“OpenWRT vs. FCC – Forced Firmware Lockdown?” Video and Presentation Slides

The article about the new FCC rules that may prevent installing OpenWRT, DD-WRT or other third party firmware on Wi-Fi routers and access-point generated quite a buzz at the end of the last month. The “OpenWRT vs. FCC – Forced firmware lockdown?” presentation that started that discussion took place yesterday during BattleMesh V8 event, and the video has now been uploaded to YouTube.

Sound quality could be better, and the slides are not shown on the video, but you can download the PDF slides to have an easier time following the presentation.

Some keys points include:

  • The requirement to lock firmware are likely to affect all users, not only those living in countries following the FCC regulations.
  • Not only WiFI access points would be affected, but also phones, tablets with CyanogenMod, and more.
  • Vendors will have to “describe in detail how the device is protected from “flashing” and the installation of third-party firmware such as DD-WRT”
  • Goal of the new rules: preventing users from using illegal channels on the 2.4 GHz band, using too high transmission power, using DFS channels in 5.3 – 5.7GHz band without having DFS functionality, and avoiding interfering with (airport) terminal-area doppler weather radars.
  • June 1, 2016 is the cut off date when devices certified with the old rules can’t be marketed anymore.
  • Comments on the rules @ http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=15-170 are accepted until August 16, 2015.

You can also read the Etherpad notes for more links.

Thanks to Zoobab again.

Share this:

Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress

ROCK Pi 4C Plus
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.
12 Comments
oldest
newest
Demetris
8 years ago

All i see is chinese companies getting very very very very rich+famous!
Nice move and thanks for getting me pay taxes on my new and shiny china router

deets
deets
8 years ago

This doesn’t have to be a big problem for future generation chipsets because the manufacturer can enforce restrictions at the radio layer through protected memory or signature verification without applying additional restrictions on other layers. The problems will be that the manufacturer will be cheap/lazy and just lock down the overall device instead. And this will pose a problem for current chipsets because the rules are being implemented too quickly. Really they should just have additional labeling requirements like every other potentially harmful good. “Warning: any modification of … Which causes violation of … Is punishible by …”. But I… Read more »

No
No
8 years ago

OK everybody: Send them comments that this is the WORST IDEA EVER.

leandro
leandro
8 years ago

Bad idea…….

Drone
Drone
8 years ago

Big Gubment Take Care of You – You Pay Big Gubment All Your Money As TAX for Say Thank You! Be Sure Vote for Big Gubment Again Next Time 🙂

Nuclear missile
Nuclear missile
8 years ago

I support this nuff said.

David
6 years ago

Hi every body,
Is there any update on this issue? Currently, I cannot flash OpenWRT on TP-Link Archer C7 Version 2

Khadas VIM4 SBC