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Parenting

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Original poster

Do you give out your WiFi password to your children's friends?

95 replies

Lindy2 · 24/04/2022 20:03

DS11 has had some friends over this weekend. They were mostly playing some board games, watching films, eating all my food etc.

One of them asked for our WiFi password within a few minutes of arriving. I didn't really feel comfortable giving them our password so I told them I had forgotten it.

That particular friend didn't stay very long as apparently they had planned to play on their phone for their entire visit but couldn't do that without our WiFi password.

The other kids visiting all seemed fine without it and it was actually very nice to see them doing stuff other than being on screens all the time. DS does lots of screen time but did actually want to do other things with their friends this weekend.

DS is my eldest and due to all the Covid stuff it's been quite a while since he had a group of friends together in the house for a longish visit. Therefore, possibly I'm out of touch with what most other people do for teens/preteens but is everyone else handing out WiFi passwords on request or was it a bit of a cheeky request?

It felt a bit cheeky but I can't really pinpoint why. The only other house that I have a WiFi code for is my mum's house. I wouldn't ask friends for their passwords if I was visiting.

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MadinMarch · 24/04/2022 20:05

What do you think they're going to do with it? I can't see anything wrong with it personally.

Discovereads · 24/04/2022 20:06

I usually do because they often stay in touch with their parents by messenger which is free but needs wifi. If they’d then stayed on their phone and ignored my child all day/evening, I would have had a chat with my child after they left about that being rude and perhaps to not invite them over again.

Eupraxia · 24/04/2022 20:08

Yes, of course you do.

What do you think they are going to do with it? Sitoutsude your home and secretly 'steal' your bandwidth in the dead if night?

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MajesticElephant · 24/04/2022 20:10

We have a child’s guest network which is white listed so whilst I have a QR code up with the password the children always seem disappointed when they can’t access much. 😂

VerbenaGirl · 24/04/2022 20:10

Yes, I do if requested.

Getmoveon14 · 24/04/2022 20:11

We enable the guest network in this situation.

AntarcticTern · 24/04/2022 20:11

I can't really see the problem, although I agree with you it's a shame if they spend the whole visit on screens.

Original poster

Lindy2 · 24/04/2022 20:12

I guess I expected them to have some data allowance on their phone if they wanted to message their parents. I'd make sure DS had some credit if he was out at a friend's house all day.

Most of them have just got their phones fairly recently in preparation for going to Secondary school so it's not really come up before. It took me by surprise to be asked before they'd hardly walked in to the house.

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 24/04/2022 20:13

Yes, always! Why wouldn't you? I've connected to friends wi-fi before as well if I needed internet for some reason.

A lot of hubs offer a guest network if privacy is an issue but it's very normal for friends to want to connect to wi-fi and has been for ages so I'm not sure why you think it's odd. That's why the default password pops out on a little holder thing.

BertieBotts · 24/04/2022 20:14

But data costs and your wi-fi isn't going to cost you anything extra if they use it to message their mum. That's like expecting them to bring their own packed lunch.

BoredatHome321 · 24/04/2022 20:14

I don't understand how this can be seen as odd. What do you think they're going to be doing?

CuriousCatfish · 24/04/2022 20:15

Of course I do. It seems a bit mean not to.

Nelliephant1 · 24/04/2022 20:15

Of course. Can't think why you wouldn't.

over2021 · 24/04/2022 20:16

Yes, would be weird not to. My DD would normally share it with them without even asking and I wouldn't think twice about it to be honest. The other day I came home to find one of DD's friends on the driveway because she'd run out of data and needed to call her mum on WhatsApp so stood next to our house to connect to our WiFi 😂

redbigbananafeet · 24/04/2022 20:16

Can you explain why you wouldn't? It doesn't cost you any extra?

Shiningstarr · 24/04/2022 20:17

Omg sorry but I think you were really mean I'm not giving out the wi-if password, like other replies have said, why wouldn't you? What does giving out the password do exactly, other than let someone access the internet from their own personal device.

Such a shame that he didn't stay long and went home. I do think you sound a bit out of touch.

AchillesPoirot · 24/04/2022 20:17

Of course I would.

TokyoSushi · 24/04/2022 20:17

Yes we do too! DD went to a friends for a sleepover this weekend and the Mum messaged me to say 'just to let you know I've put her on our Wi-Fi...' Very normal around here.

Eupraxia · 24/04/2022 20:19

Data costs.

If the tweens are scrolling YouTube or Ticktock (or whatever) then they'll use loads of data. Data tends to be limited on phone contracts. Whereas wifi is free.

I'd suggest you change your wifi password to something your children can easily remember. Then they can give it to mates without asking you every time.

sunshineandshowers40 · 24/04/2022 20:19

Of course. All DC's friends ask for ours the first time they visit. What do you think they are going to do with it?!?

PrincessRamone · 24/04/2022 20:19

Like a few other on the thread, we have a guest network for any visitors. It would feel odd to deny the WiFi password. A bit like refusing a glass of tap water.

Steelesauce · 24/04/2022 20:20

Usually offer the WiFi before a drink in my house. They all bring their tech so I let them crack on.

Original poster

Lindy2 · 24/04/2022 20:20

Ok. It sounds like it's a pretty normal request then. It's just me behind the times.

I do think it would have changed the whole dynamic of the day though if they all had WiFi access and played on their phones the whole time. I'm not particularly sorry I didn't hand it out this weekend but will probably do so next time. The other kids had a lot of fun without it.

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IglesiasPiggl · 24/04/2022 20:20

Yes I do. If you don't want them to know the actual password, you can always type it into their phone and connect them yourself.

SeemsSoUnfair · 24/04/2022 20:22

I wouldn't ask friends for their passwords if I was visiting.

Not ideal if your ds's friends want to spend time in their phones, but it is not a comparable situation to you asking at a friends house (unless your friends are duller than MN-ing).

I had no problems handing over the wifi password at that age, if ds found them boring because they played on screens the whole time he didnt ask them back,

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