Public WiFi Security: How to Set Up Wireless Security on Your Travel Router

The Internet (and public WiFi security) cemented themselves into our daily lives without most of us even realizing it:  We often forget that we constantly rely on Internet security for carrying out day to day tasks.

• Pro Tip:  Get the Travel Router we recommend on Amazon for $20.

Life without the web is a far-fetched idea, these days. All of us connect to the Internet in one way or the another.

This constant connection calls for the need for a better means of security. Without the presence of a secure WiFi network, your personal data is always at risk. So, here is the call for public WiFi security.

Quick Link:  Skip to the VPN Setup Tutorial Video

How Do I Enable Public WiFi Security (aka Browse Anonymously & Securely)?

To access the Internet securely, you must first access the Internet using a reliable data network carrier like the one that provides you a connection at your office or home. While accessing this Internet, you remain safe from the risks posed by several hackers.

However, when it comes to the use of Internet connection on the go, you might have to use a public/open internet connection at a public place.  To see just how vulnerable Public WiFi security is, see my tutorial video on How to Hack Wifi at McDonalds & Starbucks.   The point of this video is that use of the open Internet is not always safe..

How to Achieve Public WiFi Security On-The-Go

Since we need the Internet on a regular basis, even while traveling, we need to establish safer means to access it on the go. One of the most popular ways to ensure public WiFi security and to secure your data while gaining access to a public Internet network is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Setting up a VPN service for Public WiFi Security

Several VPN providers offer paid as well as free VPN service on the Internet right now. However, only a few of them are reliable enough to be used daily. Setting up a VPN service can get messy and complicated if you go with a cheap VPN or if you use a vague tutorial. This is exactly why you should use the VPN setup method given here (in this article) to setup up your VPN network easily and quickly. I have distributed the entire process into three simple steps for you to understand it better.

Step 1: Get the GLI mini router from Amazon

You need a small piece of hardware to get your VPN connection going. With this router, you can easily set up your VPN network without any external help.

You can get this mini router using this link. GLI mini router

Features of the GLI Mini Router

The best part about using this router is its inexpensive cost. The router costs only 20 dollars and is available for sale on Amazon.

Another best characteristics of this router is its compact size. The router can fit in the palm of your hand. Therefore, it is ultra-portable. You can easily plug this router in any place you like without having to make space specifically for it.

The device does not specifically need a power outlet to run. Since it runs on low voltage, you can plug it into your laptop or a mobile power bank too. The device effectively connects to all your devices running on WiFi. Therefore, there is no need to enter a username/password combination for each of your devices again. You can also join it to your mobile tethering to run the router on your 3G/4G wireless cellular data network.

If you are an individual who would love to get into the trend of using IoT (Internet of Things) in your daily lives, this should be your first purchase. With this device and IPVanish, you can ensure public WiFi security without much efforts.

IPVanish – The best VPN Service Provider

One of the best VPN services that you link with the router is that of IPVanish. IPVanish is one of the most premium and well-known VPN service provider. The inexpensive service provider is preferred by most of the networking professionals of the world. You can find out more about the IPVanish services in another article on my website.

Personal Experience

I have personally tried and tested this router as my primary router for several days. It is one of the best and cheapest available devices on the internet today. Since I have tested it thoroughly on my home network, I can vouch for its good quality. The device works especially well with my IPVanish service. From my experience, I can make you sure that this router and IPvanish combo is good for public WiFi security. Later in this article, I have explained the process to setup IPVanish on GLI Mini Router, so keep reading.

Expert Tip

If you have enough knowledge about programming, you can even manipulate this mini router to perform various functions. The router comes inbuilt with over 4000 different software packages that allow you to play with it. Since the OpenVPN client is preloaded onto the device, you update it with the latest software package using just a single click.

Step 2: Setting up IPVanish on GLI Mini Router

Setting up the IPVanish service on your mini router is pretty simple.  The device already comes preloaded with the necessary OpenSSL software packages. In fact, since the OpenSSL package is coupled with the open source platform OpenVPN, you simply program it to run in a particular manner.  Or use it to connect a limited number of devices on the network that you create.

For setting up the IPVanish service, you can either watch my YouTube video on the setup or can follow the steps mentioned here.

1. Plug in the GLI Mini Router to a power source. Yo either plug it in a power outlet using a proper power adapter. You can also plug it in a portable power bank or a laptop. It is preferable to connect it to your laptop directly for the initial setup.
2. Once you plug in the router, you see a new WiFi network on all your devices nearby. You will see the WiFi listed as GL-XXXX-XXX, where X’s will be replaced with the model number of your router.
3. After connecting to the new WiFi, you need to setup the network using the browser on your computer/smartphone. In the browser’s search bar, enter the address mentioned in the quick setup guide that came with the router.
4. Now you must connect your data service network either wirelessly or via an ethernet cable to the router. You can easily plug in your WiFi router to GLI mini router now to encrypt the entire WiFi connection and use it with the IPVanish service.
5. You also connect your new mini router to the existing WiFi router wirelessly. To do this, press the repeater button present on the back of your mini router. This will automatically find your WiFi router and fill the necessary username and password. In case this does not happen, just switch off the power to both the router and mini router and restart the setup to fill it in automatically.
6. Once your mini router connects to the network, make sure that you check the “Connect Automatically” button so that it activates the encryption every time you turn on the WiFi router. Open the OpenVPN tab now.
7. Now your mini router is ready to function as an IPVanish service carrier. Download the necessary zip file from the IPVanish’s official website after logging in to your account. You can use my code to get 60% off on the IPVanish services.
8. Now you must drag and drop the zip file onto the OpenVPN tab that we left open a while ago.
9. After processing, the VPN network is active, and your data transfers safely across the new network. Now, select the Enable check box to activate the services.
10. You now select a VPN Server from the drop-down list shown in the configuration window of the router.
11. Make sure you use the “Force VPN” feature to ensure that all your data sends securely (through the protected VPN network).

After you’ve finished the steps above, continue to Step 3 below to connect your devices to the Secure network!

If you had trouble with the steps above, here’s the YouTube video on how to set up public WiFi security on the travel router:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQAwhXexX-I

If you skipped to this VPN tutorial video from the top of the page, then read the step-by-step instructions just above the tutorial video.

Step 3: Connect your devices to the new (secure) VPN network

1. You can now unplug the GLI mini router from your laptop after finishing the initial setup. Plug it back into a power outlet or a power bank to give it the necessary juice to function.
2. Once activated, you can see a new WiFi access point on all your devices instead of the normal WiFi network that you connect to usually.
3. After completion of the setup, connect your devices to the GLI Mini router’s WiFi network and enjoy browsing the internet safely without any threat related to public WiFi security.

Enjoy Browsing Anonymously and Safely

Now you have created your personal VPN network for safely browsing the internet. You have also removed the regional restrictions using the IPVanish services. Therefore, you can now efficiently use the internet to browse international websites without any restrictions.  Maximum security and uncensored browsing is a necessity when it comes to public WiFi security.

Public WiFi Security on the Road

Since the device is portable, you can connect the device to a new WiFi network using an ethernet cable and follow the same procedure to setup up a safe connection anywhere. You can also use the router to encrypt your connection via the cellular mobile data network easily.  So take the time to realize that after you set up a VPN, you will have public WiFi security at a hotel, coffee shop, or any other free public WiFi hotspot.