Every day, millions of people are looking for how to get free wi-fi anywhere anytime. We all know how important internet access is in our lives. It's how we stay connected, and how we do business. So when you're on the go or travelling internationally, it can be not easy to find good wi-fi connections that won't cost us a fortune. With so many options out there, finding one that works well for you can seem impossible – but it doesn't have to be!
To know how to get free Wifi anywhere anytime, read till the end of this article.
Tip 1: Find And Connect To Public Wi-fi Network Nearby
If you are at a public place like a cafe, airport, or even travelling in some public transport, it would be a great opportunity to get free wifi. You can do this by searching for the public network around your location and connect to them.
- First of all, Turn on Wi-fi in phone settings
- Choose available networks
- Select a public network that you want to try out
Please note that public networks have limited speed, so download any file only when required; otherwise, use an internet browser; there is no need of downloading big files over a slow connection.
If possible, switch from mobile data plan while using free wi-fi as most likely they will ask a few details about yourself with email id etc. During the sign-up process, it may also provide personal information that should always be avoided when not necessary to avoid public networks if you are not sure about it.
Some Places With Free Wifi Connections
Cafe Wi-fi
Almost all cafes now provide free wi-fi connections to their customers. You should find out whether your cafe of choice provides it or not. You can ask them for the same. If you are unsure about it, there is always the option to check with the barista before ordering any coffee there, as they usually know everything about their establishment.
Just be courteous and do not abuse the availability. Please remember that these people also need business, so use this service but avoid downloading big files, etc. Instead, browse the internet using a web browser over a slow speed connection, which would save you from extra data charges!
Airports And Train Stations With Free Wi-Fi
Almost all major international airports now provide fast and reliable wi-fi connections, connecting to available networks and enjoying high-speed internet. Also, keep note that only one service provider is often allowed at the airport. Hence, it's better to use different data providers like Airtel vs Vodafone, etc. Most train stations offer similar services anyone can easily avail upon arrival or departure of trains.
Public Wifi Hotspots Everywhere!
There are many public Wi-fi hotspots available everywhere these days some places like shopping malls, restaurants etc., offer not only free Wi-fi but also provides good speed connections over there connect to them and use the internet at your own risk as it's always better to avoid downloading big files while using public wifi services.
Many private companies have started offering Wi-fi connectivity in their premises so you can try out those too for fast internet connection. These usually provide speeds up to 100 Mbps which is great if you want to do some office work on the go or even carry out video conferencing without any lags/delays!
Secure Your Data & Privacy
Connect To The Best VPN Service
Tip 2: Use Your Phone As A Wifi Hotspot.
You can use your phone as a Free Wi-fi hotspot. This means that any device with Wifi capabilities will be able to connect to the internet through your mobile's data plan!
Setting WiFi Hotspot on Android
Android phones have had Wi-fi Hotspot capabilities built-in since Ice Cream Sandwich. Here’s how to set up your phone as a Wi-fi hotspot:
- Go into Settings on your Android device by pressing the menu button, then tapping “More…” followed by “Wireless and Networks” or “Network and Connections.”
- Find the Wi-fi Hotspot option and tap it.
- Toggle the Wi-fi hotspot on using the switch at the top of your screen, then enter a Network Name (SSID) for your Wifi hotspot.
- To make sure no one can access your internal network when they connect to your phone’s hotspot, disable both “Broadcast my SSID” and “Allow clients to connect through WLAN/Wifi Direct.” You may also want to disable DHCP in this menu if you only plan to connect a few devices; otherwise, leave it enabled so that any device that connects will automatically get an IP address from our router's pool of available addresses.
The Wifi hotspot will now be available for any nearby Wifi enabled device to connect. This feature uses your data plan, so you might want to turn it off when not in use if you have a limited amount of monthly mobile data!
Setting Up Hotspot on iOS
Mobile Hotspot is a feature on iOS that allows users to share their cellular data connection with other devices. It's perfect for sharing your internet connections when travelling or out of range from an available Wi-Fi network. Let’s go over how to turn it on, connect to another device and use this handy feature anywhere!
First things first,
the Mobile hotspot option can be found by opening up Settings > Personal Hotspot with four options: Off, Carriers (which lets you choose which carrier will provide the service), Passcode and Name. The name isn't just what we'll call our shared connection; instead, it's also used as the password required to access the hotspot.
