axiomatic

join:2006-08-23

Tomball, TX axiomatic Member power Comcast also took a beating regarding power of their cable box / DVR's recently as well.



Neither device could in any way be considered green.

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Power Regardless, the EU has to pay for the power to use the modem or not. The actual cost of the power bill doesn't go up just because they're not using the modem. Most would leave it on anyway. Therefore nothing changes.



PlusOne

@73.160.110.x PlusOne Anon Re: Power said by ITGeeks: Regardless, the EU has to pay for the power to use the modem or not. The actual cost of the power bill doesn't go up just because they're not using the modem. Most would leave it on anyway. Therefore nothing changes.



P.S.>> I didn't see anyone getting upset that Comcast was expected to pay the electricity bills of Netflix servers parked in Comcast data centers. Who cares., except maybe Al Gore. The cost of electricity will be about the same whether you provide WiFi access to great unwashed, or just for yourself and family.P.S.>> I didn't see anyone getting upset that Comcast was expected to pay the electricity bills of Netflix servers parked in Comcast data centers.

jjeffeory

jjeffeory

join:2002-12-04

Bullhead City, AZ 3 recommendations jjeffeory Member Re: Power Well, running a few servers in several datacenters around the country versus running millions of hotspots is kinda a different scale, huh? Also, the Netflix servers help Comcast's value proposition. The hotspots don't help the customer ( though they do help Comcast)

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Re: Power Those customers have full access to use those hotspots anytime they wish. So yes it does help the customers. It's secure access to the Internet on the go.

jjeffeory

jjeffeory

join:2002-12-04

Bullhead City, AZ jjeffeory Member Re: Power It doesn't help the customer at that location, they already pay for their service (and their power). Nice try.



catchingup

@135.23.225.x catchingup to PlusOne

Anon to PlusOne

said by PlusOne : P.S.>> I didn't see anyone getting upset that Comcast was expected to pay the electricity bills of Netflix servers parked in Comcast data centers. The savings from not having to purchase additional transit capacity, reducing what they're already using and reducing long haul capacity easily offsets the AC / cooling costs.

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Re: Power They weren't saving anything when Netflix was getting the transit free ala Comcast's buck.

ITGeeks ITGeeks to PlusOne

Member to PlusOne

You won't see that on this website because its for Netflix. And don't forget that Comcast was going to have to pay for those fiber connections to Netflix as well. But that's another topic this site forgets about.

asdfdfdfdfdf

Premium Member

join:2012-05-09 asdfdfdfdfdf to PlusOne

Premium Member to PlusOne

www.businessinsider.com/ ··· d-2014-2



The above article doesn't quite mesh with the implication that netflix is parked in comcast data centers and that it is doing so for free. The above article doesn't quite mesh with the implication that netflix is parked in comcast data centers and that it is doing so for free.



ArrayList

DevOps

Premium Member

join:2005-03-19

Mullica Hill, NJ ArrayList to ITGeeks

Premium Member to ITGeeks

It provides a service the end user incurs expense that the ISP should pay.

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Re: Power The customer would incur the expense anyway because they would never shut the modem off to start off with.



ArrayList

DevOps

Premium Member

join:2005-03-19

Mullica Hill, NJ ArrayList Premium Member Re: Power The expense should be on the ISP because they profit from it.



x= price of providing electricity to one hotspot



x * # of customers with the hotspot = a sh*tload of money comcast is not paying.

billburnett

Premium Member

join:2005-12-06

Oak Harbor, WA billburnett Premium Member "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." Hm-mm..so if I have one of these Hotspots and hook up all my devices in wireless configuration ONLY and ONLY via the public usage access I can glean unlimited usage even if data caps exist in my area?

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." That is what Comcast has stated before.

