Trying to settle an argument in the office: How many of you know about the Wi-Fi sharing feature on iOS 11?
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) November 21, 2017
The results of our recent Twitter poll show nearly half of the respondents have no idea Apple introduced Wi-Fi sharing in iOS 11.
While some routers now include guest access, they’re still few and far between. Most people still rent routers from their Internet Service Providers (ISP) for Wi-Fi access. These routers usually have long, random passwords. Even though you can usually change these passwords to something easier, it’s probably better to resist the urge and use something that’s actually a challenge for hackers. But what if a friend comes over and asks for the Wi-Fi password? You won’t have to do much with iOS 11’s Wi-Fi sharing feature.
It’s pretty easy. First, both you and the person you’re sharing the Wi-Fi connection with need to have iOS 11 installed on your iPhones. This person will also need to be saved in your contacts. If you’re sharing with someone using a Mac, the situation is the same, except you’ll see a notification appear on the upper right hand side of your screen.
Once your friend is listed in your contacts, the rest is easy. When your friend tries to connect to your Wi-Fi, you’ll see a request pop up on your iPhone screen asking if you want to share your password with your friend’s iPhone. Just select the “Share Password” button and they’ll be connected to your Wi-Fi.
Want to stop sharing your connection? Well, that’s not quite as easy. Right now your only option is to change your router password.
