Mark it once you can do it without this page open.

How to do it

  1. Ask staff for the exact network name, since fake ones with similar names are common.
  2. Choose the public network option if your computer asks, which turns off sharing.
  3. Check that sites show a secure connection before you type anything.
  4. Use cellular data or a personal hotspot for banking and anything with your card number.
  5. Turn off automatic joining of open networks in your device settings.
  6. Forget the network in your settings when you leave.
  7. Use a reputable virtual private network if you work from public networks often.

Common mistakes

  • Joining the strongest open network with a name that looks right.
  • Logging in to a bank on a cafe network.
  • Leaving file sharing on at the airport.

Quick self-check

Three questions. Your last score is kept in this browser.

1. How do you know which network is the real one?
2. Where is the safer place to do your banking while out?
3. What should you do with the network when you leave?

Teach this to someone

A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.

Words on this page

Sources

  • National cybersecurity agency guidance for home users, 2026. Checked September 28, 2026.

Last reviewed . First published .