Tips for Securing a WiFi Hotspot

When you come across a public WiFi, you will notice that they are unsecured. I mean, if you think about it, WiFi hotspots are made to provide convenience to users by making it easier for them to connect and use the internet. However, most of these hotspots are not secure and this increases the risk associated with them. Below, you will see some tips that we have for our readers to help them stay secure in terms of a WiFi hotspot.

When you are given the option of choosing what network you want to connect to, make sure you pick the network that is offering some sort of security. If you are using Windows 7, you can tell which networks are offering security. All you need to do is left-click on them. When you move your mouse around them you will see what type of security they are offering. If you come into interaction with a network that is “Unsecured” you might want to stay away from it. In the picture below, you can see what it will look like.

An ideal situation would be one where you use a VPN, which stands for virtual private network. Adopting such a solution will help the adopter by creating a virtual private network for your computer and the network of the host. It will maintain a secure network throughout your usage and it will block anyone who is trying to intercept your session. But because of the VPN, internet speed and downloading will suffer. Thought we should give you a heads-up.

This next tip has less to do with technology and more with avoiding serious consequences generally. WiFi hotspots are more vulnerable than any other type of network connection. So we would recommend that you do not carry out tasks like paying bills, work with your bank account or even use your credit card. Save any transactions of this nature to do when you are home because in the future, you will be the one benefitting from it.