How to force enable "Soft AP" to allow hostednetwork?

https://www.intel.in/content/www/in/en/support/articles/000023257/network-and-i-o/wireless-networking.html The following Intel Wireless Adapters do not support soft AP and ad-hoc features that implement the new Windows 10 WDI model (driver version 18.30 or later):

Intel® Wireless-AC 9560 Intel® Wireless-AC 9462 Intel® Wireless-AC 9461 Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 Intel® Tri-Band Wireless-AC 18260 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Intel® Tri-Band Wireless-AC 17265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-N 7265 Intel® Wireless-N 7265 Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165

HACK PART Install Windows 8 (32/64) drivers for the adaptor. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/24863/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-Windows-8-?product=83635

which is 17.16.0 version with Hosted Network Capability (In latter versions ability of hosting network is removed).

Trick Part Open "C:\Windows\Temp" or "C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp" folder. Run the "Wireless_17.16.0_De64.exe" with administrator privilage. Quickly jump to "temp" folder & watch for new temporary folder in which contents of "Wireless_17.16.0_De64.exe" are extracted copy that folder / files to desktop (or a new folder) very quickly as within few seconds extracted temporary folder's content will be auto deleted. Now open device maganer (Windows+R, devmgmt.msc, Enter) Network Adapters >>> Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 Right click on "Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165" select "Properties" Driver >>> update driver >>> browse my computer for driver software >>> let me pick from available software......>>> Have Disk >>> Browse (Navigate to drivers copied folder & select appropriate driver file) >>> Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 & Install.

Now with this drivers the adapter will regain the hosted network ability.

Then follow: netsh wlan show drivers

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode= disallow

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="L460" key="12345678"

netsh wlan set hostednetwork mode=allow ssid="L460" key="12345678" keyUsage=persistent

netsh wlan start hostednetwork

netsh wlan stop hostednetwork

netsh wlan show hostednetwork

netsh wlan show hostednetwork setting=security

commands as per requirement with cmd as administrator.

Windows has deprecated the old Soft AP and Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi networking options. Wi-Fi drivers have been removing the corresponding features, hence showing the dreaded "Hosted network supported: No" when queried with netsh wlan show drivers.

Instead, Windows now prefers Wi-Fi Direct for these scenarios. Wi-Fi devices and drivers can be checked for Wi-Fi Direct support with the command netsh wlan show wirelesscapabilities. It seems Wi-Fi Direct is normally supported, particularly for the drivers where driver updates have removed the 'Hosted networks" support.

With the Wi-Fi Direct support, Windows implement the new Hotspot features, but gives no easy to to set up a Soft AP for connecting directly via Wi-Fi to the Windows machine (as opposed a HotSpot which connects to the internet through the Windows machine.

However, the operating system support for Wi-Fi Direct and the exposed API still have all the features needed to set up a Soft AP. It's just not exposed as a direct netsh option anymore, which was the case previously. The key phrase to look for is 'Wi-Fi Direct Legacy AP Mode'.

There is a "WiFiDirectLegacyAP" sample on GitHub which does the basics of setting up a SoftAP by assigning the SSID and passphrase, then starting the soft AP. The API goes further, allowing connections to be rejected, and various other options.

I have made a copy of the sample as a new repo and released rebuilt binaries for the sample, to make it a bit easier to just run.