While browsing the internet, the first concern that comes into users' minds is how to hide Internet activity from router. Whether you accept it or not, everything you're doing online has to first pass through ISP (Internet Service Provider). Then, it reaches any app or site.
Most people don't care about this because they trust their ISP. But there are many reasons you should care about your browsing history. ISP can track your online activities through browsing history. Luckily, you can hide internet activity. Let's discover how to do this.
Guide on ISP Tracking
When an ISP gathers and stores data about your internet activities, it is commonly referred to as ISP tracking. ISPs track online visitors to sell their personal data to advertisers for the highest bid and earn their profit. Most ISPs track their users to throttle bandwidth.
This practice is lawful in some nations, while other countries don't allow it. Some countries legally allow ISPs to gather internet data of customers for a certain time when required for investigation. Tracking is also done to monitor if a user is engaged in torrenting activities.
Why Should You Hide Online Activity?
If you don't want to lose your privacy and put it in danger, you should care about hiding internet activity. The browser you're using can store plenty of information about your online browsing activities. For example, if you're using a WiFi extender for Mac, you must ensure privacy protocols are in place.
ISPs can access your search and browsing history, the geo-location of your mobile phone, and downloads. They can also see your credentials, such as passwords, cryptocurrency transactions, and unencrypted communications.
Tips to Hide Your Online Activity
Allowing ISP tracking can target you by being advertised based on your interests and preferences. Advertisers can even track your behavior across several websites.
If you don't want Wi-Fi routers or ISPs to poke into your internet activities, block ISP tracking. You don't need to get headaches on how to hide Internet activity from the router. There are multiple methods to make your web activities anonymous. Let's learn about them.
Download Browser Extensions
An extended software that improves internet privacy and security within browsers is known as a browser extension. Using browser extensions helps in stopping monitoring and tracking. Users can freely and privately search the internet.
There are so many browser extensions designed to help users with online protection. But not all are worth trusting and using. Make sure what you are choosing has high ratings and good reviews. Be aware of extensions that can harm your system with malware.
Use a VPN
Virtual Private Network or VPN (in short) keeps your online encryption on steroids. It hides online browsing activities by complicating the user's location and IP address. This doesn't allow hackers, snoopers, and other prying eyes to access their internet activities.
Using a VPN not just secures your web browser, it also secures your laptop, computer, mobile phone, and IoT devices, especially when using public Wi-fi. Subscribing to a VPN service will encrypt the entire network connection with 256-bit AES encryption. Choose a VPN having security-focused features.
Encrypt the WiFi Router
To secure your search or browsing history from the WiFi router, encrypt it using a VPN or manually. To start with a manual process, go to the router's wireless security settings on the configuration page. Choose the security you need – WEP, WPA, and WPA2.
Among all these three options, WPA2 is highly secured. Next, input a passphrase to access your network. Also, hide the IP address using a VPN because the WiFi router determines it. Now, it will secure your browsing history from ISP tracking as well.
Check for HTTPS Websites
HTTPS is a highly secure version of regular HTTP. This new version encrypts communication using TLS/SSL protocol. The data transferred through HTTPS websites is encrypted. Hence, if anyone accesses the data, they just see the scrambled data.
It protects your internet activities and safeguards sensitive data from malware, phishing, MITM attacks, and breaches. Private search engines and incognito mode are also recommended, but these tricks don't provide complete security from online spying.
Takeaway
Coming to the end of this guide, you should not take ISP tracking too lightly. You can't fight or beg in front of ISP to stop tracking you and using your personal data for their profit. The only way to stop all this is to hide your internet activities from routers and ISPs.
Encrypt your online traffic before it reaches ISPs. However, they can even share the encrypted data, but no one can understand it. Alongside the above tricks, you can configure the privacy settings and turn off GPS on social media sites.
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