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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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MissusMaisel · 27/04/2022 14:16

LettestMeLettestYou · 27/04/2022 13:14

@MissusMaisel Someone upthread asked why people would use guest access rather than sharing their WIFI details.You may sneer that it's a whole load of bollocks but if any illegal activity happens on your main WIFI, good luck with proving that it wasn't you or your family. If you can be 100% sure that your guest aren't posting anything malicious, racist or anything else that's illegal, I guess sharing your WIFI password is fine. Also, most apps access all sorts of sensitive data when connecting to a network, if you are happy with your guests' apps harvesting data from your home network in this way, that's of course your choice. We are encouraged to teach our children Internet safety, guest WIFI access is a very simple, basic precaution. But then we are parents who don't allow our kids unlimited unsupervised access to anything digital and monitor their group what's app message so that we can step in if anything untoward is happening.

@BertieBotts , maybe not 11 year olds but teens are most likely more savvy with digital media than you unless you are an IT professional.

I AM an IT professional, which is why I know you are talking complete nonsense! It's not very hard to prove who did what on a network and please do tell us all how someone (a child, specifically) is going to hack your banking from their phone on your wifi network? We're all agog.

If you don't understand the tech, you're probably not doing the job you think you are doing protecting your children.

Cas112 · 27/04/2022 14:26

What's the issue? Its literally just wi-fi and you dont pay more for letting someone else use it.

Its so weird people when people are Wi-Fi gatekeepers

LettestMeLettestYou · 27/04/2022 14:27

@MissusMaisel you do you Biscuit

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JoeGoldberg · 27/04/2022 15:03

My brother is like this and it drives me up the wall. What does he think me and my kids are going to do with his password??

thisplaceisweird · 27/04/2022 15:08

prepare yourself for high school aged kids OP! its a whole new world.

And yes, WIFI is just an essential for guests as using the loo is. Don't be stingy

EmmaH2022 · 27/04/2022 15:14

Glad I clicked on this
I hate tech and have trouble keeping up
I also thought it was a security risk to give the wifi password
I don't have kids but it's good to know if there are risks.

Are there risks? So confused rn.

wonkygorgeous · 27/04/2022 15:21

Yes, everyone asks. It's now on our fridge.

abblie · 27/04/2022 15:29

Of course I do, some children may not have data and to sit in company when everyone else is connected to Internet is uncomfortable. It doesn't cost me anything to share my password with guests in my home

mrsfoof · 27/04/2022 15:37

Yes I'd give out the password (to the guest feature on the router).
However, at 11, I wouldn't be allowing children to just play on their phones under my supervision. My children aren't allowed devices in their rooms etc. and neither are guests.
I ask young house guests to leave their phones etc. on the kitchen table (with my DC's phone) and they can come and get it if they need to message home etc.

HairyToity · 27/04/2022 15:42

We don't give it out. We had a sleepover recently, and I said no. I can take tech away from DD in an evening, but can't do that on her friends so easily. I don't want them on tiktok all night, so gave a straight no. They coped fine.

CareBearsCare · 27/04/2022 15:54

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/04/2022 11:06

Out of interest why do people have a guest network?

It's a feature that comes with my router. Last time I offered access was to a tradesman who wanted to stream Spotify while working. I don't have to change my wifi passwords "just in case" after he leaves.

Shiningstarr · 27/04/2022 18:21

HairyToity · 27/04/2022 15:42

We don't give it out. We had a sleepover recently, and I said no. I can take tech away from DD in an evening, but can't do that on her friends so easily. I don't want them on tiktok all night, so gave a straight no. They coped fine.

I'm sure they coped fine, but I bet ur DD wasn't popular. How embarrassing for her.

HairyToity · 27/04/2022 18:58

@Shiningstarr she wasn't the least bit phased or embarrassed. She is used to me! Her and her friends had a lovely time. She is secure enough in herself and her friendships to not care.

Shiningstarr · 27/04/2022 18:59

HairyToity · 27/04/2022 18:58

@Shiningstarr she wasn't the least bit phased or embarrassed. She is used to me! Her and her friends had a lovely time. She is secure enough in herself and her friendships to not care.

It's definitely embarrassing. How do you know she wasn't embarrassed, or what her friends really thought? Maybe get with the times.

weneedtotalkaboutezra · 28/04/2022 10:53

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.

So you assume all other parents can afford a data package, credit, and have good credit scores for contracts?

Not everyone has any of all of these things.

weneedtotalkaboutezra · 28/04/2022 10:53

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.

So you assume all other parents can afford a data package, credit, and have good credit scores for contracts?

Not everyone has any of all of these things.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 28/04/2022 11:07

Yeah, mine had pay as you go simms as teens so not an awful lot of data so not everyone has unlimited data contracts

Rosehugger · 28/04/2022 11:09

Have only been asked recently when several friends descended and they wanted to play Roblox - yes sure, no problem.

Hawkins001 · 28/04/2022 11:10

where ever I am, I usually ask to borrow the Wi-Fi, as things like eBay, emails etc, and mumsnet at times.

JoeGoldberg · 28/04/2022 11:31

I dot understand this not letting teens have the WiFi password. Not everyone can afford a phone contract. I certainly can't, me and DC on pay as you go with very limited data. I'd be annoyed went on a sleepover and weren't allowed the WiFi password as we message via WhatsApp not traditional texts. Also when friends are staying here they got the password on the first visit so connect instantly when they come over. I can't imagine taking devices away during a sleepover, half the fun is staying up late making TikTok videos or watching YouTube etc. Sure take your kids devices on a normal night but don't be so bloody stingy on a sleepover! That's embarrassing for your kid.

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