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BT Wifi - turning it off

Need_for_Speed — Tue, 02 May 2023 14:38:15 GMT

Hi,

I was wondedring on the security of the BT-Wifi channel which BT has implimented from my smarthub to provide the public with a hot spot near my house. Whilst i can understand the reason behind this, i cannot help it can be used for malisous perposes against the very people whom have this facility on their Hub . What is top stop someone (ie trades person) with their own BT-WiFi credentials installing a hidden survellance device in my home that uses the BT-Wifi service. Surley this feature just allows a way to curcomvent the hubs normal security. Is there any way i can check who has been using BT Wifi channel broadcast from my Hub or a way to turn it off?.

Re: BT Wifi - turning it off

licquorice — Tue, 02 May 2023 14:42:36 GMT

BT WiFi is totally independent and secure from your home network.

You can turn it off if you wish in MyBT

Re: BT Wifi - turning it off

DarrenDev — Tue, 02 May 2023 14:53:14 GMT

There's nothing to stop a tradesperson installing a device with 4G mobile access - BT Wifi doesn't really add anything to the equation.

It is fully security tested and is perfectly safe to use (and has been available for many years). As stated above though, you can turn it off.
You can't check who has used it - this would be an unfair invasion of the privacy of the people connecting to it.

Re: BT Wifi - turning it off

gg30340 — Tue, 02 May 2023 14:54:14 GMT

As has been pointed out BTWifi is a separate network from your private home network and it can not be used to access your private network.

Anybody wishing to use BTWifi has to sign onto it using their BTID and which is recorded with BT. Nothing used on the BTWifi hotspot is tied to you so there would not be a "knock" at your door if somebody used it for an illegal purpose.

You can not check who has been using it because in effect it is not your network and you therefore have no right to know who has been using it in the same way if you choose to use a BTWifi hotspot the person whose hotspot you use would have no idea that you used it.

You can opt out of the BTWifi hotspot however that would mean that you could not use any BTWifi hotspot when you are out and about if you ever found that you wanted to.

See links about BTWifi

How secure are BT Wi-fi hotspots? | BT Help

Get wireless Internet | Find wi-fi hotspots | BT Wi-Fi (btwifi.co.uk)

How do I use BT Wi-fi, find hotspots and get online? | BT Help