Sharing is caring, but sharing WiFi could be harmful to you.
While you may find it extremely difficult to refuse a request from a friend for your Wi-Fi password, you must remember that sharing can have negative consequences.
While sharing is an act of kindness, it may be detrimental to the sharer. It is common for individuals to share passwords, but the associated risks should be considered.
Here are five reasons why you should never give your Wi-Fi password to your neighbours or friends:
5. Illegal downloads
One of the likely occurrences is the other user accessing illegal content on your Wi-Fi. If someone uses your connection for illegal downloading, your router will keep a record of it, and authorities will naturally be able to trace it back to you.
To avoid putting themselves at risk, or even unintentionally, someone could use your Internet connection to illegally download a movie. You may incur a hefty fine or even worse.
4. They could use up all your data
Most broadband providers offer unlimited downloads and do not impose data caps. However, there may be an exception.
The majority of unlimited packages, according to Daily Mail, are referred to as “standard unlimited” or “truly unlimited.”
With standard licences, there may be restrictions such as fair use policies. If someone with access to your password frequently downloads large files, the service provider’s terms of service may be violated. In some cases, this may result in a connection termination or a reduction in speed.
3. Users can see connections
Giving someone access to your Wi-Fi network is akin to providing them access to a system where data is received and sent.
A tech-savvy person could use free computer tools to scan your network and provide a list of all linked devices.
2. Perform illegal activities online
You must remember that online activity on your Wi-Fi will always be traced back to you. This includes any activity that is not allowed by the law, not just visiting illegal websites.
Cyberbullying or hate speech is frequent and authorities regularly respond to such complaints. When an anonymous account commits such online crimes, authorities use its IP address to get to trace back.
1. Can get your IP blocked from websites
It is not necessary that some illegal activity will get you in trouble. Some websites like online games can also issue IP bans to users that have cheated.
