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With the help of Hotspot Maker, you can easily create a wireless network hotspot to extend the range of your router. It can also be used to share Internet access with your friends without having to expose your real password.

Installing this program doesn't take long. However, it cannot work unless you have .NET Framework enabled on your PC. Also, it's a good idea to run the tool with elevation rights in order to avoid connectivity issues.

The interface of the application is represented by a single window, where it's necessary to specifythe hotspot name. Although the password box indicates minimum eight characters, you actually have to write exactly eight characters. An error pops up if you specify anything less, while additional characters are not accepted.

As for the hotpot name, you can write anything up to eight characters. If no one is looking over your shoulder, you can also ask the tool to unmask the key. As a general rule, it's recommended to make the password as complex as possible by writing upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. This way, it cannot be decrypted by unauthorized users in your range.

Next, you just have to click the "Start Wi-Fi" button. Besides displaying a confirmation message that the virtual hotspot was successfully created, Hotspot Maker shows a console window with technical details related to the network settings. This can be studied by advanced users who have to change their computer settings in order to get this app up and running properly. For example, it says whether or not the SSID and user key passphrase of the hosted network has been successfully changed.

The software utility worked smoothly on Windows 10 in our tests. It created the hotpot quickly and without any errors. Unfortunately, it doesn't come packed with a help file to instruct users what network-related options have to be inspected and possibly changed in case the hotspot cannot be created due to permission issues. Also, it cannot remember settings on exit.

Other than that, Hotspot Maker provides you with a fast and straightforward method for creating a virtual hotpot to extend the wifi range of your router and share Internet access with your friends.