Program Switch Virtual Router: review, setup, testimonials. Create a virtual Wi-Fi hotspot

Today, almost all modern computers, laptops or mobile devices are equipped with means of Internet access. However, they do not want to do connection configuration, because it causes some difficulties. Even fewer users understand the issue of how, for example, to distribute Wi-Fi from their terminal. To simplify these actions, a unique application called Switch Virtual Router is used (by the way, Russian development). In any case, you will have to dig in the settings, however, it takes much less time and effort to do this than to deal with similar things in the operating system with "hardware" hardware.

Switch Virtual Router: what is this program?

To understand what kind of utility it is, it is quite simple, if you translate it from English into Russian. In fact, this is a real virtual router, allowing through the built-in means to turn your terminal into a dispenser, 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 release 3.3 itself will "weigh" something about 720 KB.

Basic operating modes

In the application itself there are not so many features (by and large, they are not needed here). However, the Switch Virtual Router program assumes two main operating modes:

• Two user terminals are united through one access point in the point-to-point mode (only information and data exchange is possible);
• A virtual router is configured in the point mode to which many users are connected, and shared Internet access is provided.

There is another interesting point. One of the "chips" of the program is that if you disable the application, the created point, like in any case, will still work in the active state. The same applies to transferring the distributing terminal to hibernation mode after disconnecting all previously connected devices. Sure, it's very convenient.

Please note: the application does not support the aging XP and Vista systems and is able to function correctly only in versions 7 and higher, regardless of architecture.

How to use Switch Virtual Router: presetting

The application is installed using the appropriate "Wizard", in which you just need to follow the instructions.

At this stage, there should be no problems and complexities. After the installation is complete, start the application. First of all, go to the settings menu. They are opened by a special button with a picture of the gear in the lower right corner of the program window.

On the general settings tab, you must specify the name of the router in English (it will be applied to the name of the access point and the network name), the password (preferably at least eight characters) and its confirmation, and then save the changes. Also, if desired, you can put a "bird" opposite the start of WiFi (Switch Virtual Router - respectively) when the system starts.

Activating device sharing

Now you need to enable sharing of the virtual device. To do this, in the main window, click on the line for changing the parameters of the network adapter or go to this section from the Network and Sharing Center in the standard "Control Panel".

In the menu of available connections, another wireless connection appeared (until the access point is configured, a cross on the red background will be displayed). Right-click on it, use the property bar in the drop-down menu and go to the access tab. Here we enable both permissions (except the installation of a telephone connection, if one is present in the list) and choose the type of connection to the home network. Then just save the changes.

First start of connection

Now the program Switch Virtual Router left to do very little. In the main window there is a start button.

We press it and wait until the connection is established. If everything is OK, the corresponding icon will appear in the tray, and in the network connection settings the previously used name like "wireless connection such-and-such number" will be replaced by the one that was assigned to the virtual router at the initial stage.

Set up the distribution, if the connection is not activated for other devices

In the tray, use the connection icon and select the adapter (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, ADSL, 3G, etc.) to be used from the list.

Again, in the properties we set the general access, if in the original version something was done incorrectly or another adapter was activated.

Possible access problems

As for problems with the virtual device, almost all who used it, note that the program Switch Virtual Router IP-addresses for the connected devices or even the main terminal does not always determine correctly, although it uses automatic mode for this.

If this problem occurs, and a notification appears in the system tray that requires you to verify and repair the connection, you can try to enter the appropriate data manually. The subnet mask remains in the standard form (255.255.255.0), and for the IP address, the combination 192.168.137.1 is used.

In some cases, the Switch Virtual Router can be blocked by an antivirus or a firewall. First of all, it is necessary to disable the antivirus scanner for a while and check the application for operability. In the second case, the program must be added to the firewall exception list. If the Switch Virtual Router is not displayed in the list of installed programs or you can not add the application to it in the standard way, you must specify the location of the executable program manually.

Pros and Cons of the Program

It remains to make all the pros and cons. According to feedback from users and experts, the program has only one drawback - the periodically occurring problems with automatic detection of 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;
• The possibility of transferring the distributing terminal to the hibernation mode after the termination of the connection of other devices;
• Full monitoring of parameters, monitoring of network connections and information about connected terminals.

Instead of the total

As you can see, nothing particularly complicated in setting up the program and additional parameters of network adapters is not here. All this after the first start of the application will require a maximum of a couple of minutes. Of course, there may be problems with the connection created, but this issue is solved quite easily.

But that's what's important: the user of the same laptop with a built-in Wi-Fi adapter or a computer owner with a wired connection or external USB-controller does not need to buy additional equipment, which sometimes can be quite expensive. The program will turn the desired terminal into a virtual router without problems.