Be careful with free Wi-Fi maps. Always use a VPN to connect to public Wi-Fi.
With the advent of unlimited data plans, the need to search for Wi-Fi has disappeared. Mobile hotspots also make it easier to work with Wi-Fi-only devices, but not for everyone. Wi-Fi remains important to many people. Not everyone necessarily has a plan with unlimited data, and the reception is not always sufficient. In these cases, Wi-Fi remains indispensable.
Some places have free Wi-Fi. Cafes, for example, are among the most famous. But often networks are protected by passwords or other forms of authentication.
Be careful with free Wi-Fi maps
To make sure your destination has free Wi-Fi, you can use a Wi-Fi map. These services collect all the free Wi-Fi networks available in your area. Be careful, however, to choose well. These services are obvious targets as developers know that many people are looking for free Wi-Fi.
When it comes to apps, the best option is WiFi Map. The service has its own website if you don’t need an app, but the iOS and Android apps allow you to see a more detailed network map with signal quality.
The WiFi card isn’t perfect, especially when it comes to privacy. The iOS app has access to your purchase history, your user ID and your device ID, and the data associated with that user ID. However, it’s better than the competition. Another app, Instabridge, tracks your device ID and data usage. It may also collect data related to your identity, as well as your browsing history and your user ID. It doesn’t matter which app you’re using, it’s best to prevent tracking, whether it’s through the Apple App Tracking Transparency or the DuckDuckGo app on Android.
Always use a VPN to connect to public Wi-Fi.
Once you know that you will have free Wi-Fi here or there, you should not connect to it without a VPN. Why? Because free Wi-Fi can spy on you and make you vulnerable. You’ve probably read that you shouldn’t be accessing your bank’s website on public Wi-Fi, but you really shouldn’t be doing anything on public Wi-Fi without securing your connection.
If using a VPN can seem very restrictive just connecting to Slack from Starbucks, you’ll greatly reduce the risks. VPNs encrypt your traffic and route it to a proxy server, usually in another country. A third party observer cannot access your traffic and cannot know where you are, even if you are sitting right next to him.
All this said, free Wi-Fi should be your last option. If possible, use your smartphone’s mobile hotspot and make sure the connection is password protected. But be honest, we all use free Wi-Fi when we really need it. As always today, everything is done to ensure that everything is as safe as possible.