Not that long ago, Wi-Fi didn’t even exist. Now, it’s a common term and is usually the first thing people ask about when going anywhere. Our kids are growing up in a world where they are used to being “connected” at all times. They text, instant message, Snap, Instagram, Facetime, etc. at every waking moment and seem to wither away if there’s no internet connection. At the same time, they even need to get online to do schoolwork. As parents, it’s so hard to keep our kids balanced when it comes to being online. Comcast has a new service that can help. It’s called xFi and is available to all Comcast Xfinity customers at no extra charge.
Managing Your Home Wi-Fi Network with Kids
xFi is a service that allows you to take control of your home Wi-Fi. You can see exactly how many devices connect, assign them to groups, enable/disable usage remotely, block content, and set time limits on usage. It’s a great way for parents to easily turn off access during family meals or bedtime. Been there, done that.
Even though we have tried to keep our daughter’s online usage in check, it’s still an ongoing battle. That girl always finds ways to look things up on Google, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. We have even caught her reading comic books or watching videos when she should have been completing assignments, eating, or sleeping.
That’s the thing. We can’t take away her devices because she needs them for other things like school, reading, as an alarm clock, and keeping in touch with us. But, that makes it challenging for us to check on what she’s doing and when 100% of the time. It’s not possible unless our eyes are glued to her 24/7. But, with xFi, we can set rules and restrict her access when we KNOW she doesn’t need to be using it. Plus, it removes the temptation when her apps don’t work. 😛
Using xFi and the xFi App from Comcast
You can also watch the Wi-Fi usage of the whole family. xFi can track who is online the most and general usage stats. After assigning profiles, you can group all devices each person uses together. This way, everyone in the home can be a bit more balanced in how much screen time they are getting. Looks like Frans and I have some balance issues to work on too…
The best part is that the interface is easy to use. Other devices do have similar features but require more tech savviness to set up. xFi makes it simple to monitor and control the many connected devices. Just use the xFi app to set rules, check the Wi-Fi status, troubleshoot issues, or make changes to your account. If you have X1, you need to set a pin online before you set xFi up. This is for security purposes so someone doesn’t randomly set parental controls and lock you out!
If you are a Comcast customer and have the Xfinity service, then you have xFi. You just have to make sure you have the right equipment. Only certain xFi Gateways are compatible with xFi (Arris 1682G, Cisco 3941T, or Arris TG3482G). The xFi app will let you know if the everything is working right or not.
If you need to change out your gateway, just call Comcast. A technician will swap it out and get your service running again (and maybe pet your dog at the same time). When a new gateway is installed, just be mindful that it does take a bit of time to load everything. After that, you may have to go through several steps to set things up in the xFi app but it’s all pretty straightforward.
As a parent, I am always looking for ways to make the job of raising a teenager a little less stressful. That’s why xFi is such a welcome update to our Comcast Xfinity service. Setting rules for specific content or creating time limits helps keep my daughter in check when I’m not able to. Plus, it’s so convenient to pause all her devices in one tap if needed. The xFi app (iOS, Android) is a great resource, too, since I can change, edit, or fix things on my account straight from the app. I’m so glad Comcast made this service available to families!
I was compensated to try this service and write my honest experience with it. All opinions are my own.
