<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<font size="-1">From tlkingan at <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=8141531&cid=50686561">http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=8141531&cid=50686561</a><br>
<br>
<br>
And that's what the FCC really wants The problem the FCC is seeing
right now is the modified firmware allows access to frequencies
that aren't allowed to be used for WiFI in the US. This is more
than just channels 12 and 13 on 2.4GHz, but also on the complex
5GHz band.<br>
<br>
The FCC has many complaints already from airports and other
entities whose radar is being interfered with by 5GHz WiFi (the
band plan is complex enough that channels are "locked out" because
they're used by higher priority services like radar).<br>
<br>
And you really can't blame the open firmware guys either - mostly
because they don't know any better and they only build one binary
that works for all devices worldwide. (the available channels on
5GHz vary per country - depending on the radar in use).<br>
<br>
All the FCC really wants (and they've clarified it in the Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking) is the steps wifi manufacturers are taking
to prevent people from loading on firmware that does not comply
with FCC regulations - i.e., allows transmissions on frequencies
they are not allowed to transmit on.<br>
<br>
It can either take place as hardware (filters blocking out the
frequencies), or software that cannot be modified by the open
firmware (e.g., firmware on wifi chip reads a EEPROM or something
and locks out those frequencies).<br>
<br>
The thing it cannot be is rely on "goodwill" or firmware that
respects the band plan - i.e., you cannot rely on "blessed" open
firmware that only uses the right frequencies (because anyone can
modify it to interfere).<br>
<br>
The FCC has all the powers to enforce compliance right now - users
of open firmware who are caught creating interference with higher
priority services can already be fined, equipment seized and all
that stuff (and that would not include just the WiFi router - any
WiFi device like PCs can be seized if they attach to that
network). That's the heavy handed legal approach they have.
However, they don't want to do that, because most users probably
don't realize the problem, and the FCC really doesn't want to
destroy all that stuff. So instead, the FCC is working with
manufacturers to fix the issue at the source.<br>
<br>
The problem lies in the fact that most manufacturers are cheap and
will not spend a penny more, so instead of locking out the radio
from interfering, they'll lock out the entire firmware.<br>
<br>
The FCC mentions DD-WRT and all that by name because their
investigations revealed that when they investigate interference,
the offending routers run that firmware (and which doesn't lock
out frequencies that they aren't supposed to transmit on).<br>
<br>
<br>
</font> <br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
David Collier-Brown, | Always do right. This will gratify
System Programmer and Author | some people and astonish the rest
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:davecb@spamcop.net">davecb@spamcop.net</a> | -- Mark Twain
</pre>
</body>
</html>