What To Check Before Using Your Laptop On Hotel Wi-Fi
You dump your luggage, take off your shoes, and open your laptop. The hotel Wi-Fi password is written on the card next to the reception desk, and after a few taps, you’re connected to the internet. It seems harmless, and most of the time it is. However, hotel networks are public and attract more attention from snoopers compared to your home Wi-Fi.
But here’s the thing: you only need a minute to check a few things, and in this way, you will turn a risky habit into a good one. The list below contains everything you need to do before starting to use a hotel internet connection – continue reading to find out more.
Confirm The Name Of The Network
First, make sure the network you’re connecting to belongs to the hotel. This may seem obvious, but this step is frequently skipped.
In the Wi-Fi list, you’re likely to find a lot of names sounding similar: “Hotel_Guest”, “Hotel Free Wi-Fi”, “Guest_WiFi_5G”, etc.
Among these options, there could be a “fake” Wi-Fi network. Usually, someone who provides access to such a network will create a “similar” network and call it an “evil twin” network.
Understand What It Means To Connect To An Open Network
Not many hotels provide passwords for their Wi-Fi; the connection there can be either free or the same for all users of the hotel. This convenience comes with risks: while working on an open network, the traffic you’re sending from your laptop isn’t secured automatically.
All modern websites use HTTPS and provide additional security to your connection; however, not all programs encrypt the traffic like browsers. Therefore, even on HTTPS-secured websites, you could share your data without knowing it.
Using a VPN will solve this problem – it’s a small program that encrypts the entire connection before it starts. After you connect to the Wi-Fi network, your connection runs through a tunnel encrypted on both ends. For other users of the network, your traffic will appear as encrypted information that they won’t be able to decipher.
Two things make the use of the VPN more efficient:
- Always turn it on before connecting to the internet.
- Choose a reputable paid provider, as there are free providers that collect users’ data and sell it later.
Stay Updated
An outdated system is easier to hack, and hotel Wi-Fi networks are where the gaps between updates can appear. There is no reason why these updates exist: someone found the vulnerability and created a way to take advantage of it. Therefore, before connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi network, you need to make sure your operating system and all installed software are up to date.
If possible, complete this task at home, as it will be faster if the hotel internet connection is slow (which is a common occurrence!). Letting the update complete before connecting to the network is the best decision. Also, update your browser, since an outdated version may ignore some protection measures. In addition to that, you may check the browser’s settings and make sure that its warnings about fake websites are turned on.
Watch Out For Fake Login Pages
Most of the hotels require their guests to go through the “captive portal”, which is the webpage asking for your room number and your last name – these pages are common, but they’re easy to mimic.
Therefore, the only information the webpage should ask for is what’s needed to confirm you’re the hotel guest. If it asks for anything else, that’s a good reason to be careful and avoid the site entirely.
Forget The Network
The last check you need to do happens when you’re leaving the hotel. One of the features that laptops provide is remembering the Wi-Fi network and connecting to it without any user confirmation next time. This is fine at home, but it’s unsafe on the hotel Wi-Fi network, which can be mimicked in other locations.
Routine That Works
None of the steps above is overly complicated, and a checklist can help you avoid mistakes.
Follow these actions each time you connect to a hotel Wi-Fi network:
- Confirm the network with the hotel staff.
- Set your network to “public”.
- Run a virtual private network before connecting to the internet.
- Check if your laptop and browser are updated.
- Watch out for the captive portals and their security certificates.
- Avoid sensitive actions on the network.
- Enable two-factor authentication.
- Forget the network before you leave.
Doing this once can be challenging, but doing it several times makes it as easy as locking a hotel door. Hotel Wi- Fi is a convenient feature, and there is no reason to avoid using it. You only need to make sure you’re the guest who connected (and carefully) – once completed, you can focus on your business trip or much-needed vacation.
Thanks for the tips in my latest tech guide. Please share your thoughts below.
