A few weeks ago Rod was with a mutual friend of our Da-Rell when Rod asked, "What is your favorite App for Windows Mobile?" Da-Rell gave Rod a demo of WMWiFiRouter. As you can imagine being an iPhone/Blackberry/Android user Rod was excited to teach me something about Windows Mobile. Shame on me for not finding this gem sooner.
WMWiFiRouter allows your Windows Mobile phone to function like a WiFi hotspot, this allows multiple WiFi enabled devices to connect and share the phones internet connection. For me it duplicates the functionality of my Verizon MiFi at a significantly lower cost. Unlike Rod that bought an iPad on Day 1 of Pre-Sales, site unseen, I like to take a more measured approach to decision making. Over the last several weeks I have been testing out WMWiFi and electing to leave my Verizon MiFi on the sidelines. TO my surprise I didn't miss it.
How do I get a Copy
You can get a copy of WMWifiRouter from their site directly. Some more savvy WinMo users may be thinking why use this instead of the built in internet sharing? The answer, because it's wireless. The other answer is you can connect multiple devices at the same time. One of the nice things I like about the guys at Morose Media Software was the fact that you can have a 21 day trial before you buy. Unlike a lot of software out there, the trial was fully functional.
What do I need
To use WMWifiRouter you need the following on your mobile device*:
- Windows Mobile 5: AKU 3.3 or newer
- Windows Mobile 6: 6.0, 6.1, 6.5 or 6.5.3
- Both a wifi and a cellular data connection
- An installed and working version of Internet Sharing**
* Additional requirements may apply. (For Example: USB Cable for USB connection, Bluetooth Receiver for Bluetooth connection)
** Some providers remove Internet Sharing from their branded devices. (For me it was under the Start Menu|Settings|Connections|Wireless Modem)
I use the AT&T Tilt 2 and had no issue using the app. For a list of reported devices that have successfully used the WMWifiRouter look here.
Installation and Setup
Another thing that I like about Morose Media Software is there documentation. Although the setup wizard is all you need, the instruction manual is very detailed and easy to follow. Once you download the .cab file to your phone tap it to install WMWifiRouter. Choose the location to install the app and hit install at the bottom.
That is it for the install!
Now go into your start menu, locate and launch WMWifiRouter.
Enter in your license or choose Trial at the bottom of the screen. Afterwards you must accept the License Agreement.
After you accept the License Agreement you are presented with a wizard to configure WMWifiRouter. First you choose a mobile network to connect to then you set your WEP Key just you would your router at home. ( I asked Morose Media why they were not using WPA. As it turns out WPA is not supported on AD-HOC networks although the WI-FI standard may change in the future. Therefore it is Not a limitation of the software)
There are a couple of house keeping things you may want to do to make sure your phone function properly. For example setting the WIFI connection to Best Performance vs. Best battery is a good idea because you could see errors when using WMWifiRouter. You can modify this setting directly in WMWifiRouter by going to Options|Tools|Wifi|Power control if your device does not support the change through an app then go to Start|Settings|Connections|Wireless LAN and select the Power mode tab. Change the slider to "Best performance".
To make the process easier, WMWifiRouter changes all the phone setting for you when you launch it. When you close the app it puts all your settings back the way they were. There is also a reminder to make sure you have an appropriate DATA plan.
Now that you have completed the setup wizard you have some very large finger friendly buttons to turn on WMWifiRouter. There are 6 icons that can be used because there are different connection methods that the app supports.
You can do a
1. 3G to Wireless Connection - This is the most popular option
2. 3G to USB Connection - This allows you to share your mobile internet with a USB connection to your Laptop to get to the internet
3. 3G to Bluetooth Connection - This allows your Laptop to connect via Bluetooth.
4. Wifi to USB - This allows you to use your Mobile Phone as a WIFI Dongle.
5. USB to WIFI - This connection profile shares your USB connection over WIFI. (this USB to WIFI connection profile the internet feed comes through your computer to your mobile device over USB, and is then shared over WIFI.)
There are more details in the documentation.
To use your phone as a Wireless Router just press the 3G to Wireless button Once the Data Network is connected you will be able to see your Phone as a wireless device the default name is WMWifiRouter but you can change the name under Options|Configuration|Wi-FI network.
Review
Overall I love the Application I find the internet speed to be very fast. I really like the fact that I can Leave my Verizon MIFI at home and carry less devices. I also really like that the Icons are large and touch Friendly. WMWifiRouter also includes Summary Information for the Mobile Network Connection, Battery usage including temperature, and inbound/outbound data usage.
The battery drain seemed reasonably good. I was able to use my phone as a wireless internet connection during my nephew's entire basketball game. What also impressed me is when I received a call from Rod I was able to use the phone while my Netbook still browsed the internet. This is one of the great things about a GSM network and WMWifiRouter takes advantage of it. I should also note that there was no noticeable slowdown in browsing. I had no issue connecting my iPod Touch but my Zune HD does not support AD-HOC networks (which is the type of Network WMWifiRouter creates)
Like any app there is some room for improvement.
- I would love to see a tighter UI with the ability to slide the screen side to side instead of using the Green Arrows.
- Also there should be a notification when a device connects to the phone. This would allow me a level of security if I choose to use the app without a WEP key. (this feature is currently in Beta)
- During the Setup Wizard I would like to choose my Wireless Network Name instead of having to do it after the fact.
- I would like the option of not having a Network key during the setup wizard. As it is right now if you leave the dialog blank, it will generate a key for you. Also you can not go back in the wizard to change it. (This feature has been taken under review. What more could you ask for!)
Overall I love the app and had no problem paying the 19.99 to get it. Hopefully Microsoft will update the Zune to support an AD-HOC network but I am happy not having to carry my Netbook, my phone, and my MIFI. Anything that narrows down the amount of gadgets I have to carry is a good thing. And WMWifiRouter definitely does the job.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Wow! What a nice complete implementation of this feature set. See what a few years of stability in a platform will get you? It has it’s downsides, but benefits too. I can only hope that we will eventually see something a complete on Android.