Using public Wi-Fi safely
Hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi is usable for ordinary work — but know when mobile data, a hotspot or an organisational VPN is the better choice.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Public WiFi used to deserve some of the alarming advice it received. Today, most mainstream websites and apps encrypt their connections, and modern devices include stronger network protections. That means using hotel, airport or café WiFi is not automatically unsafe.
It still deserves sensible precautions, particularly when the work is sensitive.
Make sure it is the right network
Attackers can create networks with plausible names. Check the network name with the venue when it matters, especially if several similar options appear.
Be cautious if joining a network requires you to install software, a certificate or a configuration profile. Ordinary guest WiFi should rarely need that.
Keep encrypted connections encrypted
Modern browsers warn when a connection is insecure. Do not bypass certificate or security warnings merely to get a site working.
HTTPS protects web traffic in transit, and most mainstream apps also encrypt their connections. This greatly reduces the old risk of someone on the same WiFi simply reading your traffic.
It does not make a fraudulent website trustworthy, and it does not protect a device that is already compromised.
A VPN is useful, but not magic
If your organisation provides a managed VPN, use it as instructed. It can route traffic through organisational security controls and reduce what the local network can observe.
A commercial VPN is not automatically essential every time you use public WiFi, and it does not protect you from phishing, malicious downloads or giving information to the wrong website. It also transfers some trust from the local network to the VPN provider.
Choose a reputable provider if you need one; don’t use free VPN services for sensitive work. In reality, don’t use free VPN services at all.
Use mobile data when the stakes are higher
For particularly sensitive work, your own mobile connection or personal hotspot will often be a safer choice than an unfamiliar local network. It is not immune to surveillance, but it removes the venue’s WiFi from the path.
In higher-risk countries or assignments, network choice is only one part of the problem. Assume local telecommunications infrastructure may be monitored and seek assignment-specific advice.
Turn off what you do not need
Disable automatic connection to unknown networks. Turn off file sharing and AirDrop/Nearby Share discovery when you do not need them, and keep the device firewall and security features enabled.
Practical rule
For routine work, a fully updated device using mainstream encrypted services on legitimate public WiFi is generally reasonable. For highly sensitive communications or material, reduce exposure: use trusted connectivity, approved secure communications and, where appropriate, a managed VPN or mobile connection.