cable wifi

Comcast called us! "Have we got a deal for you!!!!!". They told the wife that our old modem was "out dated" and we need to "upgrade". I had 50 MBPS. She went down and picked the new modem/router and I set it up. PITA! I had static IP's and it didn't like those. Also I have a device that has a 192.168.... IP that I can't change and the comcast router uses 10.0.... so it doesn't work anymore. Spent hours! Ended up with over 80 MBPS but how fast do you really need. I didn't find out about the Xfinity WiFi signal I was broadcasting for months. I saw it but I figured it was a neighbor. They don't tell you about the Infinity WiFi signal and it comes shipped to you turned on by default. They trick you into being their hotspot. It's great for them and they don't really care about the customer since it's Comcast or nothing. The choice is yours.

The only advantage I got out of the deal was I used my old router as an range extender and now have WiFi out in the garage.

What if I don't want a Hotspot, I need the bandwidth for work at least 12/hrs a day and plan on just parking the RV in a nice spot. Does Satellite work fairly good? or Can the local cable carrier providing internet set-up me up with a better connection at some parks?

Google how to disable xfinity wifi and even Comcast will tell you how. Although we use the available hotspots in our travels it just feels wrong so I have it disabled on our three Xfinity modems.

Dave

I have xfinity here at the house and a few years back my year old high dollar router just stopped. I called xfinity and they said it was no longer supported but I could get their new one that supported even faster speeds, etc, etc. No mention at that time that they planned the guest wifi program. That came a year later and for a month or so, my wifi went wonky every time they turned on the guest side. No issues since.

I have seen a few folks sitting out front on their laptops but not regular. We are pretty far back in the neighbor hood and see little traffic. My phone beeps every time we pass one but there is a app that will show you where they are so you can go to them. The phone also signs into them automatically so it saves on mobile data.

As a non xfinity customer, you can connect, sign up and get a free hour a month I think. You can also buy more time but you'll have to look into what that means.

Here is how it works.

If you get a cable/dsl modem from your provider that has WIFI built into it, then it is possible that it is broadcasting this connection to the public. I know that Time Warner Cable does where i live. Others can connect to it if they have the services themselves and yes, they do use your bandwidth that you pay for. When i help family members set their stuff up, i disable this option as i am not fond of others using my bandwith.

If you have a simple modem that does not support wifi and provide your own Wireless router, then you are not sharing this capability.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
All of the TWC hotspots I've checked so far appear to be located at commercial subscriber sites, not private subscribers.

Those are the ones they publicly advertise. Customers like myself with the wireless gateway have a Xfinity router with a second signal that a visitor, neighbor or someone parked on the street with an Xfinity account can sign into.

They are not using your bandwidth, they can be tracked if they download something illegal but you are providing the electricity for their hotspot which I doubt is any more than 1 signal. With a little research you can disable the "free" signal. I live far enough off the highway I don't worry about it.

If your private WIFI router is open to allow access to anyone, then you deserve to pay for whatever bandwidth they use.

bgum wrote:
It is my understanding that their new modems share bandwith with the area to become a hotspot. If this is true then the customer pays for the bandwith and the provider thumps their chest.

Cox in RI doesn't use any customer bandwidth. I think they have 2 hotspots in RI, neither is anywhere near me.