Travel Smart: Simple Ways to Stay Private and Secure on Vacation

How to Secure Your WiFi at a hotel or Airbnb

Summer is almost here, and it’s time to head out on new adventures with our families!

Recently, my family traveled to Florida where we kayaked, swam with manatees, and stayed in a great Airbnb home.

Of course, when planning a trip, you focus on packing your clothes, making sure you have your medications, and finalizing your itinerary. But it’s easy to overlook something just as important — your online security while traveling.

Today, I’m sharing a few tips that my family and I use to protect our devices and personal information on the road. Plus, I’ll share a super simple trick that I now use on every trip!

Why Wi-Fi on Vacation Isn’t Like Home Wi-Fi

When we travel, we leave behind the security of our home networks — all those parental controls and firewalls stay put.

Unless you’re planning to literally pack up your home Wi-Fi router (which is possible but impractical), you’re exposed to networks that may not prioritize cybersecurity or family safety the way you do.

Never assume that a hotel or Airbnb has the same security standards that you have at home. You need to take simple, proactive steps to protect your devices, personal data, and your family while traveling.

Step One: Always Connect to the Correct Network

When you reach your destination, make sure you’re connecting to the official network.

Many hotels, especially chains, use standardized network names and passwords across multiple locations.

That sounds convenient, but it’s also a trap hackers love to exploit.

Imagine this: your hotel uses a network called “HotelNetwork” with a password. A hacker nearby could create an open network called “HotelNetwork_Guest” and many people (especially kids) will accidentally connect to it because it doesn’t require a password.

Once you’re on their network, all your web traffic can be monitored or intercepted. Not good!

Always double-check with hotel staff or your Airbnb host to make sure you’re connecting to the right network.

Step Two: Be Careful What You Access on Public Wi-Fi

When you’re on any network you don’t own, be selective about the information you access.

Save your sensitive activities — like checking your bank account, handling medical info, or accessing business emails — for when you’re on a secured connection.

Better yet, use your mobile phone’s data instead of public Wi-Fi whenever possible for sensitive activities. It’s one of the safest ways to protect your personal information while traveling.

Step Three: Consider Using Your Own Hotspot or Starlink

Most of us have decent mobile coverage, but if you’re headed somewhere remote, like a lake house or cabin, your carrier might not cut it. You can solve this by getting a mobile hotspot from a provider with strong coverage in the area.

Another option is Starlink Roam, which costs around $50 a month for 50GB of mobile satellite internet. You’ll just need a Starlink Mini device, and you can set up your own private internet connection almost anywhere.

Step Four: Use a VPN for a Private Tunnel to the Internet

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is an excellent tool for securing your connection.

It creates a private, encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet, keeping hackers, your Wi-Fi provider, and even your Internet Service Provider from seeing what you’re doing online.

When you use a VPN, even if someone tries to snoop on your traffic, they’ll only see that you connected to a VPN server — not the websites you’re visiting. I personally use NordVPN because they’re based outside of the U.S. and don’t keep logs of user activity.

Important Note for Families: VPNs can bypass parental controls, so in our house, only the adults use it.

My Favorite Solution: Bring a Travel Router

If you want something even simpler (and honestly, more powerful), I recommend getting a travel router. I personally use the Slate AX by GL.iNet, and it’s been a game changer for family trips.

Think of the Slate AX as a pocket-sized version of your home Wi-Fi router.

The Slate AX by GL.iNet

It lets you create your own secure network wherever you go — hotel, Airbnb, or café — using fast Wi-Fi 6 technology. It even comes with built-in VPN support, meaning you can encrypt all traffic for every device connected to it.

When we stayed in Florida, all I had to do was plug the Slate AX into an open LAN port on the home’s router, fire up the GL.iNet app, and we were online with our own secure network.

All our phones, tablets, and laptops connected automatically to a network we trusted.

Bottom Line: A travel router lets you bring your parental controls and network security with you, without the hassle of dismantling your home setup.

Stay Safe and Private in a Hotel or Airbnb

Online safety doesn’t have to take the fun out of your vacation. By connecting to the correct networks, using your mobile data wisely, considering a VPN, or investing in a simple travel router, you can protect your family and still enjoy the trip.

You can stay cyber-secure, protect your kids online, and make awesome memories — all at the same time!

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