[Hidden-tech] Security and coverage for shared WiFi

[Duane Dale]

Dear H-Techers:

In advance, forgive me if these are naive questions or have been addressed
previously.

Consider this scenario:
* A homeowner has a "mother-in-law apartment" which is rented to tenants.
   Imagine that these parties don't know each other well.
* The chosen internet option is Comcast.
* A Comcast-provided cable modem-wireless router is the default option.
* Because it's nominally a single-family house, Comcast says it's
prohibited from providing two separate accounts.
* Comcast says it could (for an additional fee, of course) install two
separate cable modem-routers on the same account.

The security question:
* If the two parties share one WiFi account, is there a security risk?
  (Assume, of course, that banking and other sensitive use is with https
sites.)
* If there is a security risk, how does it compare to risks at an airport?
    ... in an apartment building (without shared WiFi access)?
     ...drive-by "listening" to WiFi activity.
* Would the second Comcast WiFi "box" reduce security risks?
* Would hard-wiring a third-party wireless router into a single Comcast box
provide a separate log-in? ...and would that reduce security risks?

The coverage question:
If the house is large enough to have coverage issues (or has out-buildings
where coverage is weak)...
* Is there a WiFi Extender device that anyone would recommend?
* Would hard-wiring a third-party wireless router into the Comcast box --
with a long Cat5 cable to take that second box into the weaker zone -- help?

Thanks!
Duane Dale
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