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JoeSchmoe007
Premium Member
join:2003-01-19
Brooklyn, NY

JoeSchmoe007

Premium Member

Security of encrypted WiFi connection in the hotel.

Hotel I will be staying at has WiFi that is password-protected (don't know if it is WEP or WPA or WPA2). Each guest is given the password if requested.

Does it mean that this connection is not anymore secure than unencrypted connection? I am thinking since everyone knows password they can just capture anybody's network traffic and decrypt it, is that right?

Juggernaut
Irreverent or irrelevant?
Premium Member
join:2006-09-05
Kelowna, BC

2 recommendations

Juggernaut

Premium Member

The simple answer is, if it isn't your network, don't trust it for private info, PW or not. If it's not a direct connection to the net, it can be sniffed by the hotel or anyone else.
TechGuy99
Premium Member
join:2003-09-15
Flushing, NY

1 recommendation

TechGuy99 to JoeSchmoe007

Premium Member

to JoeSchmoe007
Yes
PrntRhd
Premium Member
join:2004-11-03
Fairfield, CA

1 recommendation

PrntRhd to JoeSchmoe007

Premium Member

to JoeSchmoe007
Password protected just means limited access to the hotel network, does not mean encrypted WLAN.
VPN or https has to be used to protect viewing of your data.

Juggernaut
Irreverent or irrelevant?
Premium Member
join:2006-09-05
Kelowna, BC

1 recommendation

Juggernaut

Premium Member

Even then, a MITM could happen easily. You'd need to avoid their LAN to be completely safe.

SoonerAl
MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK

1 recommendation

SoonerAl to JoeSchmoe007

MVM

to JoeSchmoe007
Here are a couple of old threads, of many on this subject, that talks about security at public hotspots like hotels, bars, etc...etc...etc...

»Taveling with laptop for the first time, what to watch out f

»Wireless connection in hotel

From a quick search...

»/nsear ··· t4046705

dslcreature
Premium Member
join:2010-07-10
Seattle, WA

dslcreature to JoeSchmoe007

Premium Member

to JoeSchmoe007
said by JoeSchmoe007:

Hotel I will be staying at has WiFi that is password-protected (don't know if it is WEP or WPA or WPA2). Each guest is given the password if requested.

Does it mean that this connection is not anymore secure than unencrypted connection? I am thinking since everyone knows password they can just capture anybody's network traffic and decrypt it, is that right?

Last time I checked the Internet is not secure so what difference does it make if a WiFi radio in a hotel is secure?

Anav
Sarcastic Llama? Naw, Just Acerbic
Premium Member
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS

Anav to JoeSchmoe007

Premium Member

to JoeSchmoe007
One cannot be sure of.

a. if each user gets a diff password
b. users are separated from each other by the gateway
c. if wifi users are separated from each other by the AP device

What I do is bring a small portable router so at least I am on my own network. I dont use anybody elses computers, especially with passwords etc..

Most connections of sensitivity are done through Https so those should be secure.

Other than that a step up would be to only vpn to locations such as home and browse the net from there.
Tig
join:2006-06-29
Carrying Place, ON

Tig to JoeSchmoe007

Member

to JoeSchmoe007
Typically hotels give you a password to log into their server which grants you access to the Internet. Everyone gets the same password. The actual wireless access point has no password or security and is not encrypted in any way.