The public hotspot channel is given 15 Mbps and allows up to five people to connect at a time. Comcast said the private channel provides whatever speed customers already pay to get (most have 25 Megabits per second). With two separate networks, each antenna has its own data speed cap. Comcast says it found a way to make this work. What about connection speed? Having several people tapping a single machine tends to clog up the Wi-Fi. Related: Stalker is a creepy look at you, online 'If you're opening up another access point, it increases the likelihood that someone can tamper with your router,' he said. If a hacker finds one in this Comcast box, all bets are off. He found that two-thirds of them have serious weaknesses.

Craig Young, a computer security researcher at Tripwire, has tested the top 50 routers on the market right now. Still, no system is foolproof, and this could be unnecessary exposure to potential harm. Anyone hooking up to the 'Xfinity Wi-Fi' public network must sign in with their own traceable, Comcast customer credentials.

This system was meant for guests at home, not on the street.Īs for strangers tapping your router for illegal activity: Comcast said you'll be guilt-free if the FBI comes knocking. The Wi-Fi signal is no stronger than it is now, so anyone camped in your front yard will have a difficult time tapping into the public network. That means criminals can't jump from the public channel into your network and spy on you.Īnd don't expect every passing stranger to get access. Each box has two separate antennae, Comcast explained. Outsiders never get access to your private, password-protected home network.

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