How do I turn on WiFi Shield?

WiFi Shield is a suite of features built into your Xfinity Gateway designed to keep you informed and at ease, day and night. It's included with your Xfinity Internet service with no additional cost or equipment.

Quick answer
Introducing Xfinity Shield
What is WiFi Shield?
Eligibility & equipment
Features & how they help
Troubleshooting & common questions

Quick answer: How do I turn on WiFi Shield?

1. Open the Xfinity app and navigate to WiFi Shield.
2. Enable the features you want to use.
3. Follow the guided setup to choose your settings.

Once activated, you can manage CyberSecure, WiFi Motion, Dark Watch, and Family Settings from the Home tab.

WiFi Motion is opt-in and turned off by default, you may turn Motion on or off at any time. To use it, open the Xfinity app, select WiFi Motion, toggle it to ‘on’, and follow the steps to configure your WiFi Motion coverage. Once WiFi Motion is activated, use the Xfinity app to adjust settings, view live activity, and access a feed of WiFi Motion events.

Introducing Xfinity Shield

Xfinity Shield is a first-of-its-kind protection platform that brings together digital, physical, and family protection in one simple experience. Powered by Comcast's advanced network and Xfinity Gateway technology, it leverages AI to help protect customers' homes, devices, and families through a unified experience via the Xfinity app.

It's one platform with three dimensions of protection — Physical Protection, Digital Protection, and Family Protection — all unlocked by the Xfinity Gateway and powered by the most-reliable 5G network.

What is WiFi Shield?

Your home WiFi connects more than just phones and computers. From smart TVs and gaming consoles to connected appliances, and other smart devices, WiFi Shield helps keep your connection protected while giving you more visibility and control over what's happening on your network.

WiFi Shield is a suite of features built into your Xfinity Gateway designed to keep you informed and at ease, day and night. It's included with your Xfinity Internet service with no additional cost or equipment.
It's a built-in smart protection layer for your home WiFi network, included with Xfinity Internet and powered entirely by your Xfinity WiFi Gateway. It combines four core features: CyberSecure, WiFi Motion, Dark Watch, and Family Settings, to work together using AI to learn what's normal in your home and flag what isn't.

In short, WiFi Shield turns your WiFi into a security layer so you can protect your devices and your family, all from your Xfinity WiFI Gateway.

Eligibility & equipment

Who can get WiFi Shield?

WiFi Shield is available at no cost to new and existing Xfinity Internet members with a compatible Xfinity Gateway, regardless of internet speed tier. If your Gateway is compatible, you are ready to get started.

What Gateway do I need?

1. WiFi Shield requires the use of an Xfinity WiFi Gateway. Compatible Gateways include:

• Technicolor TXB7, XB8, XB10, XB9, MXB1, or XER10

A few things to keep in mind:

• Features won't work in Bridge mode
• WiFi Motion isn't supported on the XB6 or CommScope XB7
• Dark Watch is available on Technicolor XB7, XB8, XB10, XB9, MXB1, and XER10
• Shield Select requires an XB8 or above

Not using an Xfinity WiFi Gateway? Visit the website to learn more and explore internet equipment.

Features & how they help

CyberSecure — digital protection

CyberSecure is an always-on network threat protection that detects and blocks suspicious activity and sends proactive alerts when something looks off. Once turn on, it starts protecting devices connected to your home WiFi as soon as they connect.

Because it operates at the network level, once turned on, every device is covered, including laptops, phones, and smart TVs. No settings to configure. No devices to add. Automatic and always-on.

WiFi Motion — camera-free motion awareness

WiFi Motion is an opt-in feature that uses the WiFi signal from your Xfinity Gateway to sense movement in your home with no cameras needed or recordings captured. If motion is detected between your Gateway and other connected devices, you can be notified, so you can be alerted to movement in your home using technology that's already built into your Gateway, whether you're in the next room or away from home. WiFi Motion works across compatible Gateway models and is included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost.

WiFi Motion detects motion between your Xfinity WiFi Gateway, Xfinity WiFi Extenders, and up to three additional WiFi-connected, stationary devices, like a smart speaker or thermostat, and lets you customize alerts for your routines while keeping privacy in your control.

Tips for optimizing motion detection:

• Gateway and extender placement: For the best WiFi Motion experience, optimize coverage first by placing your Gateway in a central, open location. WiFi Extenders can also be used if available.
• Connecting devices: Select up to three suitable devices for WiFi Motion in areas where you want to detect activity, such as entryways and common living spaces. The best devices remain stationary and are always powered on.
• Positioning connected devices: WiFi Motion uses the area between your Xfinity WiFi equipment and selected devices to sense movement, so choose or reposition devices to ensure these sensing areas cross the locations you want to monitor. Test your setup periodically to make sure you're receiving notifications where you want them.

For more detailed steps on setting up and using WiFi Motion, visit Xfinity Support to learn how to turn on WiFi Motion or check out WiFi Motion FAQs.

Dark Watch — nighttime monitoring

Dark Watch is a nighttime monitoring mode that works with your bedtime routine, helping you stay aware of activity in your home while you sleep. You can select the devices that can send notifications and schedule Dark Watch to activate automatically each night.

When Dark Watch is active, you can choose which WiFi Motion-enabled devices should send alerts at night, receive camera and door/window sensor alerts, lock connected smart doors, control connected lights, and pause WiFi to help family members wind down before bed. You can also schedule Dark Watch to turn on and off automatically based on your household's routine. Dark Watch is built into your Gateway and included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost.

