Do you need to check your e-mails from your PC while you are on the beach? Selectra gives 5 tips on how to use the Internet on vacation
Willingly or not, it may happen that while you are on vacation an urgent work request arrives, to be completed in a few minutes. In such cases all you need is a computer (of course) and a stable enough connection to download and upload files to the Internet in no time.
If you are looking for a method to connect to the Internet on vacation without too many problems and quickly, you need not worry. Selectra, the free service that compares and activates electricity, gas and internet offers for businesses and individuals, shares 5 tips to surf the Internet freely and safely even on vacation.
Transform your smartphone into a Wi-Fi router
The easiest way to surf from your PC while on vacation (and, more generally, when you're not at home) is by activating your smartphone's Wi-Fi hotspot. Both Android smartphones and iPhones, in fact, are equipped with a function that can transform them into a portable Wi-Fi router to be used when you need it most. Taking advantage of the data threshold of your rate plan, in fact, you can connect to the Internet and download e-mails on your work PC, edit documents online, update your social networks, watch videos and TV series and so on. The advice, in this case, is not to get carried away: unlike the "flat" home connections, when you surf with the Wi-Fi hotspot of the cell phone you must be careful not to exceed the data threshold of the rate plan.
Connecting to the mobile Internet with a Wi-Fi soap or a key
In case you don't want to use the gigabytes of the data threshold of your mobile offer, or maybe you don't want to run the risk of finding yourself in the middle of the day with your smartphone empty, don't get discouraged. The solution is called Wi-Fi soap and, despite the name, should not be used only in the bathroom. Technically, in fact, it is a small Wi-Fi router (shaped like a bar of soap) with space to accommodate a SIM card. Just choose a data-only mobile Internet offer (the cost varies between 13 and 20 euros per month, depending on the amount of GB available), activate it and surf in complete freedom.
The advantage of a Wi-Fi soap compared to the connection via smartphone hotspot is that it can be used without major problems even abroad. All you need to do is find out in advance about the mobile Internet offers in the country you intend to visit and choose the most convenient one.
Surfing abroad with free roaming
Do not forget that, thanks to the European Commission's "Roaming Like At Home" directive, in the countries of the European Economic Area you can use the thresholds of your Italian tariff plan. This means that you will be able to make free calls, send SMS and, obviously, surf online with your smartphone, exactly as it happens when you are in Italy.
But you have to be careful: the giga available will not be the same that we have monthly. The directive provides, in fact, that users can use only a fraction of their data threshold; exceeded this limit, you will pay dearly every single megabyte downloaded. Selectra provides users with a handy guide on how to calculate the data threshold when roaming abroad. If, for one reason or another, we do not trust too much the cellular connectivity and we want to rely on a wired connection, it is possible to opt for a "rechargeable" or time-based home Internet offer. Some operators, in fact, allow you to activate an Internet connection for a handful of days (even two) or for a longer period, but limited in time (such as a month, for example). Obviously, the costs will be higher than those of the home Internet offers we are used to, but it is the price to pay to have a more stable network without threshold.
Public Wi-Fi, but with attention
A very valid option, both if you are abroad and if you are in Italy, is to use the public Wi-Fi offered for example by the hotel where you are staying, the bathing establishment or the mountain refuge, or a restaurant or another public place. In this case, however, you must be careful: public Wi-Fi networks are often exploited by hackers to get hold of personal information of other users. Despite what you might think, public Wi-Fi networks are easy to attack, and once inside, cyber criminals can access information on the hard drives and memories of other devices connected to the network.
The advice is to avoid using public networks when accessing your email inbox, social profiles and even less internet banking. If you really can't do without it, before connecting, activate a VPN connection on your device (PC or smartphone makes no difference): you will be sure that all data passing through the network will be encrypted and unreadable in the eyes of any cybercriminal.
Content provided by Selectra
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