tethering. Win x2.

Finally, range of the phone as a wireless router was looked at with a surprising result. Even at 82 feet away, a considerable distance, the signal maintained a connection, even though it was very low in strength. More importantly, web pages loaded just as quick as if the phone was next to the PC. Mind you, the Focus was transmitting through the house at this point with the author in his yard. Win x3.

Conclusion? Even though most of us can't yet get internet sharing on our Windows Phone, the feature seems to be top notch, with it performing better than expected from such an option. Here's hoping for some quick fixes by OEMs or some new phones pronto.

Check out the full write up at WP Down Under.

Some potential good news for those of you on Orange FR and who want to tether: evidently they have the billing plan now in place to charge you to use your Windows Phone as a modem/tethering. Users are being sent a text message that states (translated)

Of course Orange France was noted earlier as either disabling this option initially with the Mango update, or perhaps like others, the OEMs just did not have the drivers ready. What this means, assuming it's not a mistake (and it could be just a general message sent to all phones), is that those on Orange should also expect a firmware update to their phone sometime to enable this much desired feature.

We're keeping our fingers crossed.

Source: Mon Windows Phone

Lots of little things have been happening if you have a developer unlocked device, preferably with the new interop level needed to side-load some more advance apps.

First off, over at Windows Phone Hacker they've detailed a more simple method for getting Internet Sharing onto your Samsung Mango phone (Omnia 7, Focus). Once you have your developer unlocked device also interop-unlocked, it only takes two files and a reboot to get the much-coveted feature on to your phone. As you can see from the pic below, we manged to do it for our AT&T Focus and it works like a charm (seriously, it's a nice tethering solution).

Next up are some HTC apps. Yes, so long as HTC tirelessly works on specialized apps, those mischievous fellas over at XDA will be trying to port them. This time, they've managed to grab the Omega/Radars's OEM files, which includes that new HTC Hub. We loaded it onto our Focus and it works quite well. In addition, you can even add the Dock Mode app, which we're big fans of, for a more complete device. Stay clear though of Attentive Phone, the sound enhancer and camera apps as they won't do anything for your non-HTC phone.

Finally, there's a unique app from GoodDayToDie at XDA called MultiTaskToggle:

Basically the app allows you to set multitasking on/off with one tap on a Live Tile. Here's we're talking about the full-fledged, instant-resuming multi-tasking. It sucks up more battery life, but it also faster and allows things to run in the background. Being able to turn it on/of with a simple touch, therefore, is a much welcomed addition for the power users out there. You can find that thread right here.

So the good is this: folks at XDA are working, with some success, on hacking onto our Mango phones internet sharing/tethering (first seen on the Focus). The bad news is, most of you can't do this (developer unlocked) and even if you could (like us) you wouldn't want to because good lord are there a lot of seemingly complicated steps.

We won't post the directions here, because honestly it wouldn't make sense, but you can head over to XDA, take a look and promptly return here.

Now, even though this is seemingly complicated and only for Samsung phones at the moment (sorry, HTC and don't even think about it Dell), it's a good sign that the community is moving forward on this as perhaps and easier method will come forth (see "all-in-one provxml file" as an example). So maybe, just maybe this is the start of something that the rest of us will be able to use in the future.

See our earlier coverage of why this feature is missing from current phones here.

Source: XDA; Thanks, Steve S., for the heads up

For those who managed to get Mango on to your phones in the last 24 hours, congratulations. It seems like so far everyone is really liking the new OS--in fact, folks are ecstatic over it. Still, some features seem to be "missing" from various phones and we want to shed some light on why that is.

This information comes way of Microsoft themselves, who we met with prior to "Mango day" and gave us the details. Ars Technica has also published some of this info recently.

On tethering

Two things will determine if it is available--the chipset of the device and if the carrier wants it. The chipset in question is the Broadcom 4329 which is found in the newer Windows Phones. Specifically, drivers are need for it to work with that chipset. But ah! you say, what about that Samsung Focus we saw? A lot of our older hardware also has the Broadcom 4329 on board, but not the correct, tested drivers. Why?

