8 Tech Checks to Make Before You Travel
Our technology always comes with us when we travel. Plenty of people won’t even travel to the end of the block without smartphone in hand. Whenever you go on a trip, missing your technology when you need it can ruin your day.
Here at NoContractVoIP, we specialize in making business phone systems fully portable. No matter where you go in the world, you can take your business extension with you as though you were sitting at your desk. So, helping you travel safely is one of our priorities.
Travel smarter with better security by performing several checks before you go. Feel free to use our handy tech travel checklist. This list can save you from suffering from lost devices, missing chargers, or a data breach.
1. Check Your Apps
Ever sat at an airport gate wondering why it looked so empty? Then at the last minute you found out that your gate had changed, and you had no idea. You go rushing to the other end of the concourse, hoping beyind hope you’re not too late.
How on earth did everyone else know about the gate change? There’s an app for the airline and they received a notification.
Before you leave home for a trip, download any apps you may need. It’s better to download them when you’re at home on your own Wi-Fi. Reception may be an issue at the airport.
Some of the apps you may want to grab or update before your trip are:
- Airline app
- Train app
- Hotel app
- Theme park app
- Camping ground app
- Weather app
- City tourism app
2. Check Your Cords & Adapters
People lose countless chargers and adapters every day. These lost cords litter airports, restaurants, and train stations around the world. Bring a backup charger for your laptop, tablet, or phone from home. Otherwise, you may find yourself paying a premium for a new charger in a gift shop. Your device could also shut down if you lose its charger and can’t quickly get a new one.
3. Check Your Power
A great way to ensure you have the power you need is to buy a small charging battery, or even one with a solar option. You can find these in most major retailers or online. They are small “blocks” that hold a charge and can power up a cell phone in a pinch.
Having this extra backup helps you avoid potential juice-jacking ports. These are fake or compromised public USB charging ports. Hackers use them to steal your data when you plug in. Never ever ever plug your phone into a public USB port. You’ll see them in airports, in hotels, in terminals of all kinds. Avoid them like the plague they are.
4. Check Your Mobile Plan
If you’re traveling out of the country, you’ll want to check the details of your mobile plan. If you don’t have the ability to call internationally, then you may not be able to text or call home at will.
Carriers can add an international capability to your plan, but always ask about pricing. It can get expensive if you’re on long calls or using mobile data. An alternative is to set up a VoIP app you can use with your office, friends, or family while you’re traveling. These enable both calls and SMS, but you do need an internet connection of some kind. However, they avoid international calling bills.
5. Check or Add a VPN
Free Wi-Fi may be a welcome site when you’re on the road, but these hotspots can also be dangerous. You don’t know who else is using that Wi-Fi. A hacker hanging out on the connection can easily steal your data if you’re not protected. It’s called a man in the middle attack
It’s better to use either your mobile carrier connection or a virtual private network (VPN) app. VPN plans are inexpensive and will keep your data encrypted, even if you’re on public Wi-Fi. There are even free VPNs out there, you just have to find a reputable one.
6. Check Your Backup
Unfortunately, mishaps often occur when traveling. You could leave your phone behind on a boat, suffer your luggage lost, or get your device stolen while in a crowded area.
10% of all laptop thefts happen in airports.
Don’t lose access to all your data with the device! Back up your devices to the cloud or local storage before you travel. Backups ensures that you won’t lose the valuable information on your device. You also won’t need to think twice about enacting a remote “wipe my device” command if necessary due to theft.
7. Check Your Device Security
Make your devices as secure as possible before you hit the road. Whenever we’re traveling, our minds are occupied by overwhelming things. Because of this overwhelming part of travel, you may not think to check your antivirus or avoid suspicious phishing links.
Protect your devices before you go using:
- Antivirus/anti-malware
- DNS filtering
- Screen lock with passcode
- Sharing features turned off
- VPN application
- Find-My-Device feature turned on
8. Check Your Double-Checks
What exactly do we mean by checking your double-checks? Use the buddy system as a backup to the backups. When the family is getting off a plane, each should check with the other that they have all their devices and chargers.
If you’re traveling alone, have a friend or family member check up by text. Did you grab your charger? Is your VPN turned on?
Those little reminders can go a long way toward avoiding digital travel nightmares.
Why Is This Published By A Business Phone Company?
Here at NoContractVoIP, we believe that your success is our success. And, since we specialize in business communication, we also want to help you communicate better while staying safe. We create the cutting edge communication systems that modern companies need.
To talk to a business phone system specialist, call 866-550-0005 or contact us today.
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