Online Gaming Safety Tips When Traveling

Being on vacation is a great way to unwind from the stress and routine of daily life. Whether you are heading to a nearby town for a weekend of relaxation or traveling the world for a few weeks, you are likely taking your laptop and smartphone with you.

Aside from keeping up with work, news, and entertainment, you can also use your computer to enter online bingo rooms or play your favorite games. The issue with gaming while traveling is that you may not be entirely safe.

Using public Wi-Fi networks can create significant issues for the average person, especially if they are not taking safety precautions. Between identity theft or the installation of malware on your device, any number of problems could arise.

Below are a few online gaming safety tips for when you are traveling.

Use A Virtual Private Network

A virtual private network, or VPN, is essential if you are planning to connect to the internet while on vacation. Going on a trip means using public Wi-Fi networks at airports, hotel lobbies, coffee shops, restaurants, and other locations.

Even if a Wi-Fi network is operated by a business with a password, everyone who comes into the shop and asks for that password can connect to the network. You are not alone when you are using the internet on public WiFi, and anyone can hack into your connected devices if you are not careful.

Using a VPN is easy, as you only need to download an app on your phone or laptop, connect to your VPN account, and browse the web as normal. You can comfortably play video games with little to no latency using a VPN. 

Avoid Using Mobile Data

There is a temptation to continue playing video games on your phone when you are on your travels. You may be bored waiting for a connecting flight. If the airport Wi-Fi is not fast enough, you may want to use your mobile data to play the game.

Only use mobile data to play games if you have an unlimited data plan, and you are still in the United States. If you are traveling abroad, your wireless service provider may charge you extra for each GB of data you use in another country.

Aside from safety, mobile data is also not the best option for gaming as it increases latency. Even if you have relatively fast data speeds, latency causes stutter and delay in games, which ruins the experience.

Remain Observant of Your Surroundings

Gaming is one of those hobbies where you can easily become engrossed in what you are doing. If you are in an intense battle against an online player or navigating a difficult campaign level, you may forget that you are in a public space such as an airport, airplane, hotel, or cafe.

Always stay alert to your surroundings. While you are fully focused on playing your favorite game on your laptop, someone may come up to your table and grab your phone or bag, without you realizing it. Try to glance around every minute to ensure you are aware of what is happening around you.

Enjoy Your Vacation

Part of being on vacation means doing the things you love in other cities or countries. If you are hugely passionate about gaming, then you may want to play your favorite titles on your travels. Remember to enjoy your holiday and the adventures too and then during your downtime, spend time online.

If you spend hours a day on your vacation glued to your phone or computer screen, you may miss out on incredible experiences with your friends or family. Then you can relax, enjoy your favorite titles in your hotel room, and spend the rest of the vacation making memories that will last a lifetime.

Always Protect Yourself Online

Dangers are not always apparent in online spaces, especially when you are in public and using an insecure Wi-Fi network. 

By installing a VPN on your computer, using secure, hard-to-crack passwords, and not using mobile data to play your favorite games, you can stay safe on your travels.

You can still play your favorite titles, either at the airport, on the plane, or at the hotel, but with a few precautions. By taking these measures, you ensure that no one can install malware on your laptop, steal your identity, or obtain any other information from your device.