Microsoft had to make a choice: delay Mango to test the drivers on older devices, or ship now and release a patch later to enable. They obviously went with the former. But even Vodafone is aware of this when they said recently on their blog "Regarding Wireless Hotspot, it isn’t integrated in the initial release of Mango however it may be deployed at a later date." That's exactly the situation--it's basically up in the air at this point for certain phones.

On visual voice mail

This is easy: it's carrier choice, dependent on their system i.e. is it compatible with Windows Phone. What we heard from Microsoft on this was AT&T: no visual voice mail, but yes on tethering; T-Mobile: yes on visual voice mail, but no on tethering. That is subject to change.

On hidden SSID

This too is dependent on some drivers/chipset combo. Microsoft was a little fuzzy on the details on why it is device specific, but that was their explanation at the time. (For instance, our Dell Venue Pro (unlocked, AT&T) does not have hidden SSID, but our Sprint HTC Arrive does.)

Now some of these things, like tethering and hidden SSID may come later in some revised updates for specific phones. Things like visual voice mail are more complicated and require restructuring on the carrier's backend. For what it's worth, we saw some of these features enabled on an AT&T Titan. Still, we hope this helps in explaining where these features are on your new Mango-ized Windows Phone.

Thanks, Marin S., for the link; Image credit: Pocketnow

We knew that Internet Sharing was a possibility with the Mango update. At the HTC public unveil of the HTC Titan and Radar, Jay and Rich were able to confirm things when they spent some hands on time with the two new Windows Phones.

While Internet Sharing will be a Windows Phone feature with the Mango update., Jay reports that an HTC Representative at the event stated tethering would not be possible in the U.K.  He was also able to get a snapshot of the settings screen on the Titan (flash reflection and all).

This U.K. prohibition is likely due to carrier restrictions and even though U.S. customers are hopeful to have tethering capabilities, we too may face carrier restrictions. Bad carriers, bad.

Looks like Mango still has a few hidden surprises. As you can see to the right, that's an official instantiation of Internet Sharing on a Samsung Focus running Mango.

That's the good news, that and it "works like a charm". The bad news is it reportedly eats a lot of battery life. Our bet is this is hidden on some devices and builds and will presumably be a carrier option.

More info as it comes in...

Update: Justin says this is Mango 7720.68 but that his device has been flashed by someone at Microsoft. Insert thriller movie music here.

Update II: Rafael Rivera notes "Confirm ICS is baked into my Mango phone (e.g. Ics*.dll, HKLM\Comm\InternetSharing). My guess is requires carrier "update" to enable."

Thanks, Justin B., for the pic and info!

Looks like a good morning for Samsung users! Taking that diagnostic menu one step further has allowed folks to figure out how to tether their Samsung WP7 devices, in addition to (the less exciting) MAC ID address.

The hack is pretty straightforward, though it will hose your Zune-over-3G sync option (leaving Wi-Fi sync intact). Overall it sounds like a good solution, so long as you don't run over your cap (2GB for most on AT&T).

Registering may fail on the first attempt, but try a second time and it should succeed.

1. Open your phone and dial “##634#” then press call. You’ll go into the Diagnosis Menu (going forward this icon appears in your programs so you don’t need to dal that again). This is just a phone dialer with a little icon and note on top.
2. In diagnosis mode (phone dialer) dial “*#7284#” and a dialogue will pop up letting you change the settings from Zune to modem or “Modem, USB dialog.”. You want to go with “Modem, Tethered Call”. It will restart you phone after a few seconds. Once it restarts, connect to your PC over USB and drivers will be installed on your computer. Now go to your connections on your PC and you’ll see that a Samsung modem was added.
3. On your PC you need to change the setting for the Samsung modem. If you set it to prompt for user name you’ll be able to put in the login info. This is all it is:

Source: Mobility Digest

Following on the heels of the rumors last week regarding tethering support, Microsoft’s Director for Windows Phone 7 (Brandon Watson) announced on the Windows Weekly Podcast (at 1:05:40) that tethering will be supported at launch, but it will be up to the carrier whether it is enabled or not.

This is definitely more in line with what we would have expected, even if it is a little disappointing. What say you? Is tethering one of those key features you were hoping for?

Update: Apparently, Mr. Watson misspoke. According to Paul Thurrot (who was also on the Windows Weekly Podcast), tethering will not be available at launch, but will be a feature added in the future. Thanks monomer!

