The short answer
- Sort your codes and logins first: phone number, authenticator app, password manager.
- Then connectivity: an eSIM, a backup hotspot and, if you like, a travel router.
- Finish with money, backups and a steady connection to the services you rely on.
Logins and security
- Password manager with all your accounts, plus an emergency-access contact.
- Authenticator app or passkeys on your important accounts, so codes work without a SIM.
- Backup codes saved in the password manager.
- Keep your home phone number active (cheap plan or eSIM) for banks that only text codes.
- Find My / Find My Device on, and a screen lock on everything.
Connectivity
- A data eSIM for your first destination, installed before you fly.
- A backup: phone hotspot or a second eSIM for when café Wi-Fi dies mid-call.
- A VPN for untrusted public Wi-Fi.
- A steady home-country address for the accounts that care where you connect from. A private static IP from IDNI is a new, dedicated internet address in the country you choose, set up in about five minutes (setup overview).
- Optional travel router (like GL.iNet) to put all your devices on one connection in Airbnbs and hotels.
Money
- Two cards from different networks (e.g. Visa and Mastercard), kept in different places.
- A low-fee travel card or multi-currency account for daily spending.
- Travel notices set where your bank offers them. Our bank apps guide has more.
Backups and gear
- Cloud backup of your laptop and phone, tested once before you leave.
- Universal adapter, short power strip and a compact charger; noise-cancelling earbuds for calls.
Work
Check your employer's or clients' rules about working from abroad (tax, security, data). If location matters for your job, agree on it before you go. Tools like a steady connection help things run smoothly; they don't replace that conversation.
FAQ
What tech do digital nomads need?
A password manager, an authenticator app, a way to keep your home phone number, a data eSIM, a backup hotspot, a VPN for public Wi-Fi, cloud backups, and optionally a steady home-country IP and a travel router.
Should I keep my home phone number when I travel?
Usually yes, because many banks and services still send verification codes by text to the number on file.
Do I need a VPN as a digital nomad?
A VPN is useful on untrusted public Wi-Fi. For accounts that care about where you connect from, many nomads also use a private static IP.
What is a travel router?
A small router that creates your own Wi-Fi from the hotel or Airbnb connection, so all your devices share one setup.
Get a private internet address in your country
IDNI gives you a new, dedicated private IP in the country you choose (74 countries available), not shared with anyone. Same address every day, plain-English setup, from $10/month. Cancel anytime.