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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you know this reason why strangers may be hanging about outside your home?

107 replies

ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 21:40

NC as I have spoken to people about this IRL.

I didn't know until very recently that our home broadband hub in our hallway is also being used as a public wi-fi hotspot by other passing BT/EE customers - did you?!

If, like me, you didn't know that and have noticed strangers hanging about outside your home with their phones then this may be the reason. I had assumed all the hotspots were in businesses or via masts, so I was a bit perturbed when I found out by accident that our hub was a hotspot. I would have liked to have been asked first. You can opt out, but only if you don't want to use other BT/EE hotspots yourself.

YABU: Yes, I knew my hub was also a public wi-fi hotspot and I don't mind

YANBU: No, I didn't know and I don't like the idea or I should at least have been asked to opt in

OP posts:
KrisAkabusi · 21/02/2024 21:44

Have you never actually scanned for WiFi in your house? It's very obvious if you do as it shows up in the list of available networks.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 22:10

I can't say I have, KrisAkabusi. I just quickly connect to our own. I didn't really notice the other ones popping up on the list, just assumed they are password protected and belong to neighbours. Recently I did notice an open one, but assumed it came from a mast or business. I didn't realise it came from our hub!

OP posts:
LauderSyme · 21/02/2024 22:17

Wow, so you pay for the WiFi then BT / EE offer it for free as a perk to any other bugger who is also paying them for the access? Talk about nice work if you can get it!

I would HATE strangers loitering outside my house. If my broadband was with BT / EE, this would make me find another provider pronto.

Acapulco12 · 21/02/2024 22:26

Can you change provider?

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 22:27

I feel the same, LauderSyme.

I don't know if other providers do it too or not, so it might be worth checking with yours.

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 21/02/2024 22:30

@ATadShocked a

Can you check if you have a password on your router because it sounds like you haven't.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 22:38

We have only quite recently signed up for a new contract, Acapulco12 and I also don't know if other providers do it too.

Several things have annoyed me about the experience, this use of our hub only being one of them. It had me wondering if I was the only one who didn't know, and so I thought I'd ask here.

I have opted out now, but that wasn't easy and it takes up to 28 days for our hub to stop being a hotspot! Strangers hanging about outside potentially for nearly another month does not seem great.

OP posts:
DoAWheelie · 21/02/2024 22:38

I thought this was well known. I was asked to opt in/out when it first got rolled out with my provider. I decided to opt out.

senua · 21/02/2024 22:38

I've just looked at our internet connections. There are six locally, in addition to ours. Six, with names like BT123XY45 or SKYabc, are locked but a very generic sounding "EE wifi" is unlocked. Is it a hotspot? I haven't noticed it before.

Yogatoga1 · 21/02/2024 22:39

BT have done this forever. Every time you see a BT hotspot it’s coming from someone’s router.

you either have to pay or be a BT customer though.

SweetBirdsong · 21/02/2024 22:40

Surely no-one can get in if you have a password?

ButWhatAboutTheBees · 21/02/2024 22:41

I'm not with BT and I knew this was the case.

I think Virgin did it briefly too

sprigatito · 21/02/2024 22:42

Does it matter? I mean, does it actually affect you? I'm confused.

OnceinaMinion · 21/02/2024 22:43

I mean if they are annoying you, you could switch it off for a few minutes (I know sometimes that can mess with your internet) and they’ll move along.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 22:45

Our hub is definitely password protected VeniVidiWeeWee and SweetBirdsong, and always has been. The public can still access it using either the BT/EE app or their customer log in details.

OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 21/02/2024 22:49

Does anyone actually need free WiFi enough to stand outside someone's house in the dark/cold etc. Especially when you could just use McDonald's WiFi etc for the price of a cup of coffee, or go to any shopping mall etc.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 21/02/2024 22:55

Snowflake760 · 21/02/2024 22:45

My word. That's astonishing.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 22:55

senua · 21/02/2024 22:38

I've just looked at our internet connections. There are six locally, in addition to ours. Six, with names like BT123XY45 or SKYabc, are locked but a very generic sounding "EE wifi" is unlocked. Is it a hotspot? I haven't noticed it before.

Yes, I think that will be a hotspot, possibly coming from your hub if you are a BT/EE customer, or from a neighbour who is.

I found out by looking at our Hub Manager online for something else. It was at the bottom of a long list and showing as 'activated'.

OP posts:
Saltandpeppero · 21/02/2024 22:59

I had no idea about this…Yet another reason for me to end my BT contract in spring.

itsfinallyover · 21/02/2024 23:02

I did know this because when I was with BT and had an app that automatically connected to hotspots it used to randomly connect to them when I was out running in residential areas, and if I ever drove the school run I knew if I parked outside a particular house I would be able to do a bit of work on my laptop while I waited🤷‍♀️

Haven't been with BT in years though so had forgotten all about it.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 23:05

DoAWheelie · 21/02/2024 22:38

I thought this was well known. I was asked to opt in/out when it first got rolled out with my provider. I decided to opt out.

I think that's fair enough if you were asked beforehand. I'm completely certain we were not asked. It just came as standard and our hub was pre-activated as a public wi-fi hotspot.

It will be interesting to see from the posts and votes how well known it is.

OP posts:
whatahat · 21/02/2024 23:07

This has been the case for decades...

HappiestSleeping · 21/02/2024 23:09

As others have said, it's been that way for ages. You can turn it off, but doing so means that you would not be able to have access to the free BT WiFi network when away from home.

It's a sort if shared thing. It is a separate network to your own WiFi, and your traffic is prioritised, so it shouldn't affect your user experience.

Original poster
ATadShocked · 21/02/2024 23:12

OnceinaMinion · 21/02/2024 22:43

I mean if they are annoying you, you could switch it off for a few minutes (I know sometimes that can mess with your internet) and they’ll move along.

I don't really want to have to faff around like that.

OP posts:
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