Post by g***@aol.comComcast/Xfinity will not activate your modem until you give them your
WiFi password (via their App). I did get someone to give me the IP for
the admin account on a CGM4331 (10.0.0.1) and I was able to set it up
manually but they would not activate it until I went through their
app. I assume this has something to do with their "hot spot" where
anyone with a Comcast account can skim your WiFi. Has anyone screwed
with this? Now that I am activated, can I change the password again?
This looks like a horrible security hole I would like to plug.
The guys in Bangladesh don't know or won't say. I can't believe I got
no relevant hits on a web search. This should raise eyebrows.
In a web browser, go to 10.0.0.1 (or whatever is the IP address of the
gateway which is the router in the modem). If you don't know, run
"ipconfig" to see the "default gateway" IP address. From what you said,
looks like the LAN-side IP address of your cable modem is 10.0.0.1.
When you login, the username is likely fixed ("admin"). I don't
remember the default password (maybe "password") which you can change
after logging into the internal web server in the modem. Once logged
into the modem, you can change the passwords to get connected to the 2.4
GHz and 5.0 GHz bands of the wifi modem. You can also change the SSIDs
(names) of those bands to something you prefer to something that's
unique to you.
Comcast techs forgot how to configure their cable modems using the
internal web server in the cable modem. Contracted help centers are
even more stupid. If you escalate a problem, and repeat the request,
they get you to 3rd-tier support.
You do not need to use their app to provision your cable modem. When
calling in, refuse to use their app. Lie that you don't have a
smartphone to use their app, and have them manually provision for you.
The provisioning determines how many channels are bonded to provide the
bandwidth at your service tier. Bonding multiple channels is how
bandwidth is increased up to your service tier. Not having enough
channels in an old modem is why you have to get a new modem with more
channels to bond to get up to your bandwidth up to what you're allowed.
https://us.hitrontech.com/learn/cable-modems-explained-channel-bonding/
As for the "xfinity" hot spot, that doesn't use your bandwidth. That
uses channels in the modem that are not assigned to you. That traffic
is isolated from your network. Yes, it goes through your cable modem,
but has no effect on your bandwidth nor on your monthly quota. Whether
you want to help other Comcast users is your choice. To get the hot
spot disabled, you have to go online to disable it in your account
settings. Since they keep changing the navigation through their online
settings, I can't tell you where it is now. I had to call them to
request the hot spot get disabled in my account. One time they did it
themself. Another time they showed where to find the setting in my
online account.