When you travel, you expect your digital devices to function smoothly throughout the entire trip without any unexpected problems. Yet, you may do certain things out of carelessness or convenience that you probably shouldn’t be doing. For example, you use public WiFi on your phone for all sorts of work, including accessing banking details or sensitive data. You leave your WiFi and Bluetooth on all the time, and yet never use any security measures.

Avoiding problems is easy once you understand how things can potentially go wrong with WiFi and Bluetooth. 

Should You Turn Off Wi-Fi When Travelling?

Should you really bother turning off Wi-Fi while on the move? Let’s dive into this topic – we’ll cover everything from plane rules to keeping your data safe and saving some battery juice.

To enhance digital security while traveling, use mobile data instead of public WiFi for a secure connection. Alternatively, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your data on public WiFi. In addition, turning off Wi-Fi when not needed conserves battery life, particularly in areas with weak signals.

Turn off WiFi via Airplane Mode

If you take no precautions on WiFi, perhaps the only time you turn it off is during critical stages of a flight, such as during takeoff or landing, when there is an official announcement to switch on airplane mode. Airplane mode disables your phone’s wireless communication methods, such as Bluetooth and WiFi.

Using Mobile Data or VPN for Digital Security

Using public Wi-Fi at airports, cafes, libraries and hotels, can pose security risks. Accessible free WiFi comes with a downside. Many public WiFi networks are not password-protected and do not encrypt data, which means that your online activities – especially sensitive info like login credentials and financial details – are at risk of being intercepted by hackers. 

Using WiFi safely while traveling is as simple as not entering or accessing sensitive data on a public network without encryption. Instead, use your phone’s mobile hotspot for internet access or use a VPN whenever you connect to public WiFi networks.

Hence, before your trip, purchase either an international mobile data plan or set up a VPN.

• When you set up a mobile hotspot using your smartphone, the connection between your laptop and mobile hotspot is generally encrypted. 
• If you must use public WiFi, turning on your VPN will convert your data into an unreadable format that is difficult for hackers to intercept and decipher.

Turn off WiFi (and Bluetooth) for Better Battery Life

This is a less-mentioned but valid reason for turning off WiFi (and Bluetooth) during your travels.

Keeping your Wi-Fi on can drain your phone’s battery faster as it constantly searches for and connects to networks. This is unideal when you are traveling, as you’d probably prefer to conserve your phone’s battery.

If you’re in an area with weak or no Wi-Fi signal, your phone may use even more power as it continuously searches for a stable connection.

So it’s beneficial to turn off Wi-Fi when you don’t truly need it.

When you’re in areas without reliable networks, you can save a noticeable amount of battery life, especially over the course of a full day. It could also help you ‘live in the moment’ more when you’re traveling, as you reduce internet browsing and video streaming without WiFi – and thus save more battery.

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Should You Turn Off Bluetooth When Traveling?

Like WiFi, Bluetooth will be disabled when you switch on airplane mode on a flight, especially during critical stages such as takeoff or landing. Leaving Bluetooth on all the time could affect your battery life – though to a less noticeable extent than WiFi. 

Like WiFi, leaving Bluetooth on while traveling overseas can expose your phone to security risks – though this risk is generally low. Unlike public WiFi, a VPN does not protect against Bluetooth attacks. You can stop Bluetooth sharing anytime by turning it off, i.e. disabling ‘discoverable mode’, which means that nearby devices cannot see your phone and potentially attempt to connect to it.

While traveling, leaving your Bluetooth on can increase your convenience and efficiency. For instance, you may rely on wireless Bluetooth headphones and fitness trackers that help you stay on top of your health. Keyboards and mice can be connected via Bluetooth, reducing the hassle of cables and making your travel setup more hassle-free. I’d suggest you enjoy the benefits of Bluetooth while traveling and not worry about leaving your Bluetooth on.

Overall Tips for Traveling With Your Devices

In conclusion, when managing your digital devices while traveling, you should strike a balance between convenience and security. 

Even if you plan to do very little about digital security, here are some quick and easy tips before you embark on your next trip: 

• Update Your Devices: Before embarking on your journey, keep your smartphones, laptops, and other digital gadgets are up to date with the latest security patches and software updates.
• Disable Auto-Connect: Turn off the automatic connection to public WiFi and Bluetooth devices. By doing so, you prevent your devices from searching for and connecting to potentially insecure networks or devices without your consent. 

Now, if you are someone who travels a lot and works digitally when you travel, I’d highly suggest that you do a little more:

• Use a VPN: Invest in a reliable VPN service to encrypt your internet traffic and keep your data secure when using public WiFi networks. Besides, a VPN gives you many more benefits besides security.
• Work Offline: Embracing the practice of working offline, as doing so can significantly boost your adaptability and productivity on the go. It offers the freedom to deactivate WiFi and Bluetooth when they’re unnecessary, particularly in areas with poor or nonexistent signals.

All in all, while it’s convenient to stay connected during your travels, safeguarding your digital privacy and security should always be a top priority. By following these tips I just gave you, you can enjoy the benefits of technology on the road while minimizing the risks associated with public WiFi and Bluetooth. Safe travels and stay secure!