To turn it on,
select the slider next to Mobile Hotspot and then tap the blue arrow that appears to start sharing your cellular data connection with any device within range! If you want to be able to share your Wi-Fi without having it visible to everyone (i.e., if you're using public Wi-Fi), leave Passcode as “Off” so nobody can see or access your Wi-Fi hotspot unless they have the password.
This also makes connecting devices easier since there isn't a separate menu where users need to enter their Wi-fi Password instead of theirs for mobile networks!
Connecting iPhone or iPod to Hotspot
Once you have your Wifi Hotspot set up, it's time to connect! To do this on an iPhone or iPod touch has the simple steps of going into Settings > Wifi and then selecting the network that says “Personal Hotspot.” From there, enter in your personal hotspots name, which should be listed under Passcode.
Once you have entered the Wifi Password, your iPhone will start sharing its internet connection!
Connecting iPad or Mac to Your Wi-fi Hotspot
To connect to a device from an iPad or Mac, first, go into Wifi settings and make sure that “Ask to Join Networks” is turned off. This allows our devices to join Personal Hotspot automatically without having users select it every time they open Wifi Settings.
Once this setting has been disabled, swipe up from your dock on an iOS device or click the wifi symbol at the top right of a macOS screen and then choose “Open Network Preferences.” In these menus, navigate to Wi-Fi > Personal Hotspot, where you'll see all nearby connections as well as those saved previously under Saved Targets. Select one of those Wifis, and your device will join!
Connecting Android Phones or PC to your iOS hotspot
It's also possible to connect to the Wifi Hotspot on Android phones, PCs or other devices using these steps. However, some older Wifi Chipsets may not support this Wifi connection, so if that happens, keep looking for an option under Wifi Settings!
Once you're connected, all of your internet traffic goes through the host phone (the one sharing its cellular data), which means it's important to be mindful of how much data is being used while surfing the web on another device.
On iOS, there are three settings users can adjust: Cellular Data Limit sets a cap on how much total data can be consumed while Personal Hotspot is active; Always Allowed lets certain apps use Personal Hotspot Wifi without asking for a separate Wifi Password every time and finally the last one, Use Cellular Data For is perfect for limiting background app activity to save on data.
What about the latest macOS updates
On macOS Sierra or later, this Wifi connection works more like traditional shared Wifis with your computers network traffic going through after you have entered in the password of the host phone instead of all devices connecting automatically as they do on iOS. This means that there aren't any special settings users need to adjust, but it does mean that everyone connected will use up bandwidth from their own cellular plan!
A hotspot is an excellent feature on smartphones because sharing internet connections can benefit when travelling abroad or at a hotel that only offers public Wi-Fi. Wifi Hotspots are also great for sharing with friends or family to allow everyone around the house access to the internet if that's all they have!
Tip 3: Get Free Wifi Apps
Free wifi apps are top-rated because they allow users to access the internet from their mobile device for free. Free WiFi applications have become increasingly more prevalent in recent years. Many companies are looking to expand their business by providing a service that millions of people use every day. These apps make it easy for most people who own smartphones or tablets and get free wifi anywhere there is cell phone coverage.
Some Benefits of Using Free Wifi Apps
- Free WI-FI Apps provide an important solution when you need Internet access on the go but do not want to pay expensive data fees.
- Free Wi-Fi Applications can be downloaded onto your devices through app stores like Google Play Store, Apple App Stores, Amazon Appstore etc., depending upon which type of device you use, i.e. Android or Apple.
- Free Wi-Fi Applications are different from VPN Services because they provide free internet access with limited content. In contrast, the latter provides you with an encrypted connection to protect your data and browsing history.
- Wi-Fi Apps can be used on any device like PC, Laptop etc.
- With a Free Wi-fi Application installed onto your smartphone, tablet etc., you will never find yourself in need of Internet when away from home ever again!
The Best Free Apps to Find Free Wi-fi Networks & Access Internet
Free internet is now easily accessible through Free WiFi Applications which can be downloaded onto your devices.
The following are some of the Free Wifi Apps that you should know about:
Free Internet for Android
This application lets users access free Wi-Fi networks in public locations like malls, airports etc., and provides unlimited bandwidth at optimum speeds.
Freetone Hotspot Finder
Freetone not only has an online map showing available free WiFi hotspots around you but also tells you exactly how far they are from your current location. This app works on all smartphones running on either iOS or Android OS's; it even allows sharing with friends who may find themselves stuck without a connection!
