To share a Mac’s existing internet connection, open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Sharing → Internet Sharing → Configure. Choose the connection the Mac uses under Share your connection from, choose the interface other devices will use under To devices using, configure Wi‑Fi security if needed, click Done, and turn on Internet Sharing. The Mac must already be online, and the interfaces offered depend on its hardware and network configuration.
What Internet Sharing does
Internet Sharing turns the Mac into a gateway for other devices. The Mac receives internet through one connection and forwards access through another interface.
Internet │ Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, USB, VPN, or another Mac connection │ Mac with Internet Sharing enabled │ Wi‑Fi, Ethernet, or another selected interface │ Other devices
This is different from joining Wi‑Fi on the Mac, connecting the Mac to an iPhone hotspot, or creating a permanent replacement for a household router. It is most useful for temporary access, testing, or a small number of nearby devices.
Before you start
- Confirm the Mac is online. Open a website or otherwise test the connection before sharing it.
- Identify the upstream service. It may be Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, a USB connection, Personal Hotspot, VPN, or another service shown by macOS.
- Choose a downstream interface. Clients might use Wi‑Fi or a wired interface. Only combinations offered by your Mac and current configuration are usable.
- Check your hardware. A Mac without a built-in Ethernet port may need an adapter; Apple gives a USB‑C-to-Gigabit-Ethernet adapter as an example, but compatibility varies by model and macOS version. See Apple’s Mac internet-connection guide.
- Consider network authority. Do not enable sharing on a managed, shared, or ISP-controlled network without permission. Apple warns that certain source/output arrangements can disrupt the existing network.
The clearest arrangement is Ethernet into the Mac and Wi‑Fi out to the clients. Do not assume that every Mac can reliably receive Wi‑Fi and rebroadcast Wi‑Fi at the same time.
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How to share the Mac’s connection over Wi‑Fi
- Verify that the Mac itself has internet access.
- Open Apple menu → System Settings.
- Select General, then Sharing. Scroll if necessary.
- Open Internet Sharing and choose Configure.
- Open Share your connection from and select the working upstream connection, such as Ethernet.
- Under To devices using, select Wi‑Fi.
- Set the network name, channel, security mode, and password.
- Click Done, then confirm that the Internet Sharing switch is enabled.
- On each client device, open Wi‑Fi settings, select the network name you created, and enter its password.
These controls and the current macOS path are documented in Apple’s Internet Sharing guide.
Configure the shared Wi‑Fi network
| Setting | What to choose | Practical guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Network Name | A name clients can recognize | Do not use a name that reveals a sensitive personal detail. |
| Channel | Default, unless you have a specific reason to change it | Change it only for a known interference or compatibility problem. |
| Security | WPA3 Personal, if every client supports WPA3 | Strongest listed choice, but older devices may not connect. |
| Security | WPA2/WPA3 Personal, when compatibility is needed | Use this when one or more clients are limited to WPA2. |
| Password | A strong, unique password | Avoid short, predictable phrases and do not reuse a sensitive account password. |
WPA3 and WPA2/WPA3 options appear only when supported by the Mac and configuration. Treat the shared network as a private network for people you trust, not as an open guest service.
Share the connection with a wired device
The same two-interface model applies when the client will use a cable:
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- Open System Settings → General → Sharing → Internet Sharing → Configure.
- Select the working internet service under Share your connection from.
- Under To devices using, select the wired service macOS offers, such as a connected Ethernet adapter or bridge.
- Connect the client with the appropriate cable or adapter.
- Check whether the client receives network access, then test a website or application.
Do not expect a particular label such as “Thunderbolt Bridge” or “USB 10/100/1000 LAN.” Available services vary with the Mac, adapters, and configuration, as explained in Apple’s network-settings guide.
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- Open Apple menu → System Settings → General → Sharing.
- Turn Internet Sharing off.
Connected clients immediately lose internet access through the Mac. Switch sharing off when finished, particularly on a portable Mac, to avoid unnecessary battery use and to prevent a forgotten network from remaining active.
Internet Sharing troubleshooting
Internet Sharing is missing
- Look under General → Sharing, not under Network.
