Xfinity Wifi showing up in my routers available internet connections ?

provlima · 20 Sep 2016

I recently found that "xfinity wifi" is showing up in my available internet access list as an openly available option.
I have comcast xfinity hi speed internet as my internet provider but have never had it show up on the routers available connections list before. The home network I set up years ago has a different name.

I am puzzled why this free open network has suddenly appeared in the list. As it requires no password I think there is a possibility its use might present a security risk
Is this a new Xfinity feature??

bro67 · 20 Sep 2016

This poor horse has been beaten up so badly, that there is nothing left. It states in the TOS for Comcast regarding this service. It is a way for them to expand their footprint in areas that they have not been able to push public broadband service. If you go around and see Gray rectangle boxes with a curved cover at the bottom, those are the hotspots that are placed around the area that they have made it easier for those who may need to use them, such as their techs or even the utilities for their employees, that is also a part of that VLAN that you are seeing on Comcast's equipment.

That would be because you are leasing a Emta from Comcast and they have a VLAN set aside for those who are customers of Comcast, TWC, Brighthouse, and a couple of others can sign in to that public hotspot and use it. No traffic under that SSID and CableWifi affects your service, since the VLAN is separate from the VLAN that you go through. Also because it is a secured VLAN, your traffic will never cross over to it and the traffic from it will not cross over to yours, nor will it interfere with your wifi or ethernet connection.

So basically if you want to pay Comcast for their equipment every month. You get to allow others to have a connection that they can use if it is close enough.