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4 Messages
XFINITY vs xfinitywifi hotspots
Hi, for the WiFi hotspots provided by Xfinity and made available free of charge to Xfinity Mobile customers, I understand that the networks with SSID "XFINITY" are secure, and the ones with SSID "xfinitywifi" are unsecure, based on this article: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/secure-vs-open-xfinity-wifi#:~:text=The%20first%20SSID%20is%20called,on%20their%20device(s).
I have a multi-part question about these hotspots:
1. Many places I go in my neighborhood, my phone auto-connects to the "XFINITY" wifi network, which supposedly should be secure. But according to the xfinity hotspot map (https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/wifi?INTCMP=ILC:XA:GEN:GEN5bfebd84b5e3a#WiFiMap) for my area, ALL the networks around me say the SSID is "xfinitywifi" which is the unsecure version, and none are showing the SSID "XFINITY". Is it possible Xfinity is actually connecting me to the unsecure "xfinitywifi" network but my phone says I am connected to the secure "XFINITY" network? Or is the hotspot map just completely wrong? Or does every hotspot provide access to both the secure "XFINITY" SSID and unsecure "xfinitywifi" SSID? (but if that were the case, what would be the point of providing the option for unsecured xfinitywifi version?)
2. The first article I linked to above only mentions two SSIDs: "XFINITY" and "xfinitywifi". But occasionally my phone auto connects to a wifi network with SSID "Xfinity Mobile" and it says it is made available through Xfinity Mobile. a) What is that network, b) is it secure liked "XFINITY" is, and 3) why is it not mentioned in any of Xfinity's articles about the wifi hotspot? I almost wonder if it is a sort of "spoofing" network but it does say made available through Xfinity Mobile and my phone is automatically connecting to it.
Thanks in advance,
XfinityAmandaB
Official Employee
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1.4K Messages
1 year ago
@user_eedf60
Great questions! Thank you so much for your post for help with our Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots. For your first question yes, our Xfinity hotspots do have both a secure and not secure network. This is to help provide access to everyone and an option we opened up to assist with areas in need at the start of COVID-19. You will see the Non-secure option almost all the time since those are open to use for everyone. The Secure connection may be set by the business that hosts the hotspot and may only be available during business hours.
If you are using the Xfinity hotspot app that is (pre-downloaded on Xfinity mobile devices) on any device however it will automatically connect you to a secure hotspot connection using your Security profile created with the Hotspot app. Any network your device will connect to using the Xfinity Hotspot app will be secure! Note: After the first time you’ve signed in, your device will automatically connect to Xfinity Wi-Fi Hotspots in the future. If you have an Apple device, with the Mac Randomization feature turned on, you will automatically be connected for six weeks. If you have not accessed the network in six weeks or more, you’ll need to sign in again.
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user_eedf60
Visitor
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4 Messages
1 year ago
Thanks for your response
1. My device automatically connects to XFINITY even though I never installed any hotspot app or "secure profile" or actively signed into any Xfinity wifi network. It is a Google phone and I did not buy it from Xfinity Mobile. I've asked countlessly Xfinity employees how to stop this from happening and no one has been able to help me stop this from happening.
2. You did not answer my entire second question about the SSID called "Xfinity Mobile." Please answer that entire question, thanks.
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