Using PC as a hotspot or network link

[___P___]

Hi all,

I have this situation where I am in a room with marvelous cable internet! almost 800 down and almost 1000 up, but sadly I only have one port...
My PC has two lan ports and a hotspot function.

I wanted to know what are the dangers of using my pc as a hotspot or link for my phone or laptop.
I have a very clean pc with only paid software and never use it for anything sketchy...
But what if I use my laptop to download torrents? If it's connected through my PC would it be a hazard?

Sorry for the stupid question...

 

[LilDog1291]

Hi all,

I have this situation where I am in a room with marvelous cable internet! almost 800 down and almost 1000 up, but sadly I only have one port...
My PC has two lan ports and a hotspot function.

I wanted to know what are the dangers of using my pc as a hotspot or link for my phone or laptop.
I have a very clean pc with only paid software and never use it for anything sketchy...
But what if I use my laptop to download torrents? If it's connected through my PC would it be a hazard?

Sorry for the stupid question...

Honestly if you're asking this question then you probably would have trouble setting it up and it wouldn't work as well as you want it to. Why not just get a router or switch to have more ports and create a Wi-Fi network from that?

 

[___P___]

Hi all,

I have this situation where I am in a room with marvelous cable internet! almost 800 down and almost 1000 up, but sadly I only have one port...
My PC has two lan ports and a hotspot function.

I wanted to know what are the dangers of using my pc as a hotspot or link for my phone or laptop.
I have a very clean pc with only paid software and never use it for anything sketchy...
But what if I use my laptop to download torrents? If it's connected through my PC would it be a hazard?

Sorry for the stupid question...

Honestly if you're asking this question then you probably would have trouble setting it up and it wouldn't work as well as you want it to. Why not just get a router or switch to have more ports and create a Wi-Fi network from that?

Well aren't we nice...
Setting up a hotspot is not difficult... I have done it plenty of times before for just my phone but never for my laptop since I use that one only for downloading torrents and such...
Did you seriously even read my post? Seriously if you are just here to go and act all mighty you might just as well not comment at all little fella...

 

[boosted1g]

Yes pushing the two buttons on your android phone to make a hotspot is easy.

Setting up IIS on windows to become a router is not easy, nor does it perform well at all.
This was made way back in the day for sharing a single dial up modem connection, and was simply adopted for broadband.
Performance wise, pretty much any $20 cheapo router will perform much batter.

While a little blunt, just because you dont like what lildogg said, does not make it any less correct.

 

[LilDog1291]

Sorry no offense intended. The thing is though if you know how to do that then you should also know how routing works. The data doesn't rest on the routing device so there is no risk as long as the device doing the routing has a proper firewall and anti-virus.

Still I think a $50 router would serve you better. Not to mention the power savings of not having a computer on all the time just to keep the internet going. https/www.bestbuy.com/site/tp-link-archer-c50-ac1200-wireless-ac-dual-band-router-black/5357902.p?skuId=5357902

 

[___P___]

Yes pushing the two buttons on your android phone to make a hotspot is easy.

Setting up IIS on windows to become a router is not easy, nor does it perform well at all.
This was made way back in the day for sharing a single dial up modem connection, and was simply adopted for broadband.
Performance wise, pretty much any $20 cheapo router will perform much batter.

While a little blunt, just because you dont like what lildogg said, does not make it any less correct.

Again people seem to be missing the point... I was not talking at all about using a hotspot from my phone... Making a hotspot from your pc in windows 10 is not hard with my mobo, and besides the point is it has already been done before...
Instead of just trying to bash here and trying to explain to me something I already know why not try actually answer the question unless you don't know the answer... Which to me seems to be the case

 

[___P___]

Sorry no offense intended. The thing is though if you know how to do that then you should also know how routing works. The data doesn't rest on the routing device so there is no risk as long as the device doing the routing has a proper firewall and anti-virus.

Still I think a $50 router would serve you better. Not to mention the power savings of not having a computer on all the time just to keep the internet going. https/www.bestbuy.com/site/tp-link-archer-c50-ac1200-wireless-ac-dual-band-router-black/5357902.p?skuId=5357902

None taken. Sorry if I got worked up too.
Ok, I get that. ALthough my pc only has windows defender on it so not sure if I feel super safe with just torrenting with my music.
As for the on time for the Pc you are super right there but I don't pay for the electricity here and the pc is pretty silent.
I'll look around. I want to keep the same speeds though with the router though. I hope that even if I use the cable from the router for the Pc, that it will not bottleneck it.

 

[USAFRet]

This is specifically what a router is for.
Why try to do it the hard way?

 

[___P___]

This is specifically what a router is for.
Why try to do it the hard way?

I don't see using a hotspot as a hardway... Not sure where you see it as difficult here?
I literally just activated it again... The speeds are nice, it does't cost me anything either and I don't have to go to a shop to buy that router... Why do you still say that making the hotspot is the hardest way?..