ISurfTooMuch

join:2007-04-23

Tuscaloosa, AL ISurfTooMuch to billburnett

Member to billburnett

No. Your connection to the public side of the router, whether it's your router or any other Comcast router, would count against your data cap. The same would apply to someone visiting your house. If they log into the router using their username/password, their usage would count against their cap.

billburnett

Premium Member

join:2005-12-06

Oak Harbor, WA billburnett Premium Member Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." Hm-mm..well maybe, then, my reading comprehension is a bit "off" today as the article clearly states "the public usage also thankfully doesn't count against your Comcast usage cap".



ropeguru

Premium Member

join:2001-01-25

Mechanicsville, VA ropeguru Premium Member Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." said by billburnett: Hm-mm..well maybe, then, my reading comprehension is a bit "off" today as the article clearly states "the public usage also thankfully doesn't count against your Comcast usage cap".



So what that means is that if you have a 300GB cap for your service, and Joe Blow logs in with HIS HSI credentials on the hot spot, the data he uses will not go against YOUR cap. But, if his service also has that 300GB cap, the data he uses on YOUR hot spot connection will go against his caps. You are a little off.So what that means is that if you have a 300GB cap for your service, and Joe Blow logs in with HIS HSI credentials on the hot spot, the data he uses will not go against YOUR cap. But, if his service also has that 300GB cap, the data he uses on YOUR hot spot connection will go against his caps.



PlusOne

@73.160.110.x PlusOne Anon Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." said by ropeguru: said by billburnett: Hm-mm..well maybe, then, my reading comprehension is a bit "off" today as the article clearly states "the public usage also thankfully doesn't count against your Comcast usage cap".



So what that means is that if you have a 300GB cap for your service, and Joe Blow logs in with HIS HSI credentials on the hot spot, the data he uses will not go against YOUR cap. But, if his service also has that 300GB cap, the data he uses on YOUR hot spot connection will go against his caps. You are a little off.So what that means is that if you have a 300GB cap for your service, and Joe Blow logs in with HIS HSI credentials on the hot spot, the data he uses will not go against YOUR cap. But, if his service also has that 300GB cap, the data he uses on YOUR hot spot connection will go against his caps. By George, I believe you have it.

billburnett

Premium Member

join:2005-12-06

Oak Harbor, WA billburnett to ropeguru

Premium Member to ropeguru

Thanks for the clarification...it's slick marketing language at play, especially when the words "public" and "open" are thrown about, to make the whole scheme seem so "attractive".

your moderator at work hidden :



catchingup

@135.23.225.x catchingup to billburnett

Anon to billburnett

Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." said by billburnett: Thanks for the clarification...it's slick marketing language at play, especially when the words "public" and "open" are thrown about, to make the whole scheme seem so "attractive". Your reading comprehension is poor.

BosstonesOwn

join:2002-12-15

Wakefield, MA BosstonesOwn to billburnett

Member to billburnett





out of market friends email is used in market and you avoid caps...



Funny how comcast doesn't think people find creative work arounds



There is already websites setup for just this sharing. They create accounts on their own accounts for a couple bucks or do it in trade for something else. But let's not rain on comcasts parade with details. And it's also a fun work around.out of market friends email is used in market and you avoid caps...Funny how comcast doesn't think people find creative work aroundsThere is already websites setup for just this sharing. They create accounts on their own accounts for a couple bucks or do it in trade for something else. But let's not rain on comcasts parade with details.

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks to ropeguru

Member to ropeguru

But Joe Blow's data would NOT affect the speed of YOUR data either.



ropeguru

Premium Member

join:2001-01-25

Mechanicsville, VA ropeguru Premium Member Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." said by ITGeeks: But Joe Blow's data would NOT affect the speed of YOUR data either. You are correct. Provided they are over provisioning your connection speed to compensate. Which they have stated they are.



Kuro

@75.151.50.x Kuro to billburnett

Anon to billburnett

Dont think so. I had asked this when on with customer service (yeah I know they dont have the best rep these days.) explained it as you have to login with your account and what ever data you use still counts against your accounts bandwidth. The part that doesn't count is other people using your router.

There is literally no advantage for someone to opt in to this service. Still have to pay a modem rental fee, no credit on your bill and you are not blocked out of using other peoples.



Doctor Olds

I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.

