Can a guest on my WiFi see my history?

The answer depends on who you mean by "guest." Other users on the same WiFi network cannot directly see your internet history. However, the WiFi owner, or anyone with access to the router's settings, potentially can.

Here's a breakdown:

• Other users on the same WiFi: They cannot directly access your browsing history. Your device communicates with websites independently, and your traffic isn't automatically broadcast to other users.

• The WiFi owner (or someone with router access): This person potentially can. They could:

  • Check router logs: Routers often keep logs of visited websites, although they may not be detailed.
  • Use packet sniffing software: With the right tools, they could monitor network traffic and potentially intercept some of the data you're sending. This is more complex and requires technical expertise.

  Example: If you're using a public WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop, the coffee shop owner could, in theory, access router logs to see which websites were visited.

• Protection:

  • Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network): A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it unreadable to anyone monitoring the network, including the WiFi owner.
    • "It's easy to protect your privacy from WiFi owners (and their ISPs) — just use a VPN!" (Reference 1)

Here's a table summarizing the answer:

Can they see your history?	Who?	How?
No	Other users on the same WiFi network	Data is not broadcast, communication is direct between your device and the website.
Potentially	WiFi owner or someone with access to the router's settings	Router logs, packet sniffing software.
No, with protection	Anyone, including the WiFi owner	Using a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic.

In conclusion, while other users on the same WiFi network generally cannot see your history, the WiFi owner has a potential capability. A VPN provides a strong layer of protection.