Having WiFi at your home and out in public is just so convenient. You can easily connect to the internet without any pesky cables or wires. But have you ever wonder if the WiFi connection you’re connecting to is secure? According to Norton, “60% of consumers think using public Wi-Fi is riskier than using a public restroom”.
So, if you want to enjoy the convenience of a cable-less internet connection, you must you a reliable WiFi VPN. To help you pick the top VPN service to use, I have compiled a simple list below just for you.
So without further ado, here’s a brief overview of my recommended VPNs…
- PureVPN – Affordable VPN with 2000+ secure servers to help you stay safe on public Wifi.
- Surfshark – Reliable VPN with 1040+ powerful servers and security features.
- Ivacy – Secure VPN with built-in Wifi protection and 1000+ servers all over the world.
- ExpressVPN–Super fast VPN with 3000+ secure servers worldwide.
- CyberGhost – A budget-friendly VPN with 5500+ servers & 45-day money-back guarantee.
- NordVPN– A renowned VPN service with 5000+ international VPN servers.
Top 6 VPNs for WiFi in 2020
Here is a list of best WiFi VPNs that will protect your personal information on your device from hackers in 2020:
1. PureVPN – Best Affordable VPN
PureVPN is one of the best public WiFi VPNs amongst all that will guard your online privacy and activity when on public Wi-Fi. It has the strongest 256-bit encryption to keep your online activity safe. It also offers you a dedicated IP and allows you to torrent anonymously.
Even more impressive is the fact that PureVPN is among the best price VPN of 2020. Aside from being affordable, PureVPN offers 5 multi logins and a 30-days money-back guarantee. In terms of compatibility, PureVPN supports all major operating systems and devices. Check out our detailed PureVPN review for more information.
2. Surfshark – Fastest Wifi VPN
Another secure yet affordable WiFI VPN that you can use is Surfshark. Headquartered in the British Virgin Islands, Surfshark guarantees zero logs. Not only that, but Surfshark also offers industry benchmark protocols and security features like Kill Switch, 256-bit encryption, and even an ad-blocker to block trackers on public WiFi networks.
In terms of performance, Surfshark offers unlimited bandwidth and 1040+ servers that just work effortlessly. Best of all, Surfshark offers unlimited simultaneous connections and a 30-days refund policy.
Find out more about the qualities of this service in our Surfshark review.
3. Ivacy – Best VPN for Torrenting
Stream anything and anywhere with Ivacy. It keeps you entirely safe when using the internet on public Wi-Fi with 256-bit encryption. It also keeps your online data secure with enhanced security and stops 3rd party spying.
Ivacy VPN is also among the very few VPNs that offer a strict zero log policy. In terms of compatibility, Ivacy works on iOS, Android and even on routers. This way, you never have to worry about having your WiFi connection hacked. Check out the detailed Ivacy review for more information.
4. ExpressVPN – Best for Streaming on Public Wifi
ExpressVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands. This VPN provider offers a large server network that operates at consistently fast speeds. ExpressVPN is one of the most popular and well-reputed VPN brands in the industry. It uses high-quality encryption protocols AES-256 bit encryption.
Moreover, it offers more than 3000+ servers spread across 96+ countries which makes it one of the best VPN for streaming video content that is geo-blocked in your region.
Good quality encryption is essential for public Wi-Fi since these are notoriously vulnerable to hackers and security threats. Further, it gives you access to censored websites and apps. For more information, check out our ExpressVPN review.
5. CyberGhost – Ensures Full Privacy on Wifi
Next up, we have CyberGhost. This VPN service is headquartered in Romania and offers some of the best VPN apps. CyberGhost also offers over 5500 servers and powerful encryption to help you stay safe on public WiFi. Not only that, but CyberGhost also offers powerful protocols like OpenVPN, SSTP, PPTP, IKEv2, and even L2TP.
Best of all, CyberGhost works with all major operating systems and offers an extensive 45-day money-back guarantee. Another thing I really like about CyberGhost is the fact that it offers 7 simultaneous connections. Find out more about the qualities of this service in our CyberGhost review.
6. NordVPN – Unblock WiFi Restrictions
NordVPN offers advanced security with double encryption that protects your online security even when you are connected to public Wi-Fi. It also offers over 5000 servers all over the world for excellent coverage. These servers are not only fast, but also use obfuscation technology for ultimate protection.
It further offers you complete privacy and internet freedom by allowing you to bypass geo-restrictions. It is also one of the best VPNs to deter snoopers and cyber-criminals thanks to its powerful 256-bit encryption.
Moreover, it also offers a double VPN feature which adds to the already full-proof encryption protocols so its safe to say that its one of the best VPNs for Wifi Security. For more information, check out our NordVPN review.
Top VPNs for WiFi on Android
If you are a user of Android devices, you should always connect to the Wi-Fi through a VPN. Public WiFis are especially vulnerable, as they usually have only basic encryption. As a result, any traffic that passes through the public WiFi from your Android device is under risk of interception by authorities or hackers.
