Can hotels where you are staying reach your Internet access and can hotels see what you are browsing? You must need to know about these questions, if you care about your data and security and if you have a passion for traveling. Nowadays WiFi access is the standard in hotels where you choose to stay. But does the hotel makes sure about the security of your data?
While you see that your hotel management makes some bold and strong claims about their wireless network system being more safe and secure just like the Pentagon’s defense system, then definitely in 99% of such cases, all these claims just will be no more than lip labor to agree on you on booking. Everyone is in a fix about it that hotel’s network admins can track your browsing and what you visit or they can’t, it’s impossible.
So what security about your privacy? Can hotels see what you are browsing? Well, let’s come to find out.
Can Hotels See What You Are Browsing?
The answer will be harsh for you and you will not like but yes, it is true that hotel WiFi has never been safe and secure in any way, and can easily snoop on all the sensitive information that you transmit using it, just like information and details about your credit card, can be tracked.
Here’s an important thing to understand – As you will browse the web using hotel WiFi, you’re going to use their network. Now at this time, all your connections go through the hotel’s network. So it will be very easy for network admins to monitor them and will be very easy to see their destination. It means that they can know about the IP address to whom you connect. Admins can also be able to see the DNS resolutions, so through all this, they know the real and exact website domain you access as well.
And we can say yes, hotel’s network admins know what sites you are browsing even if they claim to use HTTPS encryption. Sure, network admins won’t know what data you receive or send from them. But keep in mind they’ll still know about that what domains you access, and even in some cases might be able to tell what important web pages you have to visit.
Do Hotels Monitor WiFi 24/7? Should You Be Worried About It Or Not?
Probably Network admins don’t do that – however if the management of the hotel specifically asked its IT staff to track and access your WiFi traffic. So, in case you’re not some high-profile target then you probably don’t need to worry about it.
But it doesn’t mean that you should take it so lightly and don’t pay heed to it. Even if you feel that the staff of the hotel doesn’t snoop and keeps a close eye on all connections, still the servers of this hotel keep logs and these logs can contain a lot of your data.
As an example we can say, they can track all things just as your transactions and also your browsing habits alongside your name or your ID the server assigned to you, and your room number in the hotel. So, now it has been clear to you, can hotels see what you are browsing? Be careful while you are staying in the hotel.
How Can You Hide Your Web Browsing On Hotel WiFi?
The simplest and quickest way to hide your web browsing on hotel WIFI is simply you have to use your mobile data instead of using the hotel’s WiFi. You should use your mobile provider’s network connection to browse or browse the web instead. If you are in need to get web access on your PC or your laptop, then you will use your smartphone to create a hotspot for the connection to your PC, and through this, you can connect the device to it. So, if you are in a fix that can hotels see what you are browsing then you need to be alert and keep away from using the hotel’ WIFI.
Another suggestion is that you should use a VPN just like SmartyDNS if you want to protect your privacy on the hotel’s WIFI. These online tools effectively hide your IP address and these VPNs also encrypt your internet traffic.
How VPNs Help You?
VPNs help by hiding the destination of your connection, so the Network admins can’t be able to see what sites you connect to. Network admins will only be able to see a VPN server’s IP address instead of seeing your website’s IP address.
Network admins can’t analyze your data packets anymore to reach what important web pages you’re browsing because VPNs encrypt your data packets. Moreover, they won’t reach and see what domains you send connection requests to.
Is It Safe For You To Use A VPN With Hotel WiFi?
Yes, it is a safe and secure way if you used a VPN with hotel WiFi. Because of the reasons that a VPN is a legal technology, and if you used it then nobody can restrict you from taking advantage of VPN. More, VPNs are considered amazing tools for data protection in an environment that is insecure, just like a guest WiFi network.
So if you used a VPN then you do not need to worry about anything, with a VPN you can get enjoyment with your favorite Internet activities without any worries about your security.
conclusion
So, we hope that we’ve successfully managed to elaborate on the topic and have provided you with the complete information that you want to know you. Hopefully, you have rightly understood your need that can hotels see you if you are browsing. Through this article it has been clear to you that:
- Hotels can easily monitor your searches and what websites you visit on hotels WiFi
- The security of hotels’ WIFI is weak and not secure
- The use of a VPN service is a good way that can hide your browsing habits or websites you visit from hotels and give you security for your data
- Hotels can’t see your internet history if you prefer to use a good VPN
