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from the apparently-we-don't-own-the-hardware dept.
The Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) rules on Wi-Fi router firmware are having an effect on the market:
Network gear maker TP-Link will no longer allow people to install customized firmware on its Wi-Fi routers in the US – and the FCC is to blame. In a brief statement and FAQ posted this week, TP-Link – which is based in Shenzhen, China – said the FCC's revised rules on radio-based equipment makes user reprogrammable firmware illegal in America, and therefore it cannot sell in the US routers that can be re-flashed by their owners.
"Devices sold in the United States will have firmware and wireless settings that ensure compliance with local laws and regulations related to transmission power," TP-Link said. "As a result of these necessary changes, users are not able to flash the current generation of open-source, third-party firmware."
[...] The FCC earlier backed off a bit on the matter, but maintains it will not allow devices that can be re-flashed to operate outside authorized radio frequency bands. TP-Link, however, said that the FCC rules as they stand will not allow it to offer people the ability to reprogram their router firmware.
"The FCC requires all manufacturers to prevent users from having any direct ability to change RF [radio frequency] parameters (frequency limits, output power, country codes, etc)," TP-Link stated. "In order to keep our products compliant with these implemented regulations, TP-LINK is distributing devices that feature country-specific firmware."
Previously: New FCC Rules Could Ban WiFi Router Firmware Modification
FCC Clarifies Position on WiFi Routers: Okay to Modify OS but Not Radio Firmware
(Score: 2, Interesting) by pTamok on Sunday March 13 2016, @11:33AM
Given that manufacturers already have to comply with differing regulations in differing parts of the world, I hope that it is a viable option (in business terms) to offer re-flashable routers outside the USA.
If there are good business reasons for doing so (i.e. it is sufficiently profitable), then there might be a push for the locked rf stage to be separated from the re-programmable parts, so that modifying the firmware cannot change the rf behaviour. It would have to be pretty profitable, though, as increasing the component count and number of production steps increases costs.
(Score: 2) by Nerdfest on Sunday March 13 2016, @02:33PM
How about we actually get the law fixed so that the illegal stuff is punished rather than the equipment that *might* be used to do it. Seriously, if boosted signals are causing problems, start hunting them down and punishing people. This is a poorly disguised attack on freedoms.