What is BRCM-LVG under shared? Is my computer being hacked?

It is coming from your modem. For an example on how to configure it, see http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comcastonline2/support/help/faqs/wireless_gateway /HOW5220_TC_8717_User_Guide.pdf

Duane

any idea what, in particular, should be changed to eliminate this alarming device?

It isn't an alarming device, simply part of the services provided by that modem. If you want to eliminate it you will need to get rid of the modem.

I read several posts above that said new users of technicolor cable modems were seeing Broadcom direct-connect drives as part of their own Networks, and were alarmed by that.

I guess the device manufacturer thought that it would be easier for users if they automatically enabled the service. It can be disconcerting to see an unknown device appear in the Sharing section.

One the thing to remember is that when things appear in the Sharing section it only means that you can see them. It does not mean that you are sharing anything to them.

With cable-TV wiring, a Router that services all the Routers in your neighborhood is often located on a pole in your neighborhood, and the connection for all the individually-controlled Routers is a multiplexed connection, that is, it has traffic for every device in your neighborhood (and your Router picks off the correct packets by address). Going upstream, the situation is similar -- all the upstream traffic is combined onto the upstream data pathway as well, and has the potential to be visible to everyone in the neighborhood.

I agree that this is likely some sort of mis-configuration that allows your neighbors' devices to show as "Shared" on your network, but I am not certain just what the error is. Perhaps it is a side effect of Bonjour discovery.

BRCM is the stock symbol for Broadcom Corporation. They make semiconductors for wired & wireless communications. Company products are embedded in many communication products.

I found the same BRCM stuff on my PC. I use Comcast and have a Netgear cable modem router.

I bet that this feature is built into a chip manufactured by Broadcom.

Welcome to the intrusive world of "internet for everything," and turd-based computing.

focus123

I am fairly certain this is one of the neighbors' Broadcom Routers, possibly with a Server attached. It is not merely a chip inside your Mac.

When these show up, it is invariably on Cable-TV wiring, which has the unusual "shared" connection for every device in a neighborhood I described above. (unlike say, DSL or FIOS, where only one customer's data appears at the main Network Interface.)

This shared BRCM-LVG showed up on my Mac when we got a new ISP "Time Warner Cable" and they installed a Tricolor TC8715D router/modem. It concerned me so thought I would try a quick Google search and found this forum. Not being one of these "everyone's out to get me" conspiracy nuts I thought I would do some research so here's what I've found. zhen424 seems to be right on the money. I went through the setting and found my DLNA and Digital Media Server and USB Settings were all on by default. Turned them all off. Reset router. A quick IP scan later and the mysterious BRCM-LVG device is gone.

Here's how I understand this works. If you wish to... you could connect a Hard Drive via USB to your shiny new router and use it as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device. But, in order to access this, now wirelessly connected, mass storage device there needs to be a intermediary device that handles the connection, searches said HD for files and transfers to PC, takes incoming files from PC and writes them to the HHD, etc. Built into the TC8715D there exists such a device and it's main chipset is made by Broadcom which explain the name. Now... if you're still worried about it, just turn off the features i mentioned above, reset the router and eject the BRCM-LVG device from your Macs. Enjoy!

Ray --

What a great post! Excellent, really. The Original Poster is long gone, but you found the answer and poster it here.

I'm sure it will help many other future readers searching to the answer to that question.

Thanks so much.

Just thought I'd share what I found. Thanks ~Bee!

Broadcom is the leading manufacturer of wireless chipsets. There's probably a Broadcom chip in your Mac.

LVG stands for Logical Volume Groups. Volume groups contain volumes which are used for storage.

Found on my Cisco router at tab " Storage & Sharing"

Device Name : Cisco-Lvg and "Enabel Advanced Access Protocols to attached NAS Storage"

with 2 access Methods, links and ports.

- Windows Network Connection \\CISCI-LVG and

- FTP (via internet).

Disabeled The Windows Network, and it disappeared from Finder.

By no means an expert but it works for me.

Had same issue.

Turned of modem

went to sys pref sharing - unticked remote login

turned modem back on

BRCM gone

hope this helps

Same issue! I got creeped out big time but given the discussion on the post doesn't look like it's malware etc. If someone else finds anything definitive please share. many thanks in advance !