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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: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday March 13 2016, @04:43PM
I suppose that for many householders, the untidiness entailed by your approach outweighs the flexibility, longer time until obsolescence, and easier troubleshooting that it affords.
Some people use Wi-Fi in order to have fewer wires. For them, having the access point separate from the router is unappealing because it implies an additional Ethernet cable and another power supply, which in turn requires another mains outlet and possibly the use of an outlet strip where one wouldn't have been needed (outlets commonly coming in pairs). A single unit must be cheaper to manufacture, besides.
Standing with those who dislike nests of wires are, I suppose, people who prefer the appearance of a single box to that of two, three or four (modem + router + Wi-Fi AP + VOIP ATA), and people who assume the former is simpler to live with. For those who aren't good at cable management, that assessment can easily be correct. Ever broken the tab off an RJ-45 connector, then used it anyway?