Use a Windows Mobile smartphone as a Wi-Fi router

Getting your laptop online via 3G is no big deal these days, thanks to the wide range of mobile broadband deals that are available. If you just want to get one laptop online somewhere that isn’t served by an ISP, they work great, but what if you have more than computer, or want to try a little online play with a games console?

One solution is to use a Windows Mobile smartphone as a mini Wi-Fi router – all you need is a suitable smartphone and a handy program called WMWifiRouter. Full details after the cut.

WMWifiRouter is a Windows Mobile application that turns a Windows Mobile smartphone with Wi-Fi into a mini hotspot. Like any hotspot, you can then use it to get online with any Wi-Fi enabled device, like a laptop, games console or other handheld.

You’ll also need a data-enabled SIM card and while 3G/HSDPA is obviously recommended, you can connect using EDGE or even GPRS. For 3G access, a SIM card course, but one from a modem supplied with one of the many mobile broadband deals will work – as long as your smartphone is with the same provider, or is unlocked.

You could also use a 3G PAYG SIM, but mobile operators usually prohibit these for use with a laptop as a modem, even if it is via a smartphone – check the 3G provider’s terms and conditions for the full skinny on this.

WMWifiRouter also requires Internet Connection Sharing to be installed on the smartphone. This is – by default – but if your smartphone came courtesy of a subsidised deal from a mobile operator, you may find that it’s been removed for the reason outlined above.

WMWifiRouter is available as a fully working trial, so you can install and use it freely until 29 April. After that you’ll need to pay €18, or €24 if you buy it after 20 April.

Step 1
Go to the WMWifiRouter Consumer site (either on your PC or smartphone) and click the get WMWifiRouter link at the bottom of the page. Once you’ve confirmed your acceptance of the license agreement, there are two download options, depending on whether you want to install the program via ActiveSync or directly onto the smartphone via a CAB file. There are also two alternative download links in case you can’t get either of the first two program versions to install.

Step 2
Once installed, start the program and enter the word Trial to activate the trial version. Tap Trial at the bottom of the screen to continue, and then accept the license agreement on the next screen.

Step 3
WMWifiRouter works by creating an ad-hoc network, but this lacks any kind of security by default (you can add it later). You’ll read a warning to this effect on the next screen – tap Yes to continue.

Step 4
If your smartphone has a physical switch for Wi-Fi, make sure it’s on before you continue. Tap Connect and WMWifiRouter should perform all the necessary steps to enable Internet Connection Sharing and your cellular data connection.

Step 5
The newly created wireless network will then appear with the SSID WMWifiRouter and you can connect to it with a wireless device just as you would any other network.

Step 6
There’s nothing else you need to do in order to use WMWifiRouter, but it is worth making some changes to its security settings to prevent just anyone piggy backing onto your connection. With the application disconnected (and this takes a second or two), tap Options > Configuration > Network Setup.

From here you can change the network name (the SSID), which is recommended. You can also enable WEP, which while hardly the most secure way of protecting a Wi-Fi network, is better than nothing.

One final note. After we’d used WMWifiRouter, we couldnt establish a USB ActiveSync connection to a PC -- the application appears to change a setting that prevents it from working. A soft reset fixed the problem, though.

There’s also a procedure you need to follow to uninstall WMWifiRouter – don’t just uninstall it if you decide not to keep it.