Can the WiFi Owner See The Websites You Visit?
If you connect your device to someone else’s WiFi network, they can see your browsing activity and internet history on that network by checking the WiFi router’s logs.
Most modern WiFi routers collect and store important information that passes through them, called ‘logs’. This can include your device’s IP address, MAC address, the websites you visit, and timestamps of when you visited them.
This information is readily available to the network admin through the router’s admin panel.
Some routers store more information than others. Different logging features can be switched on or off depending on the ISP, the type of router, and how the router is configured.
WiFi networks with stronger security measures will often store more information about what’s taking place on the network.
For example, misuse analysis software like WireShark and OpenDNS will capture and interpret a more comprehensive range of data. This can include your downloads, which apps you use, and even the content of text messages.
While some routers will be capable of deep packet inspection (DPI), others will simply log your DNS lookups and other web traffic requests.
Home WiFi Routers Versus Corporate WiFi Networks
Different types of WiFi router will store different logs. That means the type of information the WiFi owner can see will depend on the type of WiFi network you’re using.
Home routers — like the ones provided by AT&T or Verizon — are most likely to store a limited set of logs on the WiFi router itself. This usually includes information about the websites you’ve visited (DNS requests), apps you’ve used, timestamps, and devices that you’ve used.
If you connect to someone else’s home WiFi network, they’ll be able to see all of this information about your internet history. The time these logs are kept varies, but they are generally stored for at least several weeks.
In a corporate WiFi environment, these logs may be more detailed, and it’s more likely they would be aggregated and stored on a dedicated logging server.
Free public WiFi networks will vary in terms of the logs they keep and where they store them. However, these present the most direct threat to your online privacy. Often, the WiFi is offered for free because they can store and sell your browsing data to advertisers.
Connecting to anybody else’s WiFi network poses a threat to your privacy. At home, your ISP can see everything you’re doing online, but it will be limited by local data laws and regulations.
On someone else’s network — a neighbor, small business, or employer — you don’t know what they’re logging and how they use that information.