To ensure your safety online while using public Wi-Fi on an Android device, you should always use a VPN service. The VPN providers reviewed above are compatible with Android OS and also use the most advanced encryption protocols. Particularly, NordVPN is known for its state-of-the-art encryption standards.
Good encryption standards include protocols such as OpenVPN and IKEv2 (for mobile devices). On the other hand, encryption techniques like PPTP have become obsolete, as they are highly insecure forms of encryption. It is important to consider which encryption protocols are supported by a VPN provider before deciding to purchase one for your Android device.
Therefore, you should use NordVPN or other alternatives listed above to gain safe and secure access to public Wi-Fi on your Android. The kinds of malware and security threats that target Android devices are increasing with the passage of time. Purchasing a well-encrypted and reliable VPN is thus a worthwhile investment if you are want to protect y our Android device.
You can read our guide on the best-encrypted VPN services to learn more about modern encryption algorithms that offer the best security.
Best Free WiFi VPNs in 2020
The VPN industry consists of a large number of VPN providers. However, there are only a few providers that offer VPN services for free. Those VPN companies that do offer free versions do so in the form of watered-down software with several limitations.
For instance, most free VPN services commonly offer only a few server options and limited bandwidth. In addition, they also have unsatisfactory logging policies and usually record user data. This information is then sold to advertisement companies for a profit. Since free VPN providers must make money to fund their operations somehow, they resort to these tactics for making revenue.
Therefore, it is generally a bad idea to use a free VPN service if you want to secure your WiFi. We strongly recommend using paid VPN services to ensure your security and encrypt your data. Nonetheless, there are a select few free VPN providers that actually do offer good VPN features.
ProtonVPN is one free VPN service that is worth a try. This VPN provider is unique since it is the only VPN service that provides unlimited bandwidth with no caps. Moreover, it uses the most advanced robust security protocols such as OpenVPN to encrypt your data passing through the WiFi network. Thus, ProtonVPN is the best public WiFi VPN you can acquire for free.
You can also protect your WiFi network through a VPN based router. Read our guide on the VPN router for more information.
What is Publicly Available Wi-Fi?
Publicly available Wi-Fi’s are located in public places where people could gain easy access to the internet. You encounter public Wi-Fi’s in your daily life when visiting public places. Due to the nature of these Wi-Fi, many people access the internet. Mumbai city has over 500 Wi-Fi hotspots which are the highest number of counts for any city.
Where are these Wi-Fi available?
The most common places where these Wi-Fi’s can be found include:
- Restaurants, café, coffee shops
- Airports, subways, trainsProtonVPN is one free VPN service that is worth a try. This VPN provider is unique since it is the only VPN service that provides unlimited bandwidth with no caps. Moreover, it uses the most advanced
- Hotels and hostels
- Tourist places
- Malls, etc.
Whenever any Wi-Fi is easily accessible to anyone and is located in a public place, it is said to be a public Wi-Fi. The reason why the internet is available to the public for free so that their customers would spend extra time at their restaurant or shop. Extra time means more sales for shops.
Why public WiFi is insecure?
Public Wi-Fi networks are insecure because it doesn’t require you to enter a password for its access. These are un-encrypted connections, which means snoopers and cybercriminals can gain access to anyone’s device who are using the Wi-Fi at the time. These snoopers can gain hold of your accounts, credit card information, pictures, and videos.
Other than your phone being hacked by snoopers, there is another possibility that you become a victim of a man-in-the-middle attack. Snoopers can intercept the data being transferred from your device to another and can eavesdrop your communication.
Malware is easily injected by hackers onto your devices that means everything you do on your device is easily recorded. Lastly, fake hotspots or Wi-Fi are created to tempt users to access them. As a result, malware is injected and users are most likely to hack your phone.
What Information is at Stake?
As we have made you aware of why public Wi-Fi is insecure, there is another thing that you need to be aware of. You must know which information is likely to get affected when snoopers try to inject malware or get access to your device. These are listed below:
- Location of your home
- Bank account details
- Internet history
- Pictures and videos
- Files and apps
- List of phone contacts
- Communication with friends
- Passwords, etc.
All the above information is easy to access once a hacker gets hold of your device within public Wi-Fi. Many cases emerge in tourist attractions and when boarding airplanes. In both situations, you are desperate to use the internet and require a Wi-Fi connection.
Secure your Information from Being Stolen on a Public Wi-Fi
There are several ways to protect your online data and device while using a Wi-Fi network, but the one that stands at the top of the league is a Wi-Fi VPN. It encrypts your online data and so does your IP, which means none of the users on the particular Wi-Fi network will ever know you’re using the same network.
When connecting to a VPN, not only snoopers or hackers would be able to know that you exist over the Wi-Fi, but not even the business owner will be able to know your existence. Your privacy and security are protected at all times.
