In everyday life, you rarely think about your cell phone's Wi-Fi feature – except maybe when you're on a plane and you cut the connection during takeoff. Otherwise, it generally stays on: at home of course, but also when traveling, because there doesn't seem to be any downside to leaving it on. If anything, turn it off and you might forget to turn it back on.
But that's where the problem lies, because there are good reasons not to turn on Wi-Fi while traveling. Find out what they are below.
Why you should turn off your WLAN when you're on the move
1. Your phone battery will thank you
An enabled Wi-Fi module constantly scans for available networks, even if you are not using one. This constant searching process consumes power and can significantly reduce the battery life of even the best smartphones.
(Learn how to extend your phone's battery life)
2. Avoid risks when using public Wi-Fi networks
Public Wi-Fi networks, such as those offered in cafes, train stations or airports, can pose a risk to your data. Attackers often use fake hotspots that masquerade as trusted networks to steal your passwords, banking details, or other sensitive information. This becomes especially critical if your smartphone automatically connects to open Wi-Fi networks.
Advice: A VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides secure protection to public networks. With a VPN – for example as an app on your mobile phone – your internet connection is encrypted so that no one can read your data, even on unsecured networks.
NordVPN
3. Protect your privacy
Did you know that attackers can read networks stored on your mobile phone? Mapped Wi-Fi networks, which are used by services such as Google and Microsoft for location mapping, can potentially be used to determine your home address.
You can close this security gap simply by turning off Wi-Fi when traveling and thus preventing access to stored data.
Automate turning Wi-Fi on and off (before you forget)
But does that mean you have to turn off your Wi-Fi manually every time you leave the house and turn it back on when you get home? It seems tedious – what if you forget? The good news is that there are clever ways to make this task easier without wasting a lot of data unnecessarily or having to think about it all the time.
Manual control: Of course, you can simply turn Wi-Fi on and off via your smartphone settings or Control Center. On iPhones you can do this by swiping up from the top right corner, for example, and on Android devices it works the same way via the quick access bar.
Practical: With Apple devices, Wi-Fi is automatically turned back on the next day if you forget to turn it off.
Automation for greater convenience: Logically, this becomes even simpler with automations that control Wi-Fi based on your location or certain conditions. Concretely, this means:
- iPhone: With Apple's Shortcuts app, you can create an automation that automatically turns off Wi-Fi when you leave a certain location and turns it back on when you return. For example: If you leave your home, your iPhone turns off Wi-Fi. When you return, it is automatically turned back on. This setting can be configured so that the automation runs without additional confirmation, making the process completely transparent.
- Android: Many Android smartphones have the option to “Automatically turn off Wi-Fi” in the Wi-Fi settings. This means that your device automatically connects to known networks as soon as they are in range and turns off the Wi-Fi feature. -Fi when you are in less crowded places. If this feature is not available on your device, automation apps like IFTTT can help. They can be used to set location-based rules that turn Wi-Fi on or off as needed. Another option: use NFC tags that you place in strategic locations. A simple tap is then enough to control the Wi-Fi.
This article was originally published on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and adapted from German.
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