Windows 11 PCs could soon get the ability to set up much faster Wi-Fi hotspots to share their internet with other devices

Supercharged Wi-Fi hotspots on the 6GHz band

News By Darren Allan published 8 October 2024

Windows 11 received support for Wi-Fi 7 in the recent 24H2 update, but Microsoft is working to extend functionality with wireless connections further in allowing users to establish 6GHz Wi-Fi hotspots.

Currently, Windows 11 lets you set up a hotspot – to allow other devices to connect to your PC on the Wi-Fi network, and use its internet connection – on the 5GHz or 2.4GHz bands.

But as spotted by leaker PhantomOfEarth on X, there’s now the ability to set up such a hotspot over 6GHz – as brought in with Wi-Fi 6E – albeit this isn’t live in testing yet, not for everyone.

The feature is currently rolling out in the most recent preview builds in the Dev channel, so some testers may have it, and others may not. In the latter case, Windows 11 testers can enable 6GHz support using a Windows configuration utility (ViVeTool), as the leaker mentions.

Support is required across the board with your hardware

Note that to use this feature when it arrives in Windows 11, you will of course need a PC that supports Wi-Fi 6E, and a router that supports the standard too – plus your connecting devices will need 6GHz support.

The 6GHz band offers benefits above the traditional 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands (in Wi-Fi 6) including faster Wi-Fi speeds and more bandwidth, with less potential for interference in crowded environments (like apartment blocks).

We wouldn’t recommend diving in to install a test build of Windows 11 just to see this feature, mind. While 6GHz support might still be in the early stages of preview, given that not all testers in the Dev channel even have it yet, hopefully it won’t be too long before support debuts in the full version of Windows 11.

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