Comcast's new Xfinity app aims to find Wi-Fi hogs
Comcast Xfinity customers have a new app to make it easier to expand and monitor their wireless home network.
The nation's largest Internet service provider is launching Xfinity xFi, a free wireless network app available Monday for the 10 million or so customers who have already have an Xfinity gateway device. With Xfinity xFi viewed on the TV, web or mobile app, Xfinity Internet subscribers can set up or expand their home Wi-Fi network and do other functions such as monitor what devices are on the network, get the network password and use parental controls.
Parental controls with xFi let you schedule Wi-Fi access times for individual devices — perhaps no access in kids' bedtime hours from 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. — and pause online access for devices during dinner.
The xFi dashboard is designed to be intuitive, allowing users to easily track activity on the network and find devices that may be hogging too much data or not working properly. Those who have an X1 voice remote can use their voice to access the dashboard.
The mobile version of the app lets you control your home network when you are away from home. And the platform's improved sophistication will not only help customers fix network issues on their own, but also make it easier for Xfinity tech support to solve problems remotely, too.
"It’s a platform that will allow us to bring future innovations to our customers, address common pain points and vastly improve the way millions of people interact with their home Wi-Fi network," said Eric Schaefer, Comcast Cable's senior vice president of internet and communications services, in a statement.
Comcast expects the number of xFi-ready homes to increase to about 15 million by the end of 2017. Later this year, Comcast will bring to market plug-and-play xFi pods to extend their Wi-Fi coverage within the home. The pods can be plugged into a power outlet and paired with either the xFi Wireless Gateway or the xFi Advanced Gateway, being rolled out to customers with broadband speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second.
To get started with xFi, customers can go to www.xfinity.com/myxfi or download the app for Android and iOS.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider.