bt wifi hotspots

[mptbowl]

Ok We have unlimited broadband at home.  At the moment I am clearing the flat after a bereavement and have been happily using a Bt wifi hotspot to log on to the internet. It wasn't particularly reliable and it would dip out and you would have to sign back in but I was ok with this as I was thankful for getting on line, full stop.   I woke up this morning and the wifi hotspot had literally disappeared.  Not even in the available wifi menu

My question is.  Am I using somebody else's hub in one of the other flats as a wifi hotspot.  I know one of the other residence was going to France for the weekend and maybe he had turned off his router and maybe that is why I can't access the bt wifi hotspot.  So if I am using their hub as a wifi hotspot will I be impacting their internet usage.

Ok just to recap  In a block of 4 flats there is one resident with a bt hub (router) am I piggy backing off his router to gain a bt wifi hotspot and will I be impacting his internet usage.     If this is not the case and the bt wifi hotspot is independent of any resident then why has it suddenly disappeared all of a sudden cheers Michael

[imjolly]

Your BTWIFI connection will come from another BT  customer and up to the customer whether they leave hub connected or turned off.  You are not impacting on the hub owners broadband and if hub owner maxes out his broadband connection then you will lose your connection

[gg30340]

You will not be impacting their usage but the BT customer whose BT hub is broadcasting the BTWifi  signal has no obligation to have their router transmit the BTWifi signal. They can turn it off or opt out of the BTWifi system at any time.

It may also be the case that the BT hub has just stopped transmitting the signal for what ever reason and needs the BT Hub restarted to clear it.

BT have no control over that and it would be up to the owner to restart the hub. 

[mptbowl]

Heh thanks for the speedy reply.  So somebody within range with a bt router(hub) are in effect my bt wifi hotspot.  Is that right? He left his flat very early this morning (about 5am).  It will be interesting to see if the available wifi menu shows he has turned it back on when he gets back.  Crikey I feel all sleuth like.  Michael

[gg30340]

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@mptbowl wrote:

Heh thanks for the speedy reply.  So somebody within range with a bt router(hub) are in effect my bt wifi hotspot.  Is that right?  Yes.

[mptbowl]

Hi Thanks for your reply.  The main thing is that I don't want to impact his usage so what you've told me is a relief.  If he's not being impacted then I doubt if he has opted out which is a reasonable option by Bt.  I will be interested to see what happens when he gets back.   To be fair I cannot give you an "accepted solution" thumbs up until he gets back. 

cheers M

[mptbowl]

Of course if he has opted out of transmitting the wifi signal, well I will never know.  Except, I suppose, by asking him

[mptbowl · Accepted solution]

Well he's back and the wifi hotspot has returned.  So thumbs up and thanks for your help. M