Windows 7: Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter

I recently found this in my network connections and I'm curious to what it is used for...



Anyone have an idea?

It creates a virtual wireless card, making windows think that instead of one, you have two or more cards installed on your system. Keep in mind though, that the maximum bandwidth of your wireless card will be splitt when using this. It lets you connect to more then one wireless network at a time. For instance, an Ad-Hoc network and an Access Point at the same time. An access point and a wireless printer at the same time.

Do you know why this keeps coming back every time I restart my computer after uninstalling it in device manager? As far as I know I'm not using it for anything.

From what I understand, it is part of the driver for your wireless card and cannot be removed without removing your exsisting wireless card. But with that being said, maybe you can try an older version of your wireless driver, one without the added support for VWIFI, and see if that works for you.

One thing to keep in mind though, it isn't using any measurable amount of rescources if any, and it may be nice to have on hand.

Could this have to do with this computer being the creator of a HomeGroup that others joined?

Nope. Has to do with it being Windows 7. This is something new that Microsoft has introduced in this OS.

I have the virtual WiFi card active as well, and I'm trying to figure out how I can actually use it. At the moment, I can only connect to one network at a time and I cannot do any sort of "splits" or anything. Any ideas on how to actually make USE of this virtual card?

Recently had an issue where no matter what I tried, my Notebook would not resolve DNS. Tried assigning DNS servers via DHCP as well as configuring the network card for DNS servers. Could ping the DNS servers at all times, LAN connectivity was fine, Internet connectivity was fine (could ping IPs on Internet), could not ping the URLs.
Disabling the Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter resolved the issue straight away.

Don't worry so much about it...it is made for creating a HotSpot Wifi connection at home for friends or people want to connect to your wifi spot in exchange of your key (trusted people of course) :

Have a look here to enable or disable:
How to: Create Wireless Hosted Networks in Windows 7 - www.wi-fiplanet.com


edit:
OOPS!! That's an old thread!!

Firestrider, YOU MUST HAVE SET UP A WIRELESS AD HOC.

IT'S KIND OF VIRTUAL WIRELESS NETWORK, WHICH HELPS YOU TO CONNECT WITH ANOTHER WIRELESS ENABLED LAPTOP.

AFTER YOU CREATE WIRELESS AD HOC, THIS DRIVER GET INSTALLED AND IT WONT BE REMOVED AT ALL IF YOU REMOVE THE WIRELESS AD HOC THAT YOU CREATED RECENTLY.

VISHAL VODRO