Most of the individuals need the internet all the time to communicate with friends on Facebook, find a date on Tinder, send emails, or finish your job. It can cause problems if you are traveling abroad because mobile data packages can be extraordinarily high priced sometimes, which means you will need to find a free Wi-Fi hotspot to be connected with the internet. Luckily, you don’t have to do this when you download a mobile application that lets you have free Wi-Fi wherever you go.
Free Wi-Fi Hotspot Locations
Many establishments offer free Wi-Fi service to attract the customers, and if you need to find out these places which offer free Wi-Fi, you can visit some of these places.
- Public plaza: Cities have begun to cover public buildings with free Wi-Fi hotspots over past years to draw extra foot traffic towards local shops. For possibly thousands connecting at the same time, the Wi-Fi hotspot in the city center of your town cannot compete with the optical fiber link you may have at home but still slow internet connection. It is better than no connection at all.
- Libraries: Libraries mainly focus on promoting the learning of the local community and provide free internet access. You can also get free Wi-Fi service at your local bookstore.
- Starbucks/McDonald’s: McDonald’s, Starbucks, Ben & Jerry’s, as well as other major fast-food chains, restaurants, and hotels also offer free Wi-Fi hotspots to its clients. Such restaurants are nearly all around the urban, semi-rural, and metro areas, so it is quite easy to find one. Search on Google for “Free Wi-Fi near me” and find free Wi-Fi hotspot places.
Hotspot Database App
There is always a huge demand for public Wi-Fi hotspots, so some specific apps are created, which are mainly focused on helping the users to find free Wi-Fi. These apps have a massive list of Wi-Fi hotspot locations, and some of these hotspot apps databases also contain the passwords for some private hotspots.
Some of these apps are
- Wi-Fi finder
- Instabridge
- Wi-Fi Map
- Wi-Fi Free Spot
- Wiffinity
Wireless Hotspots from your Cable Provider
Some cable operators provide you the service of accessing free Wi-Fi Hotspot around the city. You can use your login credentials for accessing that service. So, visit the website of your cable service providers and find out all the locations for free Wi-Fi hotspots in your area.
Portable Router
Portable routers are almost the same as the Wi-Fi router we use at our homes and mostly termed as travel routers. Instead of connecting these routers through any internet cable, you need to insert the SIM card, and you can enjoy 3G or 4G service of that network. A portable router builds a Wi-Fi network when linked, connects all of your digital devices to the internet. These Wi-Fi services are not for free because you will have to pay for Router and SIM card, but it’s a good investment at the start, and then you can access free Wi-Fi service anywhere.
Hidden Wi-Fi Networks
Service set identifiers to identify the wireless networks, and then they serve as network names. It is easy to hide the SSID of a system and build a hidden or secret network that is not easily visible to different Wi-Fi enabled devices. But you can still access that network even if it is hidden. Wi-Fi analyzers can help you to find out all the secret systems near you.
Risks of Public Wi-Fi
Qualities which make free Wi-Fi hotspots attractive for users make them perfect for cybercriminals like creating a network connection that needs no verification. It provides an incredible opportunity for the attacker to have unrestricted access on the same network to unprotected phones.
- The most significant risk of using free Wi-Fi service is the hacker’s capacity to place himself between the point of connection and you. So now, you’re going to send the data to the scammer rather than sending it directly to the hotspot.
- Using public Wi-Fi could be risky because sometimes authorized operators also try to find ways to use your data.
- An unprotected Wi-Fi connection can be used by cybercriminals to spread malicious software. Hackers can share some malicious software with you if you have enabled the file sharing.
- Some clever scammers have managed to access the link point, and then a pop-up window appears during the connection phase, and they mostly offer an update to a standard software package.
- There are also flaws in Wi-Fi applications. Until forming a link, it is essential to check the group reviews and opinions on the chosen network.
- Always use a unique and powerful password when you configure up your device as a hotspot. Your system could be invaded by an attacker.
- Your privacy may be compromised while using public Wi-Fi. A cafe, airport, or a supermarket can easily monitor your online activities while surfing their network. They use that information for many other purposes.
Secure the Public Wi-Fi connectivity
You can secure your connectivity while using Public Wi-Fi by following precautions.
Use a VPN
If you are connecting with your company or business, you must always use a secure connection by using a VPN. If a hacker succeeds in putting himself in the center of your connection, your information is highly protected here. Virtual Private Network encrypts your personal data so that no one can steal it.
RitaVPN is one of the best VPN service against hackers and online data packet sniffers. This masks your original IP, making it more difficult for hackers to locate you.
Turn Off Sharing
While using the internet through public Wi-Fi, you always don’t want to reveal anything. Based on your Operating System, you can use the control panel to switch off sharing. Windows can also switch off sharing when you will connect to an unknown system for the first time.
Enable your firewall
Mostly users disable the firewall because of the notifications and pop-ups. You should always enable the firewall before connecting through some public Wi-Fi. After allowing the firewall, some apps will need your consent, but you will be secure against hackers.
