This week we bring you part II of our series on managing mobility costs while travelling as a small business. In our last post, we talked about how to find the right plan that “fit” your travel activity and use of mobile devices. This week, we look at making sure you have a secure wireless internet connection when on the go.

How to set up a secure connection to internet and data services outside the office

We expect to be able to access the internet wherever we are for whatever we need. However, when you are on the road or travelling abroad for business, accessing the internet can be challenging. Not only may connections be slower, but you are also at a greater security risk, especially when connecting to public networks or using a public computer.

The key to using the internet securely when traveling is to understand the additional risks, use caution and be prepared.

Control your own internet in public Wi-Fi zones

Public Wi-Fi is often the most convenient choice – especially if you want to check a quick email in a coffee shop. However, cyber-hacking software and wireless eaves droppers are on the rise, creating a point of vulnerability for public Wi-Fi users.

You can create a secure internet connection by using a mobile internet product like a mobile internet stick, hotspot or hub. These products offer a personal connection with automatic encryption to protect your information while you’re online. To learn more about how protect your device from security threats, read our Security eBook.

Invest in a data plan

Sometimes business travelers use Wi-Fi when not on their provider’s network to avoid high roaming charges. If you equip your international travelers with smartphones or tablets with roaming data passes and travel packs for roaming, concern disappears and they can stay connected and keep their data protected from prying eyes.

To learn more about Rogers’ data plans and what is right for your business read our Wireless Data vs. Wi-fi whitepaper.

A checklist for ensuring a secure internet connection on-the-go

Regardless of the devices you travel with – a laptop, netbook, smartphone, iPad, or all of the above – there are a few simple steps you can take to secure your public internet connection. Here’s a check list to consider:

• Make sure your security software is up-to-date, before every trip, or at least every few weeks, it’s a good idea to check the “software updates” on your device to check if a new one is available. If there’s a new one, download it.
• Use strong passwords. Use a strong combination of letters, numbers and/or special characters and change your passwords frequently.
• Encryption is the key to keeping all of your information secure online. To determine if a website is encrypted, look for https at the beginning of the web address (the “s” is for secure). Some websites use encryption only on the sign-in page, but if any part of your session isn’t encrypted, your entire account could be vulnerable. Look for https on every page you visit, not just when you sign in.
• Don’t be fooled by access fees – paid hotspots are often unencrypted and just use a captive web portal to prevent access if you haven’t paid yet.

If there additional topics you would like us to cover, please let us know in the comments section.

For more information on mobile internet products, travel packages or other Rogers products visit: www.rogers.com/businessroaming.

For more information on security for individual operating systems, please visit the following:

• Beyond the basics with iPhone security
• Are you ready for Android in your business?
• Security tips for BlackBerry users

Lauren is a regular contributor to RedBoard Biz