More than three-quarters of adult internet users in the United States turn to public Wi-Fi, most often to trim their cellular data usage. That’s according to survey results from HighSpeedInternet.com, a consumer broadband comparison site. The study reported that 77% of respondents used public networks, a reliance that carries security risks for connected devices.
Saving on mobile data was the leading motivation, cited by 51% of respondents. Remote work and streaming were well behind, tying at 18% each, and 7% said a public connection outperformed their home service. Respondents most often logged on where they were already spending time, led by restaurants and fast-food outlets at 46%, hotels at 44%, and coffee shops at 40%.
The findings revealed how subscribers reach provider-operated hotspots, a channel many broadband providers maintain for customers. Roughly 36% of users connected to those hotspots automatically, while 28% authenticated through a provider app and 26% entered account credentials in their device settings. About 11% did not know how their devices connected.
Risk awareness did not translate into consistent caution. While 71% of respondents viewed public Wi-Fi as generally safe, 19% acknowledged connecting to a fake or malicious network at some point. Most understood the broad threats, with 76% recognizing that data sent over a public network can be intercepted and 66% aware that an attacker can duplicate a legitimate network name.
Familiarity with specific tactics was thinner. Only 29% recognized the term “evil twin attack,” which describes a rogue hotspot built to mimic a trusted one, and 49% felt confident they could tell a real network from a counterfeit.
Protective measures remained inconsistent, according to the survey:
- Antivirus protection: Only 40% ran security software on the device used for public Wi-Fi. 44% did not, and 16% were unsure.
- VPN use: 31% never used a virtual private network (VPN) on public connections, and just 12% always did.
- Basic checks: 34% looked for HTTPS encryption in the browser bar, and 25% confirmed a network name with staff before joining.
At airports, where lookalike network names are common, 40% of respondents chose the strongest signal, and 15% simply guessed. The report concluded that public Wi-Fi continued to grow easier to find even as protective behavior lagged.