A firewall is what protects you from the internet. A common misconception about this is that people assume firewalls protect you from others connected to the same network as you too. To make hotspots easier to connect to the owners of these network zones provide this convenience by opting for unencrypting it mostly. However, there is hardly any way to know which wireless internet hotspot is equivalent to Fort Knox and which is not. Basically all public WiFi hotspots are prey to malicious hackers who are out for your private data.
Below are some of the tips and ways to change your gadget settings that will allow for maximum security of your information as you access the internet via a public hotspot that you paid for or are merely making use of for free.
No Need to Share
You must remember that your home network is different from a public WiFi hotspot. At home you have ‘open sharing’ on default and your gadget will work that way when you enter a WiFi Hotspot zone. What you need to do here is turn off your sharing.
To enhance this safety, switch off your network discovery too. Not that anyone is paranoid, but this option will make your gadget invisible to other gadgets in the same hotspot zone and thus improve your network security.
Enable a Virtual Private Network
A VPN or what is better known as a Virtual Private Network is either paid or free and lets you enjoy the benefits of a private wireless network and does not go about limiting you either if you are utilizing a public WiFi hotspot zone. This is quite helpful if you routinely tend to connect to unknown public networks; VPN will ensure that your personal data is safe all the while.
HTTPS Are Your Friends
Https are used by many websites to encrypt any transferred information. However, why on earth should you only visit the websites that use this safety measure. In fact you can create this encrypted connection easily. Enable the Https plugin and all websites that your browser visits shall be secured.
You might not be aware of this but your phone or laptop might have settings that enable it to automatically connect to any available WiFi hotspot as soon as the gadget enters its perimeters. Modern Smartphone makers switch this option off by default.
Small measures like preventing your gadget from automatically connecting to public WiFi hotspots are stepping stones to achieving a perfectly secured wireless network.
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