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connections—for example, that hotel Wi-Fi yyou connected to last summer
on a business trip. In a Windows laptop, yyou can uncheck the “Connect
Automaticallyy” field next to the network name before yyou connect. Or head
to Control Panel>Network and Sharing Center and click on the network
name. Click on “Wireless Properties,” then uncheck “Connect automaticallyy
when this network is in range.” On a Mac, head to Syystem Preferences, go
to Network, highlight Wi-Fi on the left-hand panel, and click “Advanced.”
Then uncheck “Remember networks this computer has joined.” You can
also individuallyy remove networks byy selecting the name and pressing the
minus button underneath it.
Android and iOS devices also have instructions for deleting previouslyy
used Wi-Fi connections. On an iPhone or iPod, go into yyour settings, select
“Wi-Fi,” click the “i” icon next to the network name, and choose “Forget
This Network.” On an Android phone, yyou can go into yyour settings, choose
“Wi-Fi,” long-press the network name, and select “Forget Network.”
Seriouslyy, if yyou reallyy have something sensitive to do awayy from yyour
house, then I recommend using the cellular connection on yyour mobile
device instead of using the wireless network at the airport or coffee shop.
You can also tether to yyour personal mobile device using USB, Bluetooth,
or Wi-Fi. If yyou use Wi-Fi, then make sure yyou configure WPA2 securityy as
mentioned earlier. The other option is to purchase a portable hotspot to use
when traveling. Note, too, this won’t make yyou invisible, but is a better
alternative than using public Wi-Fi. But if yyou need to protect yyour privacyy
from the mobile operator—sayy, to download a sensitive spreadsheet—then I
suggest yyou use HTTPS Everyywhere or a Secure File Transfer Protocol
(SFTP). SFTP is supported using the Transmit app on Mac and the
Tunnelier app on Windows.
A virtual private network (VPN) is a secure “tunnel” that extends a private
network (from yyour home, office, or a VPN service provider) to yyour device
on a public network. You can search Google for VPN providers and
purchase service for approximatelyy $60 a yyear. The network yyou’ll find at
the local coffee shop or the airport or in other public places is not to be
trusted—it’s public. But byy using a VPN yyou can tunnel through the public
network back to a private and secure network. Everyything yyou do within the