Really curious on why you say that, not in a mean way btw...
I just want to know what happens if for example I use my laptop on this hotspot I made and torrent on it, then what are the risk of my PC who makes the hotspot...

Making a hotspot is literally 2 to 3 clicks on the pc...

 

[USAFRet]

Right.
It isn't 'hard', as such.

But this requires the PC be on all the time. Any update reboot, part change, whatever...affects all other users or internet functions.

 

[LilDog1291]

This is specifically what a router is for.
Why try to do it the hard way?

I don't see using a hotspot as a hardway... Not sure where you see it as difficult here?
I literally just activated it again... The speeds are nice, it does't cost me anything either and I don't have to go to a shop to buy that router... Why do you still say that making the hotspot is the hardest way?..

Really curious on why you say that, not in a mean way btw...
I just want to know what happens if for example I use my laptop on this hotspot I made and torrent on it, then what are the risk of my PC who makes the hotspot...

Making a hotspot is literally 2 to 3 clicks on the pc...

The reason it is considered the 'hard' way is that your PC was not purpose built for the job. A router is designed to route internet traffic. It is optimized for this one job and will do it way better and more reliably than anything you and I can set up.

Sure we might be able to but what if your PC dies, or needs reformatted, or you need to reboot for an update, or a game install needs to reboot, etc? Now your laptop and phone are without access to that connection. I just don't think it is worth the work of setting it up when gigabit routers are commonplace and easily affordable.

 

[___P___]

Right.
It isn't 'hard', as such.

But this requires the PC be on all the time. Any update reboot, part change, whatever...affects all other users or internet functions.

I agree with that but I will be using my laptop for download when I am awake and using my desktop at the same time... If I sleep everything will be off anyways...

 

[___P___]

This is specifically what a router is for.
Why try to do it the hard way?

I don't see using a hotspot as a hardway... Not sure where you see it as difficult here?
I literally just activated it again... The speeds are nice, it does't cost me anything either and I don't have to go to a shop to buy that router... Why do you still say that making the hotspot is the hardest way?..

Really curious on why you say that, not in a mean way btw...
I just want to know what happens if for example I use my laptop on this hotspot I made and torrent on it, then what are the risk of my PC who makes the hotspot...

Making a hotspot is literally 2 to 3 clicks on the pc...

The reason it is considered the 'hard' way is that your PC was not purpose built for the job. A router is designed to route internet traffic. It is optimized for this one job and will do it way better and more reliably than anything you and I can set up.

Sure we might be able to but what if your PC dies, or needs reformatted, or you need to reboot for an update, or a game install needs to reboot, etc? Now your laptop and phone are without access to that connection. I just don't think it is worth the work of setting it up when gigabit routers are commonplace and easily affordable.

I get that and I agree with you but all those issues you consider are not really an issue.
If I need to restart, it take literally 10 seconds and a torrent download will just wait until the connection is reestablished...
The routers are affordable but 20 bucks is still more money than 0 bucks... Plus I live far away from an electronics shop.


No offense people. I appreciate the help but you all, to me, seem to be trying to come up with issues that aren't issues for me to begin with. (no connection if pc is off, which I said is okay because my pc is off when I sleep or not home. Reboots stop connection, which rarely happen and if it does it takes 10 seconds... etc...)
I still have yet to receive an answer on this specific situation.

If I use my PC as the hotspot for my laptop which downloads torrents, what are the risks of infections and etc...

 

[USAFRet]

If I use my PC as the hotspot for my laptop which downloads torrents, what are the risks of infections and etc...

Just like any other system on the same "LAN".
If you get, for instance, a ransomware virus...the PC is obviously also at risk.

Additionally, the PC is the publically exposed system, with the public IP address. Getting constant pings and access attempts.

This is normally the router and its firewall.
In your case, the PC.

Presumably, your set is thus:
ISP->modem->PC->ICS to other systems
Correct?

Normally, it would be:
ISP->modem->router (with built in firewall)->-PC and all other systems


Whatever device is right after the modem has to do firewall duty as well as routing duty to the other devices.
The built in Windows firewall on your OS is not sufficient for this.

 

[___P___]

If I use my PC as the hotspot for my laptop which downloads torrents, what are the risks of infections and etc...

Just like any other system on the same "LAN".
If you get, for instance, a ransomware virus...the PC is obviously also at risk.

Additionally, the PC is the publically exposed system, with the public IP address. Getting constant pings and access attempts.

This is normally the router and its firewall.
In your case, the PC.

Presumably, your set is thus:
ISP->modem->PC->ICS to other systems
Correct?

Normally, it would be:
ISP->modem->router (with built in firewall)->-PC and all other systems


Whatever device is right after the modem has to do firewall duty as well as routing duty to the other devices.
The built in Windows firewall on your OS is not sufficient for this.

Thank you very much USAFRet (and others)
Sorry if there was some miscom by me!
Have a good one!