The original problem is that sending HTTP requests and such directly on the WiFi hotspot connection sends it as plaintext. Thus it readable by anybody. With an

The original problem is that sending HTTP requests and such directly on the WiFi hotspot connection sends it as plaintext. Thus it readable by anybody. With an SSH tunnel, all that plaintext is actually encrypted before it sent out over the WiFi hotspot, which protects it from eavesdroppers over that segment of the connection.