On the Road

Staying Private When Away from Home

Disable Wi-Fi When Not in Use

Your device broadcasts probe requests searching for saved networks. Anyone with a monitor-mode adapter can capture these and learn which networks you’ve connected to previously.

Turn off Wi-Fi when not actively using it
Forget networks you no longer need
Use MAC address randomization for probe requests (enabled by default on iOS 14+ and Android 10+)

Disable Bluetooth When Not in Use

Bluetooth signals can be used to track your movement through stores and public spaces. Turn it off until needed.

Public Wi-Fi

Never trust public Wi-Fi (airports, cafes, hotels) without a VPN.

Threats on public Wi-Fi:

Man-in-the-middle attacks — attacker intercepts traffic between you and the router
Evil twin access points — fake AP with same name as legitimate one
Packet sniffing — passive capture of unencrypted traffic

Rules for Public Wi-Fi

Connect to VPN immediately — before any browsing
Verify the network name with staff (avoid connecting to “Free-Airport-WiFi” clones)
Enable firewall (especially on Windows)
Avoid accessing banking or sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi if possible
Use HTTPS-only mode in your browser

Verify VPN is Connected

Before visiting any sensitive site on public Wi-Fi:

Visit ipleak.net
Confirm IP shows VPN server location, not yours
Confirm DNS shows VPN provider

Mobile Data vs. Wi-Fi

Mobile data (4G/5G) is generally safer than public Wi-Fi for sensitive browsing when a VPN isn’t available — your traffic is encrypted between your device and the cell tower. However:

Your carrier can still see metadata (sites visited, timing)
IMSI catchers (Stingrays) can intercept 2G/3G calls
Use VPN + mobile data for best protection

Border Crossings

In many countries, border agents can compel you to unlock devices.

Mitigations:

Travel with a minimal “travel phone” with no sensitive data
Use full-disk encryption (enabled by default on modern iOS and Android)
Know your rights in your jurisdiction