You can further take various precautionary measures before connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Some of these listed below:
- Disable/Turn off sharing settings so no one access your mobile device
- Use HTTPS websites whenever you use the internet
- Use a Firewall
- 2-factor authentication on all login credentials
- Turn off Wi-Fi when not in use
- After using, select ‘Forget’ on particular Wi-Fi
Public WiFi VPN – The Ultimate Solution
The important most factor that protects your online activity and device is to get a Wi-Fi VPN. Nothing gives you the best online protection than a VPN because it complete hides you on the internet and none would ever know that you exist online.
Further, tourist is an easier target for cybercriminals because they’re constantly wanting to share updates on social media and therefore require an internet connection. As a result, tourists become frequent victims of this hack and all of their data is stolen. A recommended advice, always use a VPN when traveling abroad.
How to Use VPN on Public WiFi?
Here are the steps on how to use a VPN on public WiFi:
- Select a Wi-Fi VPN from the list provided in the table below
- Subscribe and download the desktop or Android app
- Insert Username and Password, then connect to any country’s server
- Now connect to a public Wi-Fi VPN and now your online privacy and data are protected.
- Once you are done using a Public Wi-Fi, select ‘Forget’ option on the Wi-Fi
Wifi VPNs to Bypass Blocked Websites in Schools
To prevent students to spend much time on the internet, schools normally block social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and similar others. These limitations are enforced by school administration so that students must focus on their studies.
However, a VPN for schools can easily bypass blocked websites in schools and let students access Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and many social media websites. A VPN provider will change your IP address and allow you to bypass geo-restrictions.
Sometimes school wifi blocks VPN; in that case, you have to confirm it with VPN provider that whether it could break the blockage or not.
Further, when you subscribe to a VPN for School, you can unblock streaming websites such as YouTube or Netflix, while also play games by unblocking gaming websites. It makes Torrenting and accessing WhatsApp easier. Even the best free VPN for School would do the trick.
The NSA’s Take on WiFi Hotspots & VPNs
In a report published in June this year, the National Security Agency (NSA) recommends using a VPN service provider when connecting to publicly available WiFi hotspots. In the report, the NSA acknowledges the additional cost of subscribing to a VPN service but does not consider this to be a reason that outweighs the importance and benefits of a good VPN service.
In my experience, subscribing to a VPN provider that charges no more than $4 per month is much better, and wiser, than putting your bank details, credit card number, and personal information on the line every time you decide to check your mail while connecting to a public WiFi hotspot.
The report titled Best Practices for Keeping Your Home Network Safe, highlights that the underlying security infrastructure of most publicly available wireless hotspots is often weak. This is because hotspot providers seldom go beyond investing the speed and bandwidth of their WiFi hotspots.
A Word on WiFi VPNs from the Files of the FCC
An online report published by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), titled The Cyber Security Planning Guide, recommends that businesses providing internet-based remote access to users should exercise caution. The FCC recommends the use of VPNs as a tried and tested method that can provide the security and access authentication required for corporate infrastructure.
The report gives special attention to the need to ensure adequate security and encryption when using/setting-up WiFi in business settings. Note that the FCC (established in 1934) is the US government’s response to the evolving threats that come forth with developments in communications technology.
In the same vein, a report by the Chief Information Officers Council this May asserts that the cryptographic strength that must be in place for a wireless network (WiFi) to be secure can only be maintained through a VPN!
Protect Yourself with a VPN in the Wireless Future
The WiFi wave is picking up momentum. Very soon all our connections will be wireless and the government recommendations quoted above confirm that a VPN is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity.
I often review VPNs; and while every time I find few people who oppose the idea of a VPN provider, I also find groups of wise people who would rather go with a VPN than robbed during a WiFi session!
FAQ’s (Frequently Ask Questions)
Now let’s check out some of the frequently asked questions about WiFi VPNs.
Is it safe to use hotel WiFi?
No, hotel WiFi networks are not safe to use. Despite appearing harmless, hotel WiFi networks are just as unsafe as any other public WiFi networks. If you wish to use the WiFi connection at your hotel, make sure to use a secure VPN on public WiFi.
Can my Internet provider see my VPN?
No, your ISP cannot determine if you’re using a VPN due to encryption. In fact, your ISP won’t be able to see the content of your internet traffic nor would it be able to detect the source or destination of your data packets.
Do ISP care if you use a VPN?
No, as long as don’t do anything totally illegal that involves law enforcement agencies, national security or even fraud, your ISP should have no reason to care whether you’re using a VPN or not.
My Final Advice?
Don’t compromise on the security of your personal and financial information; because without a VPN, you are just a sitting duck for data snoopers. Your privacy is in your hands!
Key Takeaways on Using a Public WiFi VPN
- The NSA recommends using a VPN service provider when connecting to publicly available WiFi hotspots
- The underlying security infrastructure of most publicly available wireless hotspots is often weak
- The FCC recommends a VPN for security and access authentication in a corporate infrastructure
- The barista at your coffee shop and your friendly neighborhood nerd may be cracking WiFi sessions for fun in their spare time
- A VPN is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity
Suggested services in this article work best as either school wifi, hotel wifi VPN or a public Wifi VPN.
