Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Legacy Archives

WiFi Dashboard for Windows 8.1 will tell you if your connection is secure or not

Add as a preferred source on Google

Public Wi-Fi, which isn’t the safest way to connect to the Internet, is becoming more and more prevalent. Private WiFi knows this, and has developed an app called WiFi Dashboard which will give you heads up in the event that you’re connected to the Internet via an unsecure connection.

WiFi Dashboard is a no-frills app right down to its core. As soon as you open it up, the main menu will tell you in big letters whether your connection is safe or not. If you’re on an unsecured network, the app will turn partly red. If your network is encrypted, it will turn to green to indicate that.  On top of that, WiFi Dashboard will also give you readouts of your IP address, location, and the name of your network as well.

Recommended Videos

However, there’s a bit more to WiFi Dashboard than that. If you click a black “Learn More” button in the lower left hand corner of the app, it will answer some basic questions about Internet security, including why public Wi-Fi networks are unsafe by nature, how devices on public Wi-Fi networks can get hacked, what a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is, and more. If the app convinces you to get a VPN, a button in the lower right hand corner of the app’s main menu labeled “Protect Yourself” will take you to a page where you can buy into Private WiFi’s VPN services. You can try out their VPN service via a 10-day trial that’s provided to anyone who downloads WiFi Dashboard. Once the trial ends, you can pay on a “as you go,” monthly, or annual basis. Feel free to check out the pricing tiers here.

You can download WiFi Dashboard from the Windows app store right now.

Konrad Krawczyk
Former Computing Editor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
South Korea wants to give every citizen free, unlimited access to its own AI chatbot
The government-backed service could turn generative AI into public infrastructure instead of another monthly subscription
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

South Korea wants to give every citizen free access to an AI chatbot with no usage limits. That puts the technology closer to a public utility than another premium service demanding a monthly subscription.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the AI for Everyone project on July 13. Private companies will build the platform around locally developed models, while a separate AI agent will help people navigate government services. It’s a more practical job than generating emails or settling arguments nobody wanted to research themselves.

Read more
Falling in love with a chatbot is now off limits for kids in China
The crackdown targets emotional AI relationships as regulators worry about the country's record low birthrate.
Replika AI companion app on an iPhone in hand

Ever since AI chatbots arrived on the scene, there has been one aspect that has worried lawmakers and experts a lot: humans forming emotional connections with chatbots. There have been plenty of cases where over-reliance on these AI companions or partners has resulted in medical emergencies, lost lives, and triggered multiple lawsuits against the likes of OpenAI and Meta.

China cracks down on AI companion apps

Read more
Russian hackers keep finding their way into critical networks through neglected routers
A multinational warning says outdated firmware, weak passwords, and insecure settings are giving state-backed attackers an easy opening
A Wi-Fi router next to a laptop.

Russian state-backed hackers have spent more than a decade exploiting a stubborn weakness in critical infrastructure networks. Organizations are still leaving poorly configured and outdated routers exposed to the internet.

In a joint cybersecurity advisory, the NSA, CISA, FBI, and international partners warn that hackers linked to Center 16 of Russia’s Federal Security Service are continuing to target vulnerable networking equipment. Energy, healthcare, and government networks are among the sectors facing the highest risk.

Read more