Comcast thinks it ok to install public wifi in your house

Thu Dec 11 02:41:42 UTC 2014

In the US at least you have to authenticate with your Comcast credentials
and not like a traditional open wifi where you can just make up an email
and accept the terms of service.  I also understand that it is a different
IP than the subscriber.  Based on this the subscriber should be protected
from anyone doing anything illegal and causing the SWAT team to pay a
visit.  I haven't upgraded my gear though.

Now..they are doing this on your electric bill and taking up space (albeit
a small amount of it) in your home.

Chuck

On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 9:35 PM, Jeroen van Aart <jeroen at mompl.net> wrote:

> Why am I not surprised?
>
> Whose fault would it be if your comcast installed public wifi would be
> abused to download illegal material or launch a botnet, to name some random
> fun one could have on your behalf. :-/
>
> (apologies if this was posted already, couldn't find an email about it on
> the list)
>
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/10/disgruntled_
> customers_lob_sueball_at_comcast_over_public_wifi/
>
> "A mother and daughter are suing Comcast claiming the cable giant's router
> in their home was offering public Wi-Fi without their permission.
>
> Comcast-supplied routers broadcast an encrypted, private wireless network
> for people at home, plus a non-encrypted network called XfinityWiFi that
> can be used by nearby subscribers. So if you're passing by a fellow user's
> home, you can lock onto their public Wi-Fi, log in using your Comcast
> username and password, and use that home's bandwidth.
>
> However, Toyer Grear, 39, and daughter Joycelyn Harris – who live together
> in Alameda County, California – say they never gave Comcast permission to
> run a public network from their home cable connection.
>
> In a lawsuit [PDF] filed in the northern district of the golden state, the
> pair accuse the ISP of breaking the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and two
> other laws.
>
> Grear – a paralegal – and her daughter claim the Xfinity hotspot is an
> unauthorized intrusion into their private home, places a "vast" burden on
> electricity bills, opens them up to attacks by hackers, and "degrades"
> their bandwidth.
>
> "Comcast does not, however, obtain the customer's authorization prior to
> engaging in this use of the customer's equipment and internet service for
> public, non-household use," the suit claims.
>
> "Indeed, without obtaining its customers' authorization for this
> additional use of their equipment and resources, over which the customer
> has no control, Comcast has externalized the costs of its national Wi-Fi
> network onto its customers."
>
> The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages for themselves and on behalf
> of all Comcast customers nation-wide in their class-action case – the
> service was rolled out to 20 million customers this year."
>
> --
> Earthquake Magnitude: 4.8
> Date: 2014-12-10  22:10:36.800 UTC
> Date Local: 2014-12-10 13:10:36 PST
> Location: 120km W of Panguna, Papua New Guinea
> Latitude: -6.265; Longitude: 154.4004
> Depth: 35 km | e-quake.org
>