Safety Information and Tips
One of the most commonly searched for questions about free WiFi is whether it is safe to use. If you currently frequent public free WiFi hotspots or you plan on using one in the future there are some important things you should keep in mind. WiFi is wireless! That means your mobile device will be sending information to the hotspot equipment, which then sends it to the Internet, all over the air! You don't really know how many other people are using the same hotspot, or whether they are up to any good. With WiFi, a hacker with the right equipment can intercept you data (know as packets) as it is sent wirelessly at the hotspot. The vast majority of public hotspots do not encrypt (scramble) your data to make it safe. But I used a password! Does a password make my free WiFi hotspot safe?
Short answer: sort of. A password can stop someone from easily connecting to your network, but it doesn't fully protect you from someone capturing the packets in the air and then going home to figure out what they say later.What can I do to stay secure on a public WiFi hotspot?
There are several things you can do to stay safe while online at a hotspot. The first is to turn off file sharing! If you are on an open free WiFi hotspot and your mobile device has file sharing turned on it will be very easy for someone to connect to your mobile device and start browsing through your files. Read about how to turn off file sharing. You will also want to make sure you have a working firewall. Windows and Macs both come with fairly good firewalls so you should be alright, just make sure it's turned on. Read more about how to set your firewall.So how do I make sure I am safe from hackers at a free WiFi hotspot?
The best way to protect yourself at a public WiFi hotspot is to use a VPN connection. A VPN creates a virtual tunnel from your computer to a secure server that you trust. That server then sends your web traffic for you. By using a VPN you will be very secure from any hackers trying to capture your information because all they will be able to detect is the wall or your VPN tunnel. Pretty easy, right? It is. Read more about VPN connections and how to get a VPN connection here.