CG wifi or Cell hotspot for privacy

[pasusan]

For the first time we will have to pay some bills while we are on the road. Since I'll be accessing some financial sites on the internet, should I use the CG wifi or my cell phone hotspot? Which is safer or are they a horse apiece?

[kalynzoo]

JMHO: There is no privacy. It is only paranoia if it isn't true. Just don't post or publish anything you don't want to be made public. By using a secure WiFi network you are making access more difficult, but on the other end the store, the intermediary, the bank, etc, are being hacked regularly. Get into the habit of checking your online accounts regularly/daily.

[rr2254545]

fj12ryder wrote:
Obviously the cell phone hotspot is going to be more secure, but I've never read about anyone having financial issues from using a campground wifi. I've used it and will continue to use it if nothing else is available. If anyone has ever had their financial data stolen from using a campground wifi, I would love to hear about it. Yes, it can happen, but will it happen? I consider it to be very low risk in the overall scheme of things.

Your data is more at risk being stored on those servers at your bank, or your credit card company, or even at the store where you shop. Or even while dining at that lovely restaurant.

Being aware of the risks is the 1st step, how you feel about those risks is up to you. I ride motorcycles and eat red meat, risky behavior if you listen to some people. 🙂

I will paraphrase Westernrvparkowner: "This "risk" of campground wifi systems is vastly exaggerated."

X2 Well said

[fj12ryder]

Obviously the cell phone hotspot is going to be more secure, but I've never read about anyone having financial issues from using a campground wifi. I've used it and will continue to use it if nothing else is available. If anyone has ever had their financial data stolen from using a campground wifi, I would love to hear about it. Yes, it can happen, but will it happen? I consider it to be very low risk in the overall scheme of things.

Your data is more at risk being stored on those servers at your bank, or your credit card company, or even at the store where you shop. Or even while dining at that lovely restaurant.

Being aware of the risks is the 1st step, how you feel about those risks is up to you. I ride motorcycles and eat red meat, risky behavior if you listen to some people. 🙂

I will paraphrase Westernrvparkowner: "This "risk" of campground wifi systems is vastly exaggerated."

[2oldman]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
This fear of campground wifi systems is vastly exaggerated.

x2. It's almost a moot point since many CG wifi systems don't work well enough to be used.

[Kayteg1]

I just bought a house using campground WI-FI.
Only on 10 pages the Title company would not accept internet pictures and I had to drive to city to make fax transmission.
When crime can happen everywhere I had my phone number openly listed for 26 years and having unique name anybody could trace me within 20 seconds.
Still nobody come to kiss my gate if you know what I mean.
Bottom line, I refuse to have my life taken over by paranoia.

[wa8yxm]

If you are worried about security use your cellular Hot Spot and be sure to encrypt the Wi-Fi side, or use the phone's browser or apps.

[westernrvparkow]

If you disregard all the hoopla about "unsecured" wifi, I seriously doubt you can find any example where someone logging on to a campground wifi system suddenly had their bank accounts drained. Yes, there is the theoretical potential, but your life insurance also covers the potential that you killed by a meteorite, something that has never happened in recorded history. Then there is the fact that a campground is a target poor environment. Even if someone was technically skilled to actually steal and utilize the information sent over unsecured hotspots, they wouldn't be targeting RV parks. The guests at parks use a tiny fraction of their wifi time sending critical information and the odds are just as great that thief would find an account with a $50.00 balance, rather than a couple of million. This fear of campground wifi systems is vastly exaggerated.

[coolmom42]

You shouldn't have a problem using a phone or dedicated hotspot, especially using a secure site that starts with "https". When you turn the hotspot on, be sure to check that you have a required password, and you have to specifically allow a device to connect. That will keep people from piggy-backing on your signal.

[sharker6]

I use Verizon Hotspot for all banking with the banks phone app and on a laptop and have never had a problem

[DutchmenSport]

We are caught many times on the road when specific bills come due, that are not on an auto pay. Even if we have campground wifi, we never use it for paying bills or accessing our bank-financial information. We flip over to our phone hot-spot. And actually pay the bill right from the phone instead of our lap top computers or Ipad (we have both). Everything else, we'll go ahead an use the campground wifi (if it's functional!)

[RoyB]

X2 on all above - This goes for all of the public access WIFI HOTSPOTs... Just too dangerous for me to use to protect my personal identify... I see folks paying bills inside a McDonalds place... Not for me thats for sure...

My CELLPHONE is too old for the HOTSPOT feature so I carry one of those VERIZON MIFI HOTSPOT devices with me that provides a good protected hotspot zone for up to five of our devices... The version I have is not good for downstreaming however so it only gets used for checking in with the kids, paying some bills online, and some searching the internet. It also works pretty good in the truck going down the roadway for the wife and her tablet... Being small I can carry the MIFI unit in my shirt pocket if we are walking around along the beach or down a wooded forest trail etc... Neat to have around...

This personal Verizon MIFI really solves the probably with most campground provided WIFI hookups being that when everyone in the campground connects you lose the use of their WIFI big time... Too many folks for the average Campground system to handle.

There will be a bunch on here saying it has never been a problem for them so this will have to be your decision on to use it or not...

We all are subject to this identify thief problem no mater what system we are using but I feel I add alittle bit more of security by not using the public WIFI zones for any of my sensitive information.

Roy Ken

[naturist]

I like Azire, at azirevpn.com. They do not track you or keep records about who went where, so you get no spam. It is also available on a monthly basis so you can turn it on when you need it or leave it off/unbilled when you are home. It's also among the less expensive vpns and came highly recommended by the experts.

I've also used GoTrusted, slightly more expensive, not so easily turned on/off, but more convenient to use on a daily basis.

[blangen]

naturist wrote:
Both share the same vulnerability although personal hotspots are slightly less likely to be attacked. But only very slightly. If it is security you seek, you will need to use a vpn. I have noted that some open wifi hotspots do not play well with vpns. When I encounter one of those, I refuse to use it, as it is too insecure. A vpn can be added to your device but will require a subscription to a vpn host. These cost $0 to maybe $10 a month (you get what you pay for, IMHO)

Good point about a VPN. Care you share which one (or more) you like?

[OutdoorPhotogra]

Second vote for VPN.

[naturist]

Both share the same vulnerability although personal hotspots are slightly less likely to be attacked. But only very slightly. If it is security you seek, you will need to use a vpn. I have noted that some open wifi hotspots do not play well with vpns. When I encounter one of those, I refuse to use it, as it is too insecure. A vpn can be added to your device but will require a subscription to a vpn host. These cost $0 to maybe $10 a month (you get what you pay for, IMHO)