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Frequently Asked Questions

Basic Usage - Security - Platform Support - Errors - Miscellaneous

Connectify is running in the Notification Tray next to the system clock. It might not be visible, because Windows 7 has cleaned up the Notification Tray to hide the icons that you don't frequently use. If you click on the small white triangle it will show all of the icons, including the Connectify radio wave icon.

To ensure that Connectify stays visible, select "Customize". Find Connectify in the list of programs and select "Show icons and notifications".

Now what? How do I share my connection?

To get started, click on the Connectify logo in the Notification Tray.

Make sure the 'Share Internet' option is checked.
Choose a name for your new wireless network
Choose a wireless password
If the Mode box is visible, select "Access Point" if it is in the menu, otherwise, use "Ad Hoc".
Press the Start Hotspot Sharing button to turn on your wireless network
Now, from your other devices, you can see your wireless network. Choose to join it, and enter the wireless password to connect.

Can I still join a Wi-Fi network while my computer is acting as a Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Yes, as long as you are in "Access Point" mode. You can join a Wi-Fi network and run the Connectify Hotspot on the same Wi-Fi card, at the same time. The Connectify Hotspot is always on the same channel as the Wi-Fi network that you join, but Wi-Fi networks can share the same channel. Ad Hoc mode cannot do this, unless you use a second Wi-Fi card to connect to the other wireless network.

Security

What kind of security does it have? Is it encrypted?

Yes, your wireless Access Point hotspot is encrypted with WPA2-Personal (AES) encryption. Your security is as strong as the Password that you select. The Ad Hoc mode hotspots are protected with WEP encryption.

How do I turn off encryption?

Encryption is required with Connectify, we take your safety and security seriously.

Platform Support

What versions of Windows does Connectify run on?

Connectify runs on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, both in either 32 or 64 bits. Windows 7 Starter Edition is not supported, as it lacks some of the features Connectify utilizes.

Does it run on Windows Vista or Windows XP?

Sorry, not at this time. Connectify depends on improvements made in Windows 7 to operate. Frankly, Windows 7 is such a big improvement, that we suggest you're better off upgrading than waiting for us to get all this working on an older version of Windows.

For more information on upgrading to Windows 7, see the comprehensive Upgrade Guide on our web site.

Do my friends need Windows 7 in order to connect to my Connectify hotspot?

Absolutely not, any Wi-Fi enabled device can connect to your network without any additional configuration or software.

Will it work with my cellular Wireless Internet service?

It should, we have tested successfully with several. Please tell us if it doesn't.

Why does the installer tell me it only runs on Windows 7, even though I have Windows 7?

One of the features of Windows 7, is that it has a "Compatibility Mode" where it pretends to be an older operating system to installers. If you right click on the installer, and select "Properties", there is a "Compatibility" tab. Make sure there are no checks in any of the checkboxes on this screen.

Does it work with an Nintendo DSi?

Yes, as of Connectify version 2.0, the Nintendo DSi is supported as a client to Connectify networks. To setup your DSi to use a Connectify network, go to System Settings -> Internet -> Connection Settings -> Advanced Setup. Choose one of the connections (4,5 or 6), and then select Change Settings. Enter the SSID and password for your Connectify network, and you will be up and working. Note that only the DSi, and not the older DS works with Connectify.

Errors

Nothing happens when I press the button to start the hotspot. What gives?

You have multiple network connections bridged. Connectify needs these to be disabled

Connectify has a 'No Internet Detected' or 'No Internet on ...' message

This is a warning that Connectify could not detect a working internet connection. This is a warning message only and won't affect Connectify's functionality. However, if this message is shown, it is highly unlikely that connected devices will be able to connect to the internet.

I get errors of 'Unhandled Exception' or 'Failed to configure private interface' when trying to start the hotspot

While there are many causes for these errors, a common issue behind these is related to anti-virus and internet security software. Below is a list of known workarounds for various compatibility issues with these software products.

Kaspersky Internet Security: In the Connectify tray icon's Support menu, go to 'Network Connections'. From here, right click on the Microsoft Virtual Miniport Adapter and click on Properties. Disable the 'Kaspersky Anti-Virus NDIS Filter' by unchecking the box to its left. Choose OK, and then either disable and reenable the device, or restart your computer.

Another common issue is the Microsoft Virtual Wifi Miniport driver getting stuck in a bad state. To check for this issue, go to 'Device Manager' (in the 'Control Panel', under 'Hardware and Sound'). Under Network Adapters, there will be a Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter list (if your Wi-Fi adapter supports Access Point mode).

If there is a yellow exclamation point on the icon for this adapter, then Windows encountered an error loading the driver. You may be able to fix this by going into the Driver tab of the adapter's Properties dialog (double-click on the entry in Device Manager).

On this window, click the Disable button, wait for Windows to disable the device, then click the Enable button to reenable the adapter. The yellow exclamation point icon should go away, and Connectify should now be able to start a hotspot normally.

I get a status of 'Service Down' and clicking 'Start Service' doesn't fix it

If after waiting 15 seconds after running 'Start Service' the Connectify UI does not come out of the 'Service Down' state, there are a few things you should check.

Is .Net enabled? You can check for this by going to the start menu and searching for 'Turn Windows features on or off'. In this dialog, scroll down until you see 'Microsoft .Net Framework'. Make sure the box next to it is filled in with either a check mark or a block.
Are you running a non-admin user account? The service needs to be started on an administrator account. Connectify will setup the service to automatically start when the user that installed Connectify logs on. Other administrator users can start the service via the 'Start Service' button in Connectify, but standard users can not.

I get an 'Unknown Exception' error when Connectify starts.

If you get an error dialog titled 'Connectify: An unknown exception occurred (True)' with a 'System.IO.FileNotFoundException' mentioned in the window or a message that .Net is not enabled, then .Net may be disabled on your system. You can check for this by going to the start menu and searching for 'Turn Windows features on or off'. In this dialog, scroll down until you see 'Microsoft .Net Framework'. Make sure the box next to it is filled in with either a check mark or a block.

VPN Issues: Connected devices can't connect to me/connect to the internet/I can't connect to the internet.

Running a Connectify hotspot on a computer that has an active VPN connection can result in many issues, ranging from a loss in internet access on the connecting computer, to losing all network access on the computer running Connectify. We are looking into this issue.

It doesn't work for me! Help!

Send us an email at support@connectify.me and we'll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours.

Miscellaneous

What's new in this release?

See the Release Notes for the latest release

Is this just Wi-Fi's ad hoc mode?

When it is run in "Access Point" mode, Connectify is a real Wi-Fi Access Point running on your computer. Any device that can connect to a regular access point, can connect to a Connectify Hotspot, with no special setup or software required. When Connectify is run in "Ad Hoc" mode it sets everything up for you (Wireless card, Internet sharing, firewall, etc.) in one click. It also provides advanced features like showing you what computers are connected to your network, and letting you right click them to Explore their shared drives and printers.

Am I allowed to share my Internet Connection?

This depends on the terms of service of your Internet Service Provider. Many have terms against reselling the connections; however sharing with friends, family and your other computers is generally fine.

How can I help spread the word about Connectify?

Funny you asked! We have conveniently provided links to several popular social media sites in the sidebar. Don't hesitate to use them all!