Use Computer as WiFi Network

[bostonman]

Not sure if I worded the subject wrong, but I did a quick search and believe I found the device in question.

What I'm looking to do is connect my TV via WiFi to my laptop without going through Internet WiFi. Basically, I want to be able to make my laptop a hotspot (?) this way I can name it say "laptop", have my TV recognize it as a network, play a video on my laptop, and have it show on my TV; or maybe more accurately is to access video files on my laptop through my TV and play them.

Not sure if it will be displayed correctly, but this is something I've wanted to do.

Maybe have the ability to connect other devices to my laptop such as security cameras. This way I don't have to risk security by having my cameras connected to the Internet.

Update: I kind of forgot to actually ask my question. Does anyone know the best device to do this? The ones I found on Amazon advertise such features, but not sure if they are fabricating the features.

[themadhippy]

If its a smart telly it may already have the feature built in,have a look for  miracast.

[bostonman]

My laptop is old, it doesn't have any fancy features. Does Miracast work as a server where I could use another laptop on WiFi to access files on this one?

[Halcyon]

Some devices allow you to connect to them via an "Adhoc" network. It's basically just a direct wireless link between two devices without a router in between. It's pretty old school these days.

Most TV's will have some way to "cast" video to them. If your TV has the option of Miracast or Wi-Fi Direct, you'll be able to stream your laptop video if you're using Windows 10 or 11. See here.

Otherwise you may wish to consider reconfiguring your network so that your CCTV system is on its own VLAN without internet access.

[bostonman]

The newest laptop I have runs Win7.

My TV has WiFi capabilities (it's only about four-years-old). Typically I copy computer files (movies in MP4, MKV, etc...) to a thumb drive, plug it into my BluRay, and go through that into the HDMI on my TV.

Sometimes files have an odd format and don't play, so I was thinking of A: being able to play on the laptop and view on the TV, B: be able to access the files directly without going through a thumb drive, C: being able to connect things like security cameras to the laptop instead of going through Internet WiFi, D: being able to view files on the laptop from other laptops via WiFi.

I thought Miracast is more about streaming video whereas I want something that acts as a WiFi mainframe (I'm uncertain what to call it) where it acts as a central hub.

[radiolistener]

On Linux, if you use NetworkManager, just create this config:

sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/TEST-AP.nmconnection

Code: [Select]

[connection]
id=TEST-AP
uuid=e5d7f32b-57be-b1ea-3d2e-db42158edf7a
type=wifi
autoconnect=false
interface-name=wlan0

[wifi]
band=bg
channel=1
#cloned-mac-address=00:12:34:56:78:9a
mode=ap
ssid=YOUR-AP-NAME

[wifi-security]
key-mgmt=wpa-psk
psk=PASSWORD

[ipv4]
address1=192.168.2.1/24
method=shared

[ipv6]
addr-gen-mode=stable-privacy
method=disabled

[proxy]

Then you can start it with

Code: [Select]

sudo nmcli con up TEST-AP

[Postal2]

..., play a video on my laptop, and have it show on my TV; or maybe more accurately is to access video files on my laptop through my TV and play them.

The very first step is to install "ES File Explorer" or something similar, or "DicePlayer" on your TV. That is, you need a samba client, but not a simple one, but one that can be a proxy for a media player, or be a media player itself. If this condition is met, the rest is not a problem.
For a Windows 10 laptop, you can use DLNA (right button - play on device). If your laptop is on Windows 7, you can additionally connect a second one on Windows 10 to your small network, see files from it and launch DLNA.

[JPortici]

If the tv has a flavour of android you can install KODI in it, then set up a network drive and then in KODI add it as a media source