Comcast is turning millions of its routers into motion detectors
Comcast is bringing Wi-Fi motion sensing to millions of routers that are already in customers' homes, turning the devices into activity monitors. A new update to the Xfinity Internet app, arriving today, August 18th, enables the feature on compatible Xfinity routers at no extra cost. Announced as part of its new Xfinity Shield service, WiFi […]
Comcast is rolling out Wi-Fi motion sensing capabilities to millions of compatible Xfinity gateways, transforming routers into motion detectors. This feature, part of the Xfinity Shield service, detects movement by analyzing signal disruptions between the gateway and connected devices. Comcast's free offering can send activity alerts via the Xfinity app and includes Home, Away, and nighttime monitoring modes, all without the need for additional motion sensors.
The Verge notes that Wi-Fi motion sensing, a technology that has been around for some time, is now accurate and reliable enough to gain traction. While Linksys experimented with a similar service in 2021, it was discontinued a few years later. Another player, Wiz, introduced Wi-Fi-sensing smart bulbs in 2023, and recently, Philips Hue incorporated a comparable radio-frequency sensing technology into its products using Zigbee instead of Wi-Fi.
Comcast's motion sensing integrates seamlessly with new modes within the Xfinity app -- Home Watch, Away Watch, and Dark Watch (a night/sleep mode), enabling users to toggle the sensing on or off according to their activities.
Written by urgent.news from Slashdot's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
