How do I create a wireless ad hoc network in Windows 10?
In Windows 10, it is still possible to create a wireless ad hoc network, but not through the GUI. You have to use an elevated CMD or PowerShell.
Before creating it, make sure your WiFi adapter supports the creation of a wireless ad hoc network. Execute the following command:
netsh wlan show drivers
Assert that the line Hosted network supported:
ends with Yes
. Otherwise, you have to update your drivers or use different drivers (like using a more specific driver for your adapter model instead of a generic driver).
Creation
-
Configure your wireless ad hoc network:
netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid=MySSID key=MyPassword keyUsage=temporary
If you plan to reuse this configuration, omit the
keyUsage
parameter (or set it topersistent
). Setting it totemporary
makes sure that the password will not be stored permanently. -
Enable your wireless ad hoc network:
netsh wlan start hostednetwork
You are then ready to go. You can issue netsh wlan show hostednetwork
to monitor its status or ipconfig /all
to retrieve the IP address of your laptop for the wireless ad hoc network.
Deletion
-
Disable your wireless ad hoc network:
netsh wlan stop hostednetwork
-
Delete your wireless ad hoc network configuration. Unfortunately, you cannot do that directly. Your SSID will remain in the registry, for example. A workaround is to reset the configuration to its defaults:
-
Stop the WLAN AutoConfig service:
Stop-Service wlansvc
-
Delete the wireless ad hoc network configuration from the registry:
Remove-Item "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WlanSvc\Parameters\HostedNetworkSettings"
-
Start the WLAN AutoConfig service (it will automatically restore the defaults in the registry):
Start-Service wlansvc
-