Plenty of Comcast users hated this feature, due to reasons such a power usage, CPU usage, and congested area wifi channels.
https://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Offers-FonLike-WiFi-Hotspot-Sharing-Program-124571
https://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Users-Struggle-To-Keep-Rented-Routers-From-Sharing-WiFi-131719
https://www.dslreports.com/shownews/New-Comcast-Wireless-Service-Will-Piggyback-On-Your-Home-Gateway-137925
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To be rolled out over the next several months, as testing continues.
Should not impact your home Internet data limits. Should not impact your privacy, by keeping the public network and your private network separate.
Or you could bridge the Shaw modem/router, and use your own router and increase your LAN security. But that would also depend on if the public hotspot is automatically disabled during bridge mode.
Promoted as Shaw Mobility (Freedom Mobile) will have access to the wifi hotspot to increase their network availability.
At this time, only new users (as of Nov 8 2017) will have it automatically activated. You can log in to your Shaw account to disable it (as of Nov 9 2017), or to check if it was activated on its own.
https://community.shaw.ca/docs/DOC-13441
Overview
Shaw is committed to delivering Canadians access to the best network experience possible. We are on a mission to be Canada’s leading connectivity company and are continually working to expand our network to meet the growing data needs of our customers.
As part of the next phase of this expansion, we will begin leveraging a feature on new Shaw Internet customers’ Advanced WiFi modems that can provide the ability to broadcast a secondary WiFi network from a single modem in the home in the near future. Over the next several months, this secondary WiFi network will be accessible by Freedom Mobile customers to help keep them better connected.
When launched, this feature will benefit Shaw Internet customers by no longer requiring them to give out their private network name and password to Freedom Mobile customers who happen to be visiting. Freedom Mobile customers will also benefit from improved indoor coverage by accessing a network of WiFi hotspots broadcast from Shaw Internet customers’ home modems.
The secondary WiFi network would be designed to run parallel to our Shaw customers’ primary, password-protected, private network, with no impact to their wired in-home broadband connection or data usage.
The new WiFi network will not be broadcast for several months.
While we expect to complete development and provision this secondary WiFi network on Shaw’s network in the next several months, unforeseen circumstances may result in implementation being delayed, suspended or abandoned.
Opting Out
Shaw Internet customers who do not wish to have the secondary network broadcast from their modem can disable it at any time by visiting My Shaw at my.shaw.ca, navigating to the “Internet” side bar tab and clicking the ‘disable’ button. We anticipate this opt out functionality to be available by tomorrow morning, November 9. Updates will be posted on this page.
We will provide updates here when testing has been completed and the secondary WiFi network becomes fully operational.
Frequently Asked Questions
---How do these WiFi networks work?
We are leveraging a feature on new Shaw Internet customers’ Advanced WiFi modems – including our Hitron modem (CGNM-2250) – that can provide the ability to broadcast a secondary WiFi network from a single modem in the home in the near future.
In the near future, this secondary WiFi network will be accessible by Freedom Mobile customers to help keep them better connected.
---Can customers use this secondary WiFi network now?
This secondary WiFi network is not yet available, and will be accessible by Freedom Mobile customers once launched.
---Why is Shaw enabling this secondary WiFi network?
This feature will create a secondary WiFi network for Freedom Mobile customers that will help to keep them better connected.
---Who will be able to access this secondary WiFi network when it is available?
This new secondary WiFi network will be accessible by Freedom Mobile customers, giving them improved indoor coverage through a network of WiFi hotspots broadcast from Shaw Internet customers’ home modems.
When launched, this feature will benefit Shaw Internet customers by no longer requiring them to give out their private network name and password to Freedom Mobile customers who happen to be visiting.
Details about the secondary WiFi network will be communicated on this page once finalized.
---Will broadcasting the secondary WiFi network impact the security of the modem in my home?
No, the secondary WiFi network would be designed to run parallel to our Shaw customers’ primary, password-protected, private network, with no impact to their wired in-home broadband connection or data usage.
---How do I disable the secondary WiFi network on my modem?
Shaw Internet customers who wish to have the secondary WiFi network disabled on their modem can do so at any time by visiting My Shaw at my.shaw.ca, navigating to the “Internet” side bar tab and clicking the ‘disable’ button.
---How can I turn on this feature if it has not been made available to me automatically?
This feature will only be made available to new Shaw Internet customers modems purchased after November 8, 2017.
The new secondary WiFi network will not begin broadcasting for several months.
Existing Shaw customers with an eligible modem and package will be given the option to enable the secondary WiFi modem once the service has been launched.
---Can I turn this feature back on if I disable it then change my mind?
Once Shaw customers choose to disable the secondary WiFi network, they will not be able to re-enable it until after the network launches.
---Will my home’s location be shown on a location map for hotspots?
No, your home’s location will not be shown on any hotspot location maps.
---Will broadcasting a secondary WiFi network impact my modem’s power consumption?
We anticipate that the secondary WiFi network will have minimal-to-no impact on the power consumption of our customers’ modem.
---Will the operation of this secondary WiFi network impact my broadband connection or data usage?
No, this secondary WiFi network runs as a separate network parallel to our Shaw Internet customers’ primary WiFi network, and will have no impact to their wired broadband connection or data usage.
---Will the operation of this secondary WiFi network impact my private WiFi network speeds?
As with all WiFi connections, WiFi network speeds are dependent on the users’ proximity to the modem, data usage patterns, and the total number of connections.
Our Shaw Internet customers’ in-home WiFi network will be given priority over the secondary WiFi network to minimize any potential impacts that may arise. We expect that there will be little-to-no noticeable effect on our Shaw Internet customers’ in-home WiFi network.
---Will I be responsible for the activities and data usage of others using this secondary WiFi network?
No, our customers will not be responsible for the activities and data usage of others using the public, secondary WiFi network being broadcast through their modem.
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