Premium Member

join:2001-04-19

1970 442 W30 Doctor Olds to billburnett

Premium Member to billburnett

said by billburnett: Hm-mm..so if I have one of these Hotspots and hook up all my devices in wireless configuration ONLY and ONLY via the public usage access I can glean unlimited usage even if data caps exist in my area? Nope. None of that matters as you are using your account credentials and that is what they track by. Now if you used another person's credentials you would not use your allotment, but you would be using theirs instead.

billburnett

Premium Member

join:2005-12-06

Oak Harbor, WA billburnett Premium Member Re: "...public usage...doesn't count against your Comcast usage..." Thanks!



No

@68.42.244.x No to billburnett

Anon to billburnett

When you connect to the hotspot you login using your Comcast info so it would still count against your cap. If a friend came over and logged in using HIS login then it would not count against your cap.



josephf

join:2009-04-26 josephf to billburnett

Member to billburnett

Cablevision blocks any Mac Address that was previously used on your private WiFi (on their router) from connecting to the public WiFi coming from your router. Comcast likely does the same.



plencnerb

Premium Member

join:2000-09-25

Carpentersville, IL plencnerb Premium Member I'll be glad to host one, if I don't have to pay the $8 monthly fee.... Right now I am renting a non-gateway device (Arris TM722G). I would be willing to rent a gateway device from Comcast, and have the Wi-Fi Public Hotspot running, as long as Comcast was willing to not charge me the $8 rental fee for the device.



I think its only fair...I'm helping them provide a service that expands their public wireless network. Why not give me the device for free?



--Brian



bigballer

@205.214.216.x bigballer Anon really wish more people would partner with google wifi I have to be a comcast customer/pay them to use their wifi.



or.... I can be a noncustomer and use google wifi for free? Mhm... Google wifi has turned around starbucks wifi.



notsogoogle

@67.160.242.x notsogoogle Anon Re: really wish more people would partner with google wifi Just a heads up google WIFI at Starbucks is provided by level 3. Oh wait Level 3 does not provide last mile service and there preferred provider is cable.

ITGeeks

join:2014-04-20

Cleveland, OH ITGeeks Member Re: really wish more people would partner with google wifi StarBucks WiFi is provided by who ever they can get to run the lines. In most areas L3 doesn't even have any fiber near those locations, they'll use cable or alike or even MegaPath.

iansltx

join:2007-02-19

Austin, TX ·Time Warner Cable

iansltx Member Comcast should offer a price break... As others have said, you're paying monthly for the modem...and the power ($8/year more due to additional load, looks like). So to encourage folks *not* to turn off the WiFi, Comcast should offer a bill credit in exchange for keeping the xfinitywifi SSID on. Particularly since the SSID will draw over-the-air capacity from your main connection (a problem if you're at 100+ Mbps and trying to use that over standard 11n in 2.4 GHz). I'd say that a discount in the $3-$8 per month region would be reasonable. Maybe they won't rent the modem for free, because adding the hotspot isn't worth that much to them. But $3? Probably worth it.



EDIT: And yes, I think that $3 per sub is a reasonable approximation of the value Comcast gets from an addition to their WiFi network. Stickier customers and roaming opportunities, particularly with a higher-power customer router.



Freeforall

@67.160.242.x Freeforall Anon Re: Comcast should offer a price break... Or maybe they should allow you to have free access to other hotspots if you keep yours enabled.

raythompsontn

join:2001-01-11

Oliver Springs, TN raythompsontn Member Comcast Hotspot So all I have to do is name my guest WIFI XfinitityWifi, point it to a machine on my network, create a fake Comcast log on page, and I can then capture the credentials of anyone that tries to access their Comcast mail. I could go further and do some code to just pass the XfinityWifi data through my box and intercept anything the user of that hot spot sends or receives. Most users would never notice the lack of HTTPS on the log on page.



This whole thing seems like a large security risk for Comcast customers.



newview

Ex .. Ex .. Exactly

Premium Member

join:2001-10-01

Parsonsburg, MD 1 recommendation newview Premium Member The feeling is reciprocal, Comcast As recent events have illustrated, Comcast could really care less about their customers and their problems, instead using their Customer Service department as an extension of their Sales and Marketing initiative.



