Comcast Is Turning Millions of Its Routers Into Motion Detectors
Comcast is activating Wi-Fi motion sensing on millions of compatible Xfinity gateways, allowing the routers to detect movement by measuring disruptions in signals between the gateway and connected devices. The free feature, part of Xfinity Shield, can send activity alerts through the Xfinity app and offers Home, Away, and nighttime monitoring modes without requiring separate motion sensors. The…
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.
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