What is Bridging Mode and how do I use it?
With Bridged network access, Connectify Hotspot MAX connects devices on your Hotspot directly back to the network you’re sharing. This powerful feature gives you the power to share across your home network and ensures compatibility with many game consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and streaming media devices like Google Chromecast and Apple TV. (Note that Gaming mode lets you use your game consoles with every edition, including Hotspot Lite, in standard Routed mode as well!)
Check out the video tutorial showing you how to set up Bridging Mode.
How to turn on bridging
On the Hotspot screen, under Create a, choose Wi-Fi hotspot or Wired router, and set Network access to Bridged. Bridged needs Hotspot MAX; on other editions it shows a MAX badge. If the hotspot is already running, click Edit hotspot, switch to Bridged, and click Apply and restart.
The Bridging mode allows devices on your Hotspot and shared network to communicate. This means your devices on the Hotspot can:
- Use network file sharing
- Cast content to Chromecast, Apple TV and other streaming media devices
- Participate in LAN gaming
- Connect to online gaming
When bridging isn't available
Connectify Hotspot won't start in bridged mode when the Internet to share is:
- Automatic or Don’t share internet
- Speedify
- a connection that is disconnected or disabled
- a 3G/4G or dial-up connection, which includes PdaNet
Use Routed for these.
What changes in bridged mode
Please note that you should only use bridging mode on private networks that you control. In bridging mode, Hotspot does not run a NAT or DHCP server, meaning it will not give out IP addresses to the clients. Instead, each client device will make a request to the DHCP server on the network you are sharing to get an IP address. If the network you are sharing does not have a DHCP server, you will need to set up static IP addresses on the client devices.
Because of that, the settings that belong to Connectify Hotspot's own router don't apply, and show "Not available in bridged mode.": Block ads, the DNS server choice, Let apps open ports automatically (UPnP), Pause when there’s no internet, Reach this PC at any of its addresses and Addresses for devices. On the Clients screen, Gaming mode and Fixed IP address are hidden, and there are no traffic graphs.
Bridging and Wi-Fi repeater
To extend the range of a Wi-Fi network, use the separate Wi-Fi repeater mode instead: under Create a, choose Wi-Fi repeater (Hotspot MAX). Learn more about repeater mode.