Lying and deceit are part and parcel of Comcast's corporate structure, training and ethics. No matter how much they claim to care about their customers, we know different ... and we don't like being constantly and consistently lied to.



Their expectation that their customers should foot the bill BY DEFAULT, without them even asking permission, and with no compensation whatsoever, is typical Comcast arrogance, and just another in the long list of numerous reasons why they are the Worst Company in America and hated by so many of their subscribers, and those who do NOT subscribe as well.



As such, I wouldn't help Comcast in any way, shape or form in their WiFi Hotspot expansion, in fact I go out of my way to warn people off of it any chance I get.



I wouldn't piss on Comcast if they were on fire.



Cthen

Premium Member

join:2004-08-01

Detroit, MI Cthen Premium Member Ok So let's say I get one of these. What is in it for me to host a hotspot for Comcast? Aside from being able to say "Hey, I host a hotspot for Comcast while people use my bandwidth to connect and I still pay the same each month!"?

jobias

join:2006-01-18

Knoxville, TN jobias Member 2v4?



The last post in they tested the two components of the hotspot system. This test, they say that the gateway is replacing four components (both the hotspot system and their business modem and wifi access point), but they're comparing the results only to the two components tested previously.



I'd be interested in seeing what the full difference is for anyone that already has the hotspot and private systems, and for someone that has just the business equipment and wanted to replace it with one of the new gateways. Of which I suspect the answer is more expensive for the latter, less for the former, but I dunno cause they didn't check that



And sadly, in looking back at their post again, I suspect they won't be able to since it was a tech that installed the new gateway and probably took the Netgear with him. Unless they already grabbed stats from the Kill-a-Watt for the netgear and linksys. Hope they did. I like that Speedify is checking this stuff, but I wish they'd work on a bit more consistent testing methodology.The last post in they tested the two components of the hotspot system. This test, they say that the gateway is replacing four components (both the hotspot system and their business modem and wifi access point), but they're comparing the results only to the two components tested previously.I'd be interested in seeing what the full difference is for anyone that already has the hotspot and private systems, and for someone that has just the business equipment and wanted to replace it with one of the new gateways. Of which I suspect the answer is more expensive for the latter, less for the former, but I dunno cause they didn't check thatAnd sadly, in looking back at their post again, I suspect they won't be able to since it was a tech that installed the new gateway and probably took the Netgear with him. Unless they already grabbed stats from the Kill-a-Watt for the netgear and linksys. Hope they did.



josephf

join:2009-04-26 josephf Member Cablevision already long doing this - and without option to disable Cablevision/Optimum has already for a while been putting the OptimumWiFi signal out of the routers they install on customers internet connection. And it uses the customers electricity. But CV does not allow the customer to disable it. The only way around is to stop using their router and use your own.



Anoncoward

@24.181.94.x Anoncoward Anon Power usage not surprising. The higher power usage isn't surprising. They are comparing a one port 8x4 DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem & a small WiFi AP to an integrated 16x4 DOCSIS 3.0 residential voice gateway, with MoCA, two Voice ports, four Ethernet ports, and a high power dual band concurrent 802.11 radio.

rradina

join:2000-08-08

Chesterfield, MO 920.3 39.3

·Charter

rradina Member Comcast Negotiation Skills Although the Comcast-offered HSI upgrade did not cover the disputed amount, it does suggest how little speed upgrades cost (i.e. would they let front-line CSRs offer free HBO for a year?). I had a momentary flashback to Fargo when William H Macey argued with his new car customer about undercoating.



I wonder if Comcast's peering partners record their calls?



Cheese

Premium Member

join:2003-10-26

Naples, FL Cheese Premium Member Andddddddddd It sucks, I have a hotspot near me, speedtest says it's over 7MB down but it feels like dialup, and when I call them about it, "we don't control those so we can't troubleshoot them"... huh?