Vacation tech advice: What to do before and during your trip to protect your home

(CBS 58) – It’s the time of year where many people are ready to leave the cold and head somewhere warm for spring break.

Before you go, it’s important to make sure your home and personal information is secure. Experts urge people to make sure they have all important data, information and photos backed up. To make sure your information is protected, people need to have a strong WiFi password.

There are also several smart devices that allow you to keep an eye on your home from afar. That includes smart door locks, door bells, lighting, thermostats and visitor detection, all connected to your smart phone.

“Nowadays everybody has a smart phone or tablet. The biggest thing is since you have that in your pocket or your fingertips you’re able to see what’s going on or who’s coming into your proximity,” Best Buy in-home advisor Nimesh Ruparel said. “If the door is open or unlocked or locked, you have control over that now.”

Experts also have tips for once you’re on vacation. They say don’t connect to public WiFi, you’re better off using your data to protect your private information online.