I remember trying to buy a TV that does not have "smart" functionality a few years ago. It was a chore. Today it seems impossible.
And not just TVs: ovens; refrigerators; dishwashers — all have "smart" options. In fact, it seems that more and more the available non-smart models are only the simpler ones, less performant in ways that are not related to any smart functionality missing.
My non-smart TV was available only with lower resolutions than "smart" models of the same brand.
1/
This really annoys me. I am too well aware of security implications of smart devices.
I do not want to have to manage regular software updates for whatever number of appliances I have at home, or risk somebody using them in a botnet (or worse).
And no, I don't trust their "disable WiFi" menu options either. Seen this setting get enabled without my consent too many times.
I *could* put them on a special VLAN, but 99% of people can't. That's a problem, and not just for them.
2/
@rysiek Even if Wi-Fi is enabled, smart TVs can't connect to the Internet unless someone actually keys in their Wi-Fi password, no?
@ocdtrekkie can't find the source right now, but there was at least one case of a major ISP, I think in the USA, that deployed home WiFi routers that created a special secret WiFi networks that were not controlled by their users. They were there for other customers of the company to have WiFi away from home, so to speak.
So yeah, people should not trust their routers either.
@rysiek @ocdtrekkie Comcast, I believe.
There's also Amazon Sidewalk.
Fedi delivers!
@roywig @rysiek Sidewalk I find especially uncomfortable, because it uses non-networking devices to provide networking. (Apple and Google are also building their own secret shadow networks as well, it's basically how AirTags work, where they piggyback off other devices they own in the vicinity to get location and transmit small amounts of data.)
@roywig @rysiek @ocdtrekkie To be fair, the Comcast/xfinity one was never secret, and there's an option to disable it in the settings.
That isn't to say it isn't bad, though. Most users won't think to look for the setting. Also, I seem to recall that certain kinds of resets (one of the first things they try if you call support about a non-working connection) will re-enable the public wifi, so you have to remember to go back and turn it off again.
I eventually ended up buying my own cable modem, which is both more reliable and doesn't even have wifi support, so there's no risk of that feature coming back for me. It's also cheaper, in the long run.
Circling back to the original topic, I'd be surprised if loT devices could use the Comcast wifi, as I believe it requires a Comcast login.Though on the other hand, I suppose some manufacturers may have a deal with Comcast to let their devices bypass the login.
@rysiek Yes, that's Comcast. However, it's not secret, and you can shut it off. (And you can also buy your own modem instead of renting, which is generally preferable to save money anyhow.)
It actually provides a direct service to Comcast customers: I can connect to the xfinitywifi network on someone else's router if I am a Comcast customer, and the usage gets billed/associated to me, not the place I am.
Also a TV wouldn't be able to arbitrarily route over it either, because of captive portal.
@rysiek British Telecomm do that with their standard routers. It's not a particularly secret network, it announces its SSID, etc.
@edavies oh, this is useful info. Any link about this?
@rysiek https://www.btwifi.co.uk/
I forget the SSID but it's something obvious like BT-WiFi. My neighbours have a BT router which advertises this SSID as well as their own SSID but their router's off now - presumably because they've gone to bed.
I'm not sure but I seem to remember that the owner gets priority on most of the bandwidth so doesn't really lose out much by it.
@edavies @rysiek @ocdtrekkie ah, i remember poking around behind the captive portal there and finding private IP addresses that pointed to large CDNs that could be used to connect to tor
probably still works, too.
@edavies @rysiek @ocdtrekkie So do Virginmedia, though you can supposedly opt out of it. I've not noticed an extra SSID, and have opted out of it, but who knows whether the router actually takes any notice of my choice.
@rysiek @ocdtrekkie this is true. The company is Comcast. They set up their routers to connect to a universal broadband wifi network. So you could basically log into your Comcast account anywhere you could connect to one of their routers. The only way around it was to use your own router, but most people don’t know anything about that. Even though I’d never use Comcast and use another ISP, I own my own router and have it on lockdown for this reason.
@rysiek @ocdtrekkie
Many ISPs (and off the shelf routers) here in NZ offer this as a mesh networking "feature".
It saves money for the ISP and adds hazard for their customers.
@rysiek BT Does this here in the UK.
Always thought this was extremely dodgy, especially since it's opt out, rather than opt in.
@rysiek @ocdtrekkie
here in Germany multiple ISPs do this. really annoying
@rysiek
@ocdtrekkie Comcast? I know they have something like that, though it's not so secret.
@rysiek @ocdtrekkie XFinity does this. You can opt out, but it's on by default.