The real risks
- Fake hotspots: anyone can create a network called "Airport_Free_WiFi". If you join it, everything you do passes through their device.
- Shared networks: everyone connected to the same WiFi is on the same network as you, and can try to reach your device.
- What the network can see: even when a site uses HTTPS, the network owner can see which sites you visit and when.
- Login pages that ask too much: some portals ask for personal data or social logins just to give you access.
What HTTPS already protects, and what it does not
Most websites today use HTTPS, which encrypts the content of what you send and receive. That is a big improvement. But it does not hide which sites you visit, it does not stop other people on the network from reaching your device, and it only covers apps and sites that use it correctly.
Simple habits that help
- Check the network name with the staff before joining.
- Turn off file and printer sharing on your laptop when you are away from home.
- Keep your system and apps updated.
- Forget the network when you leave, so your device does not join it again automatically.
- Avoid sensitive operations (banking, work) on open networks unless you use a VPN.
The simplest protection: a VPN
A VPN encrypts everything your device sends, inside a tunnel to a server you trust. The public network only sees encrypted traffic going to that server: not the sites you visit, not what you do.
- On your phone and laptop: a VPN app such as SiVPN protects you with one tap.
- For every device at once: a travel router with a VPN, such as WiVPN, creates your own protected WiFi. See travel routers with VPN.
Do not forget devices without apps
Smart TVs, games consoles, e-readers and streaming sticks usually cannot run a VPN app. If you connect them to the hotel WiFi, they are unprotected. A travel router with a VPN covers them too, because they connect to your WiFi instead of the hotel's.
Browse from another country in one tap
SiVPN connects you to our servers in other countries and protects you on any network. Apps for every device.
Frequently asked questions
Is a WiFi network with a password safe?
A password stops strangers from joining, but everyone who has it (for example, every guest in the hotel) shares the same network.
Is mobile data safer than public WiFi?
In general, yes: it is much harder to intercept. A VPN still hides your traffic from the mobile operator.
Does incognito mode protect me?
No. It only stops your browser from saving history on your device. The network sees the same as always.
Should I keep the VPN on all the time?
On any network you do not control, yes. At home it is up to you.