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If you’re frequently on the road for work purposes, you’ll often find yourself having to connect a laptop to multiple Wi-Fi networks. The key here is to make sure that you connect securely.

 

So, in this article, we're looking at how you can manage multiple network connections, how you can improve the security of your online traffic and how you can troubleshoot problems when connecting to certain public Wi-Fi hotspots. Network configuration Windows 10 has all the basic network tools you need for connecting to multiple networks – browse to Settings > Network & Internet to access them. Select ‘WiFi’ and click ‘Manage known networks’ to view all the wireless networks – past and present – you’ve used. This list might be extensive depending on how many networks you’ve connected to over the months and years. So, trim the list by selecting networks you don’t expect to connect to again and click ‘Forget’. For other networks, click ‘Properties’ and you’ll see options for connecting automatically when in range, setting the network as a metered connection to limit data usage and an option to switch between automatic and manually set IP addresses. Choosing the latter option also allows you to set your own DNS servers. Try Cloudflare for a faster, more secure way to connect to websites. When you first connect to a new network, Windows should ask if you want your PC to be discoverable by other devices on that network. Your default answer should be ‘no’, unless you’re connecting to a trusted home or work network. You can verify – and change – this setting for the currently connected network by clicking your connection under Network > WiFi. If necessary, choose ‘Public’ to disable file sharing and render your PC invisible to other connected devices. If you’d like even more control over each individual network configuration – for example, changing your workgroup name or setting a default printer depending on which network you’re connected to – then look at a third-party tool like NetSetMan.

 

Secure internet access The security of your internet connection will vary depending on which network you’re connected to. Public Wi-Fi hotspots, for example, are often unencrypted, thereby opening up all of your network traffic to drive-by hackers. Even if they’re not, recent issues like the KRACK Wi-Fi vulnerability emphasise the importance of signing up with a Virtual Private Network (VPN) provider. VPNs create an encrypted “tunnel” through which all of your data is securely transmitted and received – even on insecure or compromised networks. Occasional users may get away with a free service – WindScribe offers 10GB/month for its free users, for example. Or you might like to look at a subscription solution from the likes of ExpressVPN or NordVPN with additional features and faster performance. Troubleshoot open Wi-Fi connections When you first connect to a public or guest Wi-Fi hotspot, you may find that it utilises a “captive portal”, which redirects you to a special web page – either to sign up, or simply to provide some additional information. This behaviour is similar to so-called “Man in the Middle” browser hijacks, and modern browsers and secure websites (those using the https:// protocol) block this behaviour. The end result: you’re unable to connect. The solution here is to open your browser and point it to a non-https website: bookmark https://neverssl.com for this purpose. Attempting to load this site should allow the captive portal to divert you to the required page, enabling you to complete your login and put an end to frustrating attempts to connect. If the problem persists, go to ‘Network & Internet > WiFi > Manage known networks’, select the troublesome network and click Forget to wipe its settings and start again from scratch. For more business networking advice – click here