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FIX: ”hosted network couldn’t be started” error in Windows 10, 7

6 min. read

Updated onAugust 1, 2024

updated onAugust 1, 2024

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To fix various driver issues on your PC, you will need a dedicated tool to find the freshest and the original drivers. You can use PC HelpSoft Driver Updater to do it in 3 easy steps:

With amobile hotspot, you can share a Windows laptop’s or desktop’s Wi-Fi connection with phones and tablets. However, some users can’t set up a mobile hotspot when the “hosted network couldn’t be started” error occurs.

The Command Prompt returns that error message for some users who try to set up mobile hotspots in Windows with the command-line utility, as covered inthis article.

That means the hosted network isn’t working, which is often a network adapter configuration or Wi-Fi driver issue. These are a few resolutions that might fix the “hosted network couldn’t be started” error in Windows 10/8.1/7.

How to fix hosted network issues in Windows 10

You can’t set up a mobile hotspot if your PC doesn’t support hosted network sharing. To check that, open the DOS command-line utility by pressing the Windows key + X hotkey and selectingCommand Prompt (Admin).

Windows 7 userscan open the Prompt by entering ‘cmd‘ in Run. Input ‘NETSH WLAN show drivers’ in the Command Prompt’s window, and press the Return key. That tells you if your laptop or desktop supports sharing with the Hosted network supported detail shown directly below.

You can get a USB Wi-Fi adapter for a laptop or desktop that doesn’t support hosted networks. Those are Wi-Fi adapters that you can insert into USB slots.This postprovides further details for USB Wi-Fi adapters.

2. Open the Network Adapter Troubleshooter

3. Update the Driver for Your Wireless Network Adapter

The “hosted network couldn’t be started” error might also be due to an incompatible or corrupted Wi-Fi driver. So updating a network adapter’s Wi-Fi driver is another potential resolution. You can update drivers with third-party software, Device Manager’s Search automatically for updated driver software option or manually. This is how you can manuallyupdate a network adapter driver.

On the other hand, you can save a lot of time by updating the network drivers correctly using third-party update driver software suggested below.

⇒Get PC HelpSoft Driver Updater

5. Check the Power Management Settings

6. Reset Your Wi-Fi Network

Resetting your Wi-Fi might fix the network adapter error. To do that, enter ‘ncpa.cpl’ in Run’s text box and clickOK. Right-click your Wi-Fi connection and selectDisable. Wait a minute or two, and then select theEnableoption on the Wi-Fi connection’s context menu.

7. Enable the Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter via Device Manager

8. Set Up a Mobile Hotspot With Third-Party Software

Instead of setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot via Command Prompt, you can utilize third-party software.Wi-Fi hotspot softwareprovides all the tools required to establish mobile hotspots. Maryfi, Connectify and Free Wi-Fi Hotspot are freeware programs you can set up mobile hotspots with.

Connectify is compatible with Windows 10/8.1/8/7 and boasts a user base eclipsing 150 million. You can add that to your PC by clickingDownloadonthis webpage. Check outthis articlethat includes further details for utilizing Connectify.

So there are various potential fixes for the “hosted network couldn’t be started” issue. Remember that you can also set up a mobile hotspot in Windows 10 with itsMobile hotspotoption in the Settings app. As such, it’s not essential to establish a hotspot in Windows 10 via the Command Prompt.

FIX: ”hosted network couldn’t be started” error in Windows 10, 7#

How to fix hosted network issues in Windows 10#

1. Check Your PC Supports Sharing#

2. Open the Network Adapter Troubleshooter#

3. Update the Driver for Your Wireless Network Adapter#

4. Check the Sharing Settings#

5. Check the Power Management Settings#

6. Reset Your Wi-Fi Network#

7. Enable the Microsoft Hosted Network Virtual Adapter via Device Manager#

8. Set Up a Mobile Hotspot With Third-Party Software#