Why You Should Consider Turning Off Wi-Fi on Your Phone Whenever You Leave Home

Written by Henrik Rothen

Mar.08 - 2024 8:19 AM CET

Technology
Photo: Shutterstock.com
Photo: Shutterstock.com
If you're one of those people who always leave their Wi-Fi on when you step out of the house, it might be time to reconsider.

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Are you someone who keeps their Wi-Fi on even when you're away from home? And here, we're not talking about the Wi-Fi network at your house. Instead, we're referring to the Wi-Fi on your smartphone. If that's the case, it's wise to think it over again.

Apart from the fact that it consumes a considerable amount of your smartphone's battery, there are other risks associated with keeping it on.

Cybercrime is a very real threat, with new scams emerging every day. And the truth is, Wi-Fi is quite vulnerable, especially when it's constantly on. Therefore, it's definitely worth considering whether you should turn it off when you're not at home. This is reported by Senest.

The danger lies in the fact that when it's on, your smartphone is constantly searching for open networks to connect to. This is done to avoid using a data connection.

However, this also poses a risk and can end up costing you dearly. This is because connecting to any open network exposes the user's personal data and IP address to third parties.

An example of this can be seen in shopping malls. Anyone who automatically connects to such a network could end up having their information stolen. This includes everything from the device's general data and social media accounts to banking details.

The ideal scenario would be to only connect to networks you already know and trust. This includes friends and family members' houses, as well as your workplace.

If you absolutely need to use an open network, it is recommended to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect and encrypt your data. A VPN is a virtual private network that allows you to browse the internet anonymously.