Wi-Fi

There are two kinds of Wi-Fi networks—secured and unsecured. Data sent between your machine and a secured Wi-Fi infrastructure is encrypted, meaning your network activity appears as gibberish to another person on the network who looks at it. On the other hand, if you use an unsecured network, any unsavory entity who’s monitoring your network activity can see your data in plain text. This is the case with most airport, hotel, library, and restaurant Wi-Fi networks, even including ones that require a password.

Wi-Fi on Campus

Your options for connecting to secure network vary by campus. BYU and BYU–Idaho are participants in Eduroam, a nationwide multi-institutional secured network. This means that your login credentials can get you secure, high-speed Wi-Fi access at hundreds of other universities and institutions across America, including in Rexburg and Provo. We recommend that you use Eduroam whenever possible. Other options are available, however.

More information on BYU's Wi-Fi networks
More information on BYU–Hawaii's Wi-Fi networks
More information on BYU–Idaho's Wi-Fi networks

Wi-Fi at Home

Follow these tips to secure your home network:

• Enable secured and password-protected Wi-Fi.
• As of October 2019, WPA2 security is the most secure Wi-Fi security option. When setting up your Wi-Fi's security, research the most secure option.
• Change your router’s default administrator password.
• Regularly update your home software to ensure you have the latest versions.
• Run a firewall on your router and all network devices.
• Many routers and operating systems ship with a built-in firewall. Make sure these are enabled and configured appropriately. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may be able to assist you with your router’s firewall configuration.
• Regularly run malware and virus scans on your devices and remove unnecessary software.
• Sometimes you inadvertently install malware or other unwanted software. Carefully look through your devices’ software lists and look into the possibility of removing any software that you know you don’t need and/or looks suspicious.

Wi-Fi in Public

There may be times when you can't avoid using public Wi-Fi. If this is the case, there are a few things you'll need to do to secure your browsing.

1. Make sure the network is real. Check with an employee at the establishment to be sure of the network name. If there are two networks with the same name listed, ask for more specific information (such as the IP address). In the same breath—if you're in a place with two nearly identical networks listed, chances are high that an attacker is involved. You might be better off finding somewhere else entirely to connect.
2. Use a VPN. A VPN is a service that takes all your internet traffic and routes it through a third-party server in a different location. For example, if you're sitting in Paris and you log in to Facebook while on a VPN, the credentials you type in will go first to a VPN server in Nebraska, in an encrypted format, before moving on to Facebook's own servers. To Facebook, it will appear that you're in Nebraska, and the information Facebook sends back your way will reflect that. A VPN can help you access websites and information that would be inaccessible in your destination country. Because a VPN encrypts everything your device sends and receives, it also blocks hackers from stealing your data if you need to use public Wi-Fi. We recommend using established, reputable VPN services, as smaller and less well-known VPNs can often be malicious themselves. Examples of reliable services include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark.
3. Browse carefully. Avoid accessing private information, such as your bank account, health information, social media, or University data. If you need to log in to a site or an app, use biometrics if possible instead of typing in your credentials. Stay away from unknown sites or links, and sites that start with "http" instead of "https".