- Confirm that the Mac has internet access and that a source appears under Share your connection from.
- Check whether the intended client interface appears under To devices using.
- An organization may restrict the control on a managed Mac.
- Disable sharing, restart the Mac if necessary, and configure it again.
- If possible, test a simple Ethernet-to-Wi‑Fi arrangement to separate hardware and configuration issues.
The shared Wi‑Fi network does not appear
- Make sure you clicked Done and then enabled Internet Sharing.
- Toggle Wi‑Fi off and on at the client and rescan for the configured network name.
- Move the client closer to the Mac.
- Reconfigure the name and password, then disable and re-enable sharing.
- If the client is older, try WPA2/WPA3 Personal instead of WPA3-only.
The client connects but has no internet
- Test the internet on the Mac itself.
- Reopen the configuration and verify the correct upstream service.
- Temporarily disconnect an unused VPN, proxy, security tool, or network filter for testing, subject to your security policy.
- Turn Internet Sharing off and on again.
- Try another client to determine whether the problem is specific to one device.
- Test a different source/output combination if one is available.
A firewall or VPN can affect some configurations, but neither is automatically the cause.
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The existing network stops working
Turn Internet Sharing off immediately and restore the Mac’s original network arrangement. Apple warns that using the same port for the internet connection and local network can disrupt network settings; in some cable-modem scenarios, the warning includes possible consequences for other ISP customers or service. Do not use this arrangement on a managed or shared network without authorization. For persistent multi-device access, use a router or travel router instead.
The Mac sleeps or loses the shared network
The Mac must remain powered on, connected to its upstream service, and awake enough to provide the gateway. Closing the lid, sleeping, changing interfaces, or losing the upstream connection can interrupt clients. Sustained portable use may require connecting the Mac to power. Sleep behavior is configuration-dependent; ordinary Internet Sharing should not be confused with Apple’s separate Content Caching feature.
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- Other devices need to use the Mac’s internet: use Internet Sharing as described here.
- The Mac needs internet from an iPhone: enable Personal Hotspot on the iPhone, then select the iPhone from the Mac’s Wi‑Fi menu, or connect over Bluetooth or USB.
Apple says Personal Hotspot shares the iPhone or iPad’s cellular connection. It cannot take an iPhone’s joined Wi‑Fi network and rebroadcast that Wi‑Fi connection to another device. Availability can also depend on the carrier plan. See Apple’s Personal Hotspot instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you use a Mac as a hotspot?
| Situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary access for a few devices | Mac Internet Sharing | Built in and quick to configure. |
| Network must survive Mac shutdown or sleep | Conventional router or travel router | The gateway remains available independently. |
| Many household, office, classroom, or guest devices | Dedicated router | Better suited to consistent DHCP, firewalling, roaming, and guest isolation. |
| Mac needs mobile data and no other upstream connection exists | iPhone Personal Hotspot | Uses the phone’s cellular service, subject to the carrier plan. |
| Portable, persistent network while the Mac moves or closes | Travel router | Clients remain attached without making the Mac the gateway. |
Advanced: create a NAT64 network
Most users should ignore this option. NAT64 is for IPv6-only clients that need to reach IPv4 destinations.
- Open System Settings → General → Sharing.
- Open the Internet Sharing configuration.
- Option-click the information button beside Internet Sharing.
- Select the source and output interface.
- Enable Create NAT64 Network, then click Done.
Apple documents this advanced configuration in its Internet Sharing guide. It is unrelated to the ordinary household Wi‑Fi setup.
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Do not confuse Internet Sharing with Content Caching
Apple also has a specialized Content Caching → Share Internet connection feature for organizations distributing content to physically connected iPhone and iPad devices. It has separate deployment requirements, including Ethernet, and is not the normal way to create a household Wi‑Fi hotspot. Details are in Apple’s shared internet connection deployment guide.
Older macOS versions
Modern macOS uses System Settings → General → Sharing. On older releases, the equivalent controls may appear under System Preferences → Sharing. Menu names and available interfaces vary by macOS version and Mac hardware.
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