Wi-Fi Map
Wi-Fi Map is a free application that provides you with knowledge of all available free wifi hotspots nearby. This app works in over 90 countries and includes more than 200 million Wi-Fi spots worldwide!
Tip 4: Look for Hidden WiFi Networks
Hidden WiFi networks can be a security risk. Hidden wi-fi networks are those that do not broadcast their SSID (service set identifier) and might also use MAC address spoofing to try and keep users from seeing them at all.
How Hidden Wifi Networks Affect Your Security Risk
A hidden wifi network affects your internet security. As you cannot see the hidden network within range of your devices like laptops or mobile phones, it becomes easier for someone else to access your device by using this same password-protected service.
Hidden networks may be a security risk as they could provide access to hackers who wish to intercept information from devices within their range. When not using them, it is important to turn off wireless services, especially on open hotspots where other users can easily gain access through shared passwords or ‘evil twin' attacks that spoof similar-looking services such as AirBnB's rental model. This allows hackers easy access into the devices on these open hotspots, thus exposing sensitive data like usernames and passwords for sites accounts, among others.
How to discover hidden wifi networks
There are many tools available for free online that allow you to detect hidden networks in your vicinity.
You can use one such tool called ‘Wi-Fi Stumbler', which is an Android App.
Additionally, Windows has its own built-in wireless network settings, which will show all connections within a range, including Hidden Free WiFi networks.
On Mac OSX, go to System Preferences > Network and select “Airport” from under the list of services on the left-hand side. Hidden WiFI networks should appear below this list – click on them once visible so their details appear at the bottom right corner of your screen where you can view relevant information like SSID or BSSID (MAC address).
What is the significance of public Wi-Fi, and why is it dangerous?
Public Wi-Fi is becoming more and more common in cities across the United States. However, there are security concerns with public networks. The following five points will go over why it’s important to be safe when using public Wi-Fi:
- Public WiFi networks are not secure. Hackers can easily access data transmitted over the network, including passwords and credit card information.
- Sensitive documents should never be sent over public WiFi because they have no encryption protection to keep them private.
- Hackers often create fake wireless networks for people who don’t know better connect to their insecure connection instead of a legitimate one like Starbucks or McDonalds. This provides an opportunity for hackers to steal personal information such as usernames and passwords when you enter it into your device while connected to this false network.
- Most smartphones will automatically connect themselves onto any available open network without letting the user know that it is potentially unsafe.
- Free Wi-Fi hotspots are often slower than private, secure networks.
It’s important to stay safe while using public Wi-Fi because they lack security and can be targeted by hackers.
Securing your public Wi-Fi connectivity with VPNs
VPNs, or virtual private networks, provide a secure connection through a public Wi-Fi network. By connecting to the internet with a VPN, you can encrypt all of your data and keep it safe from hackers who may be on the same network as you.
Connectivity is also faster because there are no bandwidth caps like coffee shops and other cafes.
Another reason that many users prefer to connect to the web via VPNs while out in public spaces is due to geo-location restrictions; this means that some websites will not allow access if an IP address does not fall within certain parameters, such as location, country, and ISP.
VPNs allow users to bypass this by tricking websites into thinking that they are in a different location so their content can be accessed as intended.
VPNs also let you access blocked or censored web pages such as those on the Dark Web, which is part of the World Wide Web but cannot be found with standard search engines like Google and Bing; Dark Web is often used for illegal activities such as purchases made via Bitcoin (a cryptocurrency) because transactions there cannot be traced back through your IP address.
For these reasons and more, using public Wi-Fi without encryption protection provided by a VPN not only puts yourself at risk physically due to hackers trying to steal data from your device but even potentially put you behind bars if you’re caught doing something illegal online.
To stay safe while using public Wi-Fi, it is important to use a VPN service instead of the internet without one.
Secure Your Data & Privacy
Connect To The Best VPN Service
Conclusion
There are many security risks associated with public Wi-Fi networks. To stay safe while using these open, unsecured connections, you must use a VPN service for your internet connection instead of just relying on the network without encryption.
By connecting to the web via VPNs rather than an unprotected WiFi network, hackers will have less opportunity to steal sensitive data from devices connected, and geo-location restrictions can be bypassed so content can be accessed as intended.
When browsing online through a secure connection provided by a VPN, it's also possible to access blocked or censored websites which are often used for illegal activities because transactions cannot be traced back through IP addresses.
For all these reasons, we recommend that you use a VPN instead of just relying on the internet without one if you want protection when accessing the internet in public spaces.