Keep your Mac private on café and hotel Wi-Fi

Why it happens

Sharing you turned on at home keeps running wherever you take your Mac. On a café or hotel network, other people there may see your Mac's name and try to connect. Turning off what you don't use, and turning on the firewall, closes those doors.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, click General, then Sharing.

   General›Sharing

2. Go down the list: File Sharing, Media Sharing, Screen Sharing, Remote Management, Remote Login and Printer Sharing. Turn off each one you don't need away from home.

3. Click Network in the sidebar, then Firewall, and turn the firewall on.

   Network›Firewall

4. For extra privacy, click Options… in the same place and turn on Enable stealth mode. Your Mac then ignores pings from other devices on the network.

   Network›Firewall›Options…

Still not fixed?

1. Set AirDrop to Contacts Only in General > AirDrop & Continuity, so strangers nearby can't send you files.

   General›AirDrop & Continuity

2. Check Private Wi-Fi address for the café network. In Wi-Fi, click Details next to it and make sure Private Wi-Fi address isn't set to Off.

   Wi-Fi›Details…

3. Back home and want sharing again? Turn the services back on in General > Sharing. The firewall can stay on all the time.

4. If you think someone has already got into your Mac, change your Mac's login password, check General > Sharing again, and contact Apple Support for help checking the Mac.