Windows Mobile's
Internet Sharing application allows a phone to share its internet connection with a laptop computer, via either Bluetooth or USB. However, Internet Sharing (below left) cannot perform the same magic via WiFi, which is where third-party software steps in.
Windows Mobile's Internet Sharing (left) and the WMWifiRouter application (right)
(click to enlarge)WMWifiRouter (above right), first released earlier this year, turns a WiFi-equipped phone into a wireless router. The application supports multiple clients, includes a built-in DHCP server, and can create open or closed (either 64-bit or 12-bit WEP) networks, says Morose.
WMWifiRouter was free software at the beginning of the year, but is now a commercial offering. However, according to the vendor, version 1.2 has been rearchitected, providing for better performance and easier configuration. The application provides WiFi access to client devices even when a phone is suspended, Morose claims.
As noted, Microsoft's own Internet Sharing software can share wide-area connections via Bluetooth or USB. WMWifiRouter can now operate over these interfaces too, Morose says, though it did not state whether they can be employed simultaneously with WiFi. The company also touts "support for sharing your wifi connection to USB, and
vice versa," though this was not explained further. Documentation for the changes in version 1.2 is still under development, Morose says.
Meantime, a competing application that performs much the same tasks is TapRoot Systems'
WalkingHotSpot, first announced for Windows Mobile devices in April. This week, TapRoot announced that WalkingHotSpot will be sold on a subscription basis, priced at $7 per month or $25 per year.
Morose's WMWifiRouter, in contrast, is a one-time purchase. It currently costs 20 Euros (approximately $30). For further information, see the company's website,
here.
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