If I Use Someone’s Wi-Fi, Can They See My Browsing And Search History?

You should be aware that the Wi-Fi owner can see your browsing and search history.
Even if you’re using your own personal computer, you could still be using someone else’s internet. You might be wondering if they have access to some sort of Wi-Fi history viewer and, if so, what steps you can take to hide your activity. Fortunately, there is something you can do about it to protect your privacy.

One surefire way to prevent your internet history from being tracked is to use a reliable VPN. Sign up for VeePN today and get the highest grade AES 256-bit encryption, identity and data protection, anonymous browsing, and no-log policy.

Now, let’s find out how a Wi-Fi owner can see what you browse and search for.

What can a Wi-Fi administrator see?

Routers track the internet history of every connected device. This means that administrators can see practically everything you do online including terms you search for, files you download, and websites you visit, right down to the specific pages. They can even see how long you spent browsing those pages.

The word “practically” is thrown in there because there are some exceptions. Some pages are heavily encrypted, limiting what administrators can see. Additionally, if you’re worried about a parent or roommate seeing your search history, they might not even know how to access an individual device’s history.

Can my family see my internet history?

The answer is yes. Going back to what was said above, in some cases they have to know how to access this information, but they don’t necessarily need to be tech-savvy to search WiFi history. What’s worse is that some manufacturers design routers with tracking capabilities built-in to make it easier to access this data.

Remember that any device that connects to your router can be tracked. That means your family can even see your phone’s browsing history if you’re connected to the Wi-Fi. An easy way to prevent this would be to just stick to your cellular network, but if you have limited data, that isn’t an option.

Can a hacker see my internet history?

The term “hacker” can mean different things. In this instance, when wondering if a hacker can see your browsing history, there’s also the question of what exactly they “hacked”. However, generally speaking hackers can most definitely see your internet history.

Using various attacks, they can view both your browser search history, as well as your financial data and login information. While your family accessing your internet history might be bad news, a hacker getting their hands on this same information can lead to serious theft and identity fraud.

In this case, using a solution like VeePN to hide your activity isn’t just useful, but crucial to your security.

How to check browsing and search history on Wi-Fi

With so many different router makes and models available, there is no “one size fits all” solution to checking browsing and search history through your wireless router. The manufacturer’s website can probably help you, but there are also websites out there devoted to helping people log into their routers.

In any case, you’ll need your router’s IP address. This is either 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 by default.

How to check browsing history on Wi-Fi router

While certain routers might have specific instructions for logging in, the process for checking browsing history is similar:

1. Paste the router’s IP into your browser’s search bar

2. Log in to your router. By default, both password and login are ‘admin’, but if they’re not valid, you should contact you internet service provider (ISP)

3. Go to Advanced > System Tools > System Log

Note that the last step might differ from one router to another, so you’ll need to do your research for your specific make.

The good news is that the system’s logs will be mostly useless for somebody trying to dig up something on you. Most routers log only your actions like switching the languages, while only some of them store the IP addresses of the websites you visit.

Does your Wi-Fi bill show your internet history?

Rest assured, the bill you get from your ISP will not show your browsing or searching history. When it comes to information regarding your usage, the bill might contain your data usage for the billing period, but even then, they might only include it if your usage is excessive.

If your internet bill contained your internet history for the entire period, each bill would be the size of a phone book. So no, nothing involving your history should ever show up on a bill.

How to hide browsing and search history on Wi-Fi

If you’re looking for ways to hide your browsing history, we’re guessing you want something more secure than incognito mode. Using Google Chrome, incognito mode is a way of surfing without leaving any history behind. Most popular browsers have a similar mode.

As soon as you close an incognito window, all the history and cookies from that browsing session are wiped, as if you manually went in and erased the history. Likewise, if you go to a site that you visit often, you won’t be automatically logged in, as you’re surfing anonymously.

However, it’s far from foolproof, and it doesn’t hide your browsing history from your employer or ISP. Furthermore, if you log into any websites while in incognito mode, that website will know who you are and track and record your activity as if you were in a normal browser window.

Does a VPN hide my search and browsing history?

A VPN service will hide things like your search history and browsing activity, as well as your IP address and geographic location from your ISP and any other outside spectators. However, your history will still be stored in your browser, so anyone who has access to your device will still be able to access it in theory.

So keep your information secure by safeguarding it with strong passwords and a reliable VPN. 

Using VeePN as an example, let’s walk through the steps to hiding your internet history.

1. Sign up and install VeePN
2. Launch VeePN app and turn on the VPN connection

3. Enjoy safe browsing!

In order to work, VeePN needs to connect you toone of its 2,500 servers, spread across 70 different countries. You’re able to choose a network to connect to, but if you would rather not bother, VeePN’s Optimal Location feature will automatically choose the server that will give you the best connection speed.

How does a VPN work?

Skipping all the boring technical jargon, a VPN (not to be confused with a VPS) essentially creates a tunnel between your computer and the internet, encrypting all of your data as you surf.

If you were to surf the web without using a VPN, your ISP and those in charge of your network could see all of the relevant information, including your search queries, pages you visited, and so on and so forth. If you access that same website through a VPN, then the only thing  anybody can see is that you’re using a VPN.

Online Privacy is Hard to Find

These days, if you use the internet in pretty much any capacity, you should assume that your data is at risk. This is why VPNs are becoming increasingly important. They’re one of the only ways to ensure your data is protected.

Solutions like VeePN are essential to protecting your information in an age of hackers, identity thieves, and prying eyes, be it the government, your employer, or someone else. VPNs are effective because they don’t play by the rules, allowing you to access geo-restricted content and shield your information from websites that practically demand it.

If those guys aren’t playing by the rules, you shouldn’t have to, either.