Today, almost all modern computers, laptops or mobile devices are equipped with Internet access. However, they do not want to deal with setting up connections, since this causes some difficulties. Even fewer users understand the question of how, for example, to distribute Wi-Fi from their terminal. To simplify such actions, a unique application called Switch Virtual Router (by the way, a Russian development) is used. You will have to delve into the settings in any case, but it will take much less time and effort than doing similar things in the operating system with hardware.
Switch Virtual Router: what is this program?
You can understand what kind of utility this is, if you translate its name from English into Russian. In fact, this is a real virtual router that allows using built-in tools to turn your terminal into a distributing device, to which other computer systems or users of mobile gadgets can later connect.
At the moment, you can download the version of Switch Virtual Router in Russian (in this form, the program is released initially), and the distribution kit of release 3.3 will "weigh" something around 720 KB.
Basic operating modes
In the application itself, there are not so many features (by and large, they are not needed here). However, Switch Virtual Router has two basic operating modes:
- two user terminals are connected through one access point in the "point-to-point" mode (only exchange of information and data is possible);
- virtual router is set up as a hotspot to which many users connect and share internet access.
There is another interesting point. One of the "chips" of the program is that if you disable the application, the created point, as if nothing had happened, will still work in the active state. The same applies to putting the dispensing terminal into hibernation mode after disconnecting all previously connected devices. Undoubtedly, it is very convenient.
Please note that the application does not support legacy XP and Vista systems and can only function correctly on versions 7 and above, regardless of architecture.
How to use Switch Virtual Router: Pre-configuration
Installing the application is done using the appropriate "Wizard", in which you just need to follow the instructions.
At this stage, there will be no problems and difficultiesmust. After installation is complete, launch the application. The first step is to go to the settings menu. They are opened by a special button with the image of a gear in the lower right corner of the program window.
On the general settings tab, you need to set the router name in English (it will be applied to both the access point name and the network name), a password (preferably at least eight characters) and its confirmation, and then save the changes. Also, if desired, you can put a "bird" in front of the WiFi launch (Switch Virtual Router - respectively) at system startup.
Activate device sharing
Now you need to enable virtual device sharing. To do this, in the main window you need to click on the line for changing the network adapter settings or go to this section from the Network and Sharing Center in the standard "Control Panel".
Another wireless connection has appeared in the menu of available connections (until the access point is configured, it will display a cross on a red background). By right-clicking on it, in the drop-down menu, use the property line and go to the access tab. Here we use both permissions present (except for establishing a telephone connection, if one is present in the list) and select the type of connection to the home network. Next, just save the changes.
First connection start
Now in the Switch Virtual Router program, it remains to execute thea little. The main window has a start button.
Press it and wait until the connection is established. If everything is fine, the corresponding icon will appear in the tray, and in the network connection settings, the previously used name like “wireless connection number such and such” will change to the one that was assigned to the virtual router at the initial stage.
Setting up distribution if the connection is not activated for other devices
In the tray, use the connections icon and select the adapter used from the list (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, ADSL, 3G, etc.).
Again, in the properties we set the general access if something was done wrong in the original version or another adapter was activated.
Possible access issues
As for the problems with the virtual device, almost everyone who used it notes that the Switch Virtual Router program does not always correctly determine IP addresses for connected devices or even the main terminal, although it uses automatic mode for this.
If this problem occurs, and a notification appears in the system tray asking you to check and fix the connection, you can try to enter the appropriate data manually. The subnet mask remains the default (255.255.255.0) and the IP address is 192.168.137.1.
In some cases, the Switch Virtual Router program may be blocked by an antivirus or firewall. To startit is worth disabling the anti-virus scanner for a while and checking the application for operability. In the second case, the program must be added to the firewall exception list. If Switch Virtual Router is not displayed in the list of installed programs or it is not possible to add the application to it in the standard way, you should specify the location of the program executable file manually.
Pros and cons of the program
It remains to express all the pros and cons. According to users and specialists, the program has only one drawback - recurring problems with automatically determining the IP addresses of connected users.
On the other hand, the undoubted advantages of the application include the following:
- free distribution of the utility;
- small size;
- low consumption of system resources;
- no need to start additional services;
- possibility of transferring the distributing terminal to hibernation mode after the session of connecting other devices is completed;
- full control of parameters, monitoring of network connections and information about connected terminals.
Instead of total
As you can see, there is nothing particularly complicated in setting up the program and there are no additional parameters for network adapters. All this after the first start of the application will take a maximum of a couple of minutes. Of course, there may also be problems with the created connection, however, this issue is also solved quite easily.
But here's the main thing: the user of the same laptop with a built-in Wi-Fi adapteror the owner of a computer with a wired connection or an external USB controller does not need to buy additional equipment, which can sometimes be quite expensive. The program will turn the desired terminal into a virtual router without any problems.
