Free Wi-Fi is a blessing, isn’t it?
Watch videos without worrying about data. At stations, at cafes, at airports.
But is it okay to open your banking app on that same Wi-Fi?
This is where I’d like you to stop for a moment.
This article isn’t about official terms or any particular incident. It’s a summary, for people living in Japan, of the cautions commonly given about free Wi-Fi.
The 30-second version
- Free Wi-Fi varies in safety by place. On a network anyone can use, other people are on the same network
- For just watching videos or news, it’s easy to use
- Banking, payments, and entering passwords: do them on your own mobile connection if you can
- Turn off auto-connect
Free Wi-Fi is a “meeting room everyone uses”
Your home Wi-Fi is your own room.
Free Wi-Fi can be compared to a meeting room where everyone gathers.
Anyone can walk in. That’s why it’s handy. But you can’t know what the person at the next seat is doing.
This difference is the starting point for the cautions.
Four things to watch for
These are general points.
1. Wi-Fi without a password may not protect your traffic It’s said that on free Wi-Fi that needs no password, traffic may not be encrypted. The chance of someone else seeing what you enter is not zero.
2. There are fake Wi-Fi networks with the same name It’s said there is a trick of creating a fake access point with a name very close to the real Wi-Fi. The sure way is to ask staff for the correct Wi-Fi name.
3. “Auto-connect” connects on its own With auto-connect on, you may end up on free Wi-Fi without noticing. Turn it off in settings.
4. Don’t stay logged in When you’re done, disconnect from the Wi-Fi or delete the record of the connection.
When it’s fine, and when to avoid it
| Situation | Guideline |
|---|---|
| Watching news or videos | Unlikely to be a problem |
| Looking at maps, searching transit routes | Unlikely to be a problem |
| Logging in to social media | Be careful. Use mobile if possible |
| Banking apps, credit cards, online payments | Safer to do on mobile |
| Work email, or entering passwords | Use mobile, or a method your company approves |
If in doubt, remember this: “for anything involving money or personal information, use mobile.” That’s enough.
A VPN isn’t a cure-all
A VPN encrypts your traffic and protects its path. It’s said to be one way to reduce worries on public Wi-Fi.
But using a VPN doesn’t mean you can do anything safely. Some VPN services can be trusted and some can’t.
For everyday use, I think “do the important things on mobile” is enough for many people. That’s my opinion.
Why foreign residents tend to rely on free Wi-Fi
Many people use a lot of data on video calls and videos with family back home. So free Wi-Fi is tempting.
Tips for cutting data use are in the article on why your data goes down. If you use free Wi-Fi, draw a line: “this much on Wi-Fi, the rest on mobile.”
Also, how to isolate the cause when you’re connected to Wi-Fi but it’s slow is covered in another article.
Summary
- Free Wi-Fi is handy, but it’s like a “meeting room” anyone can use
- Watch for: traffic that may not be encrypted, fake Wi-Fi, auto-connect, and staying connected
- Do banking, payments, and password entry on mobile as much as possible
- A VPN is one option, but not a cure-all
Convenience and safety are something you balance depending on the situation.
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