Protection modes that fit your routine

Choose from three modes to help manage motion notifications throughout the day and night:

Home Watch: When you're home, motion alerts are off, so you can go about your day without unnecessary notifications.

Away Watch: Heading out? Away Watch turns motion alerts on so you can be notified if movement is detected while you're gone. You can also set geofence reminders to help automatically switch between Home Watch and Away Watch.

Family Settings — family protection

Family Settings gives you tools to help manage your family's digital life at home. From the Xfinity app, you can monitor screen time usage, set time limits for specific devices or family members, pause WiFi access for individual people or devices, and block unwanted or age-inappropriate sites — without needing additional equipment or software. Family Settings is built into your Gateway and included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost.

• Create custom profiles
• Set up a profile for each person in the household, then assign devices to each one to track and manage usage individually.
• Screen time tools
• Set daily screen time limits for each profile
• Choose to automatically pause WiFi when a limit is reached, or get a heads-up first
• View screen time details broken down by top apps
• Pause WiFi on any device manually or on a schedule for homework, dinner, or family time
• Parental controls
• Block unwanted sites
• Monitor online use to help your family explore the internet safely
• Insights from CyberSecure
• Security alerts can help inform the restrictions you set.

Troubleshooting & common questions

What if I don't see WiFi Shield in the Xfinity app?

WiFi Shield requires the use of an Xfinity WiFi Gateway. Compatible gateways include Technicolor TXB7, XB8, XB10, XB9, MXB1, or XER10. Not using an Xfinity WiFi Gateway? Visit the website to learn more and explore internet equipment.

What if my Shield features aren't working?

Shield features won't work in Bridge mode, and WiFi Motion isn't supported on the XB6 or CommScope XB7. Dark Watch is available on Technicolor XB7, XB8, XB10, XB9, MXB1, and XER10.

What if WiFi Motion isn't detecting motion?

The placement of your Xfinity Gateway and WiFi connected devices, along with your home size, layout, and building materials, can impact the way WiFi signals connect, and may limit the ability of the service to detect motion.

What if I'm not getting motion notifications where I expect them?
WiFi Motion uses the area between your Xfinity WiFi equipment and selected devices to sense movement, so choose or reposition devices to ensure these sensing areas cover the locations you want to monitor. Test your setup periodically to make sure you're receiving notifications where you want them.

FAQ

What is Xfinity Shield?

Xfinity Shield is a first-of-its-kind protection platform that brings together digital and family protection in one simple experience. Powered by Comcast's advanced network and Xfinity Gateway technology, it leverages AI to help protect customers' homes, devices, and families through a unified experience with the Xfinity app.

What is WiFi Shield? What does it include?

WiFi Shield is a suite of features built into your Xfinity Gateway that helps protect your home, devices, and family through the Xfinity app. Included with Xfinity Internet at no extra cost and requiring no additional equipment, it includes CyberSecure for always-on digital protection, WiFi Motion for opt-in, camera-free motion awareness with no recordings captured, Family Settings for parental controls and screen time management, and customizable protection modes that fit your household’s routine.

How does Xfinity CyberSecure protect your devices?

CyberSecure provides always-on protection for all your devices from the moment they connect to your home WiFi. Because it operates at the network level through the Gateway, every connected device is covered.

What is WiFi Motion and how does motion detection work?

You can choose to opt in to WiFi Motion, which uses the WiFi signal from your Xfinity Gateway to sense movement in your home, no cameras needed or recordings captured. If motion is detected between your Gateway and other connected devices, you can be notified. This means you can choose to be alerted to movement in your home using technology that's already built into your Gateway, whether you're in the next room or away from home. WiFi Motion works across compatible Gateway models and is included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost. WiFi Motion is not supported on XB6 or CommScope XB7 Gateways.

Can WiFi Motion see what's happening inside the home?

No. There is no visibility into activity inside customers' homes through WiFi Motion.

Does WiFi Motion track your movements?

WiFi Motion is an opt-in feature that uses no cameras, and does not capture any images or recordings. It detects changes in WiFi signals between connected devices caused by movement. It is designed to detect motion, not identify specific people, and does not track the exact location of the movement. Notifications indicate which movement is detected between a connected device and the Xfinity Gateway.

How does the Family Settings feature help keep kids safe online?

Family Settings gives you tools to help manage your family's digital life at home. From the Xfinity app, you can monitor screen time usage, set time limits for specific devices or family members, pause WiFi access for individual people or devices, and block unwanted or age-inappropriate sites, without needing additional equipment or software. Family Settings is built into your Gateway and included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost.

What is Dark Watch?

Dark Watch lets you tailor your home's settings for bedtime, overnight hours, or other schedules. When Dark Watch is active, you can choose which WiFi Motion-enabled devices should send alerts at night, receive camera and door/window sensor alerts, lock connected smart doors, control connected lights, and pause WiFi to help family members wind down before bed. You can also schedule Dark Watch to turn on and off automatically based on your household's routine. Dark Watch is built into your Gateway and included with your Xfinity Internet service at no extra cost.

Privacy notes

• Comcast does not monitor the motion and/or notifications generated by the service.
• The placement of your Xfinity Gateway and WiFi connected devices, along with your home size, layout and building materials, can impact the way WiFi signals connect and may limit the ability of the service to detect motion.

Want to go further? Meet Shield Select

If you're seeking an additional layer of protection, Shield Select combines all the benefits of WiFi Shield with integrated hardware and enhanced capabilities. Shield Select includes an indoor camera, door/window sensor, cloud video storage capabilities, and 24/7 urgent response functionality that allows customers to tap for emergency help. See the Shield Select Knowledge Base article for full details.