Access Point

Access Point

Access Point turns your computer into a secure Wi-Fi hotspot, sharing your VPN-protected connection with other devices. Phones, tablets, and other computers can connect through your PC and benefit from Stealth's encryption without installing software on each device.

Why Use Access Point

Protect devices without clients. Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and IoT devices can't run VPN software. Connect them through your Access Point instead.

Quick family protection. When traveling, create a secure hotspot in your hotel room. Family members connect their phones to your hotspot rather than the hotel's potentially insecure Wi-Fi.

Temporary connections. Share your secure connection with guests without giving them your VPN credentials or installing software on their devices.

Requirements

Access Point requires:

Wi-Fi adapterMust support "Hosted Network" (most modern adapters do)
Administrator accessStealth must run with elevated privileges
VPN connectionConnect VPN first to share protected internet

Creating a Hotspot

  1. Ensure Stealth's VPN is connected
  2. Open Access Point from Settings → Tools
  3. Enter a network name (SSID) for your hotspot
  4. Set a strong password (at least 8 characters)
  5. Click Start Hotspot

Your hotspot appears in Wi-Fi lists on other devices. Connect using the password you set. All traffic from connected devices routes through your VPN.

Hotspot Security

Access Point uses WPA2 encryption for the wireless connection, the same security standard used by most routers. Combined with VPN encryption, connected devices benefit from two layers of protection:

  1. WPA2 protects the wireless connection to your PC
  2. VPN encrypts all traffic to the internet

Choose a strong, unique password for your hotspot. Avoid simple passwords that could be guessed.

Public use: When creating hotspots in public places, be aware that others can see your network name. Use an inconspicuous SSID and strong password.

Connected Devices

The Access Point panel shows currently connected devices:

  • Device name (if available)
  • IP address assigned to the device
  • Connection duration
  • Data usage

Monitor for unauthorized connections. If you see an unknown device, change your hotspot password and restart.

Bandwidth Sharing

All connected devices share your internet connection. Consider your total bandwidth when multiple devices connect:

If your internet is 100 Mbps and three devices connect, each effectively has access to about 33 Mbps when all are active simultaneously. VPN adds minimal overhead to this calculation.

For bandwidth-intensive activities on connected devices (streaming, large downloads), fewer simultaneous connections provide better per-device speeds.

Stopping the Hotspot

Click Stop Hotspot to disable the Access Point. Connected devices will be disconnected and the network will disappear from Wi-Fi lists.

The hotspot also stops automatically when:

  • Stealth is closed
  • Your computer goes to sleep
  • VPN disconnects (if configured to require VPN)

Troubleshooting

If the hotspot won't start:

  1. Verify you're running Stealth as administrator
  2. Check that your Wi-Fi adapter supports hosted networks
  3. Disable Windows' built-in Mobile Hotspot feature
  4. Update your wireless drivers
  5. Restart your computer and try again

If devices connect but can't access internet:

  1. Verify your PC has internet access
  2. Check that VPN is connected
  3. Ensure Windows' Internet Connection Sharing is enabled
  4. Restart the hotspot