A recent software update launched for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 around a week ago appears to introduce a new built-in VPN service for secure Wi-Fi connectivity. Interesting to note is that while the feature is new for the Galaxy Note series, Secure Wi-Fi was actually previously launched on the Samsung Galaxy J series of budget devices. It works similarly on the latest Note model, offering users the option of picking between three different plans for the VPN service, one of which is available for free with limitations.
Secure Wi-Fi was initially launched on the Galaxy J series as a service allowing users to securely browse the Internet over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks by enabling a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The feature is capable of encrypting outgoing Internet traffic as well as preventing websites and applications from tracking the user. In other words, it offers an additional layer of security, and given the productivity-oriented nature of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the inclusion of Secure Wi-Fi in the latest firmware update makes a lot of sense, especially in light of the newly-discovered KRACK vulnerability within the WPA2 protocol. However, the Secure Wi-Fi service is not entirely free of charge, though users can take advantage of 250MB of free data transfer over the VPN every month. Alternatively, users can subscribe to Samsung’s service for €0,99 giving them unlimited VPN traffic for 24 hours, or pay €1,99 a month for unlimited access throughout.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 owners who have already applied the latest firmware update launched last week should be able to see the option for enabling Secure Wi-Fi from the “Advanced” section of the main settings menu under ‘Connections’ > ‘Wi-Fi’. However, reportedly the Secure Wi-Fi feature is not yet available in every country where the Galaxy Note 8 is distributed, and whether or not this will change in the near future is unknown. Keep in mind that the Secure Wi-Fi VPN feature was introduced to the international model last week via the firmware version ‘N950FXXU1BQK6’ which also improves Samsung DeX and provides better performance for certain applications including Gallery. Users who have yet to receive the update notification can attempt to trigger it manually from the “About device” section of the system Settings app.
