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Hackaday sounds the alarm and along with ThinkPenguin, the EFF, FSF, Software Freedom Law Center, Software Freedom Conservancy, OpenWRT, LibreCMC, Qualcomm, and others have created the SaveWiFi campaign (archive.is capture, real link is at this overloaded server) , providing instructions on how to submit a formal complaint to the FCC regarding this proposed rule. The comment period is closing on September 8, 2015.
From Hackaday:
Under the rule proposed by the FCC, devices with radios may be required to prevent modifications to firmware. All devices operating in the 5GHz WiFi spectrum will be forced to implement security features to ensure the radios cannot be modified. While prohibiting the modification of transmitters has been a mainstay of FCC regulation for 80 years, the law of unintended consequences will inevitably show up in full force: because of the incredible integration of electronic devices, this proposed regulation may apply to everything from WiFi routers to cell phones. The proposed regulation would specifically ban router firmwares such as DD-WRT, and may go so far as to include custom firmware on your Android smartphone.
A lot is on the line. The freedom to modify devices you own is a concern, but the proposed rules prohibiting new device firmware would do much more damage. The economic impact would be dire, the security implications would be extreme, and emergency preparedness would be greatly hindered by the proposed restrictions on router firmware. The FCC is taking complaints and suggestions until September 8th.
Leave a comment for the FCC via this link to the Federal Register
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 04 2015, @08:24AM
I should create an account for this, but it's probably too late for anyone to read this anyway; still, I'm gonna post it because it's the truth.
The reason this is being done is because of interference to the C-band radars, particularly FAA Terminal Doppler Weather Radars (TDWRs) operating between 5600-5650 MHz. Because of the Congressional mandates for MOAR SPECTRUM, this wi-fi band was originally opened up to unlicensed devices, then closed again due to interference from assholes who thought they owned the spectrum. Since (almost?) all Wi-Fi radios made now are software-defined, they can be made, though programming, to transmit at any frequency within the passband of the output filter, thus, they want things locked down like CBs and cell phone baseband chips. The flip side is that that creates problems with those who aren't assholes including hams (who have an allocation staring around 5790 MHz, if I remember right) and those who just don't want to get pwned.
In other words, some assholes have made certain that we can't have nice things. Lather, rinse, repeat...
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-NII [wikipedia.org]
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/3200-series-rugged-integrated-services-routers-isr/data_sheet_c78-647116.html [cisco.com]
http://www.telecommediatechlaw.com/broadband/fcc-fines-broadband-operator-for-causing-interference-to-tdwr-operations-readies-rulemaking-proceedi/ [telecommediatechlaw.com]
And for you Canadians: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10971.html#s6.4 [ic.gc.ca]
(Score: 2) by Anal Pumpernickel on Friday September 04 2015, @05:33PM
In other words, some assholes have made certain that we can't have nice things.
Stop right there. You seem to be giving credence to the notion that we should ban things entirely merely because they could be abused. That is a notion that would result in just about everything being banned, if we were even slightly consistent. You are in opposition to freedom. I would rather risk 'abuses' than take everyone's freedoms away.
The people who are responsible for rules like these are the ones making them. The blame falls squarely on them. This is also true of the Unpatriotic Act and other post-9/11 violations of our liberties; it was not the fault of the terrorists, but of our government.