Why is Connectify 'Paused'?

We know how frustrating it can be when your devices connect to a hotspot without internet access, so Connectify Hotspot pauses itself when the connection you are sharing has no internet. While it is paused, your devices can switch to another network instead of getting stuck on one that goes nowhere.

When Does Connectify Hotspot pause?

If you are running a Wi-Fi hotspot or Wired router with Routed network access, Connectify pauses if the connection you chose under Internet to share has no internet and no devices are connected. It waits about two minutes before pausing.
If you are running a Wi-Fi hotspot or Wired router with Bridged network access, Connectify pauses if the connection you chose under Internet to share is disconnected or disabled.
If you are running a Wi-Fi repeater, Connectify pauses if this PC is not connected to the Wi-Fi network to repeat.

In each case, Connectify Hotspot starts sharing again by itself when the connection is back. With Routed network access, it also starts again as soon as a device connects.

What you see when it pauses

On the Hotspot screen, the state at the top changes to Paused, and a panel explains why:

Paused while there’s no internet

This PC has lost its internet connection, so the hotspot has stopped itself on purpose: that way your devices switch to another network instead of getting stuck on one that goes nowhere. It starts again by itself when the internet is back.

The Hotspot screen while paused, with Unpause hotspot, Stop hotspot and the Paused while there’s no internet panel

Click Unpause hotspot to start sharing again right away. It won’t pause again until you stop the hotspot.
Click Stop hotspot to turn it off until you start it yourself.

With Bridged network access the panel is titled Paused and gives the bridged reason instead, with the same two buttons:

The connection you’re sharing has been disconnected or turned off, so the hotspot is paused. It starts again by itself when the connection is back.

A paused Wi-Fi repeater shows Paused with the text "This PC isn’t connected to the network being repeated, so the repeater is paused." It has no Unpause hotspot button: it starts again by itself when this PC is back on the network being repeated.

How to turn pausing off

Pausing is on by default. To turn it off, click Settings, then Network, and under Routed mode turn off Pause when there’s no internet. You can also click Turn this off in Network settings in the paused panel. The change takes effect right away.

Settings, Network: the Pause when there’s no internet switch

This lets you run a hotspot without internet access and use it as a local network, for example to share files or play games between devices.

The setting applies only to Routed network access. With Bridged network access, it shows "Not available in bridged mode." and the hotspot still pauses while the connection you share is disconnected.