How to create a Wi-Fi Hotspot on Linux Mint

Local networks can be used for many things other than just accessing the World Wide Web. If connected to the same network, the different systems connected can share files among each other quite easily.

It is the basis of a NAS (Network Attached Storage) server. Or maybe, that a single system has a wired internet connection, and it’s required to let other systems around access the internet. In these cases, you’ll need to create a hotspot from your system. Here is a guide on how to create a Wi-Fi hotspot in Linux Mint.

There will be no need for the installation of any programs or such, as Mint already has them installed. Make sure you are not already connected to a wireless network (otherwise your wireless card will be engaged, and you will not be able to create a hotspot). To create a hotspot, follow these instructions:

Creating a Wireless Access Point on Linux Mint

1. Open the application launcher, search for ‘Network Connections‘ and open it.
   

   Launch ‘Network Connections.’

2. Click on the ‘+’ button, which will allow you to establish a new network.

3. Among ‘Connection Types,’ choose ‘Wi-Fi‘ and click on the ‘Create…‘ button.

Creating a new network

Configuring Hotspot

Wi-Fi

1. In the ‘Connection Name‘ field, and the ‘SSID‘ field, enter the name which you want to set to the network. The name that you enter in the ‘SSID‘ field is the name that the systems will see when they connect to the hotspot.
2. Set the ‘Mode‘ to ‘Hotspot.’
3. In the ‘Device‘ sub-menu, you’ll see an option which has the physical address of your wireless network card. There will probably only be one option (considering you do not have any additional wireless cards attached). Choose that option. It tells the system to use that wireless card for creating the hotspot.
   

   Wi-Fi network settings

Wi-Fi Security

Next, we focus on setting up the password.

1. Go the ‘Wi-Fi Security‘ tab in the same window and set ‘Security‘ to ‘WPA & WPA2 Personal‘. There are other options, but WPA and WPA2 are the most secure forms of network passwords. They are generally borderline un-hackable if you have a strong password and be a little careful with the network. The easiest method to crack it is brute-forcing, which takes a very, very long time if you have a complex password. So make sure you set the password carefully.

2. You will get a box to enter the desired password. Enter the password there.

Wi-Fi security settings

IPv4 Settings

1. Go to the ‘IPv4 Settings‘ tab, and make sure that the ‘Method‘ is set to ‘Shared to other computers.’

Click on ‘Save.’

IPv4 settings

Conclusion

That’s all about how to create a Wi-Fi hotspot on Linux Mint. After establishing the network, you’ll be able to connect to it like any other network on your other devices. Again, for safety, it is recommended to set a strong password.