Is Cox turning your home Wi-Fi into a public hotspot? The details you need to know

In March 2020, Cox sent out an email notifying internet subscribers that their personal Panoramic Wi-Fi routers would be automatically updated to allow use from other subscribers as a public hotspot. 

Many Cox internet subscribers expressed outrage as the email did not clarify how users could deactivate the feature and whether or not the additional traffic would impact their home connections.

The good news is that other major providers like Xfinity have been utilizing this practice for years to help customers save on data usage and to connect internet users across the country.

Let’s take a look at which users will be affected by the update, how it will impact home internet connections and the steps subscribers can take to disable the Cox Hotspots setting once and for all.

Who is affected by the Cox Hotspots update?

Unless you’re currently using the Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Gateway router, you don’t have to worry about the hotspot update. However, if you’re currently renting this device from Cox, yours will be one of the routers affected by the change.

Will the Cox Hotspot update impact my internet speeds or data usage?

Your home network data stream and the Cox Hotspots data stream are separate and will not affect your monthly data usage or slow your internet speeds. Activity and usage from a guest user will be associated with their Cox account. However, you may experience lags as more and more users connect to either the 2.4 or 5 GHz bands. This is most common during a time known as “Internet Rush Hour.”

How do I disable the Cox Hotspots feature?

As previously mentioned, the feature is automatically enabled in Cox Panoramic Wi-Fi Gateway routers, so you’ll have to disable it on your own.

Disable Cox hotspots in 4 easy steps:

1. Visit cox.com/myprofile and log into your account using the username and password associated with your Cox services.
2. Navigate to the Password & Security section.
3. Choose Privacy Settings and locate the Cox Hotspot section.
4. Click Disable to deactivate the feature.

You may enable or disable the Cox Hotspots setting as often as you like. 

Reasons to enable Cox Hotspots

The feature may come in handy if you’re hosting guests that also happen to be Cox internet subscribers. Your guest will only need to be in the vicinity of your network to login using their own Cox account information. After the initial login, your guests will automatically connect to the hotspot every time they’re within range. This way, your guests stay connected and you never have to reveal the embarrassing name and password to your Wi-Fi network.

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