[via Twitter]

Sprint has added mobile broadband to its "Simply Everything" plan, calling it "Simply Everything + Mobile Broadband." We had to curb out enthusiasm a little bit (thanks, PreCentral) when we were reminded that Sprint's mobile broadband isn't the same as using your phone as a modem, tethered to a laptop. We're talking data cards only, folks.

That said, for $149, you get all the usual from Sprint's "Simply Everything" — unlimited voice, texts, GPS and data — plus 5 gigabytes of tethering data. That's (unfortunately) the usual cap these days.

Hit up sprint.com/nowires for more details, and see the full press release after the break.

Sprint Brings Even More Value to Customers with New Simply Everything Plan + Mobile Broadband

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 2009-- Sprint (NYSE: S) customers enjoy the best value in wireless – and now they have one more way to save money while getting more done on the go. Starting today, Sprint is offering business and consumer customers a new plan that combines the unmatched value of Simply Everything^SM with the productivity of wireless 3G for a laptop. The Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband gives customers the power of mobility with unlimited text, picture and video messaging, GPS navigation, email and Web surfing on their phone – plus 5 GB of blazing Internet access on their laptop, all for just

[[ money ]] $149.99 per month.^*

“With the new Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband, customers get the benefits of Sprint’s Now Network on their phone and on their laptop, so they’re not tethered to their home or office,” said

[[ person ]] Jeff Hallock , vice president of consumer marketing for Sprint. “Whether it’s to get work done at the airport or in between client meetings, finish a school project in the park or keep in touch with family while you’re at the coffee shop, this plan allows Sprint customers to access the Internet at 3G speeds almost anywhere to do more and save more on America’s most dependable 3G network.”

Ideally suited for small businesses and consumers who live a mobile lifestyle and want to enhance their productivity by being connected just about anywhere they go, the Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband allows customers to use their Mobile Broadband Card or USB modem to get ultra-fast access to the Internet on their laptop. The plan offers a savings of

[[ money ]] $599 per year vs. comparable AT&T and Verizon plans.¹

Customers can learn more by going to www.sprint.com/nowires. Existing Sprint customers can switch to the new Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband bundle without a contract extension. The bundle is available on new lines of activation with a two-year agreement per line and includes activation on a Sprint Simply Everything plan and a Mobile Broadband Connection plan.

The Simply Everything plan + Mobile Broadband is the latest offering from Sprint to deliver incomparable value. Last year, Sprint revolutionized unlimited pricing in the wireless industry by moving beyond its competitors to deliver more features for a flat rate of

[[ money ]] $99.99 per month. Comparable messaging and data plans from Verizon and AT&T cost the consumer an additional

[[ money ]] $479 per year.²

In addition to cost savings, Sprint includes the added value of:

• Sprint’s Now Network, which gets you what you want, right when you want it, on America’s most dependable 3G network.^**
• One of the broadest Mobile Broadband connection-card portfolios in the industry to meet a variety of customer needs.
• An award-winning lineup of cool phones, led by the Samsung Instinct, named by CNET as “Best In Show” at CTIA’s 2008 spring show.
• The Samsung Rant – offered now at [[ money ]] $49.99 after [[ money ]] $50 mail-in rebate and two-year agreement – named by LAPTOP Magazine as best cell phone at CTIA’s 2008 fall show.
• The easiest to use technology with [[ person ]] One Click , which gives “one click” access to customers’ favorite content, including Google, Facebook, MySpace, email, NFL Mobile Live, and the Internet.
• Guaranteed friendly service with Ready Now, an exclusive Sprint experience that offers hands-on training and setup for customers at Sprint stores nationwide.

*No additional discounts apply on Simply Everything plan or Mobile Broadband Connection plan.

** “Dependable” based on independent, third-party drive tests for 3G data connection success, session reliability and signal strength for the top 50 most populous markets from June ‘08 to November ‘08. Not all services available on 3G and coverage may default to separate network when 3G is unavailable.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 51 million customers at the end of the third quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

¹ Savings claims based on base monthly rates for unlimited anytime minutes options for Verizon Nationwide Premium (plus Broadband Access) and AT&T Nation Talk Text & Web (plus Data Connect). Excludes taxes, Sprint surcharges, fees and premium content.

² See footnote 1.