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Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers

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On Wed, 9 Sep 2015, Oregonian Haruspex wrote:

> On 2015-09-07 05:27:55 +0000, RS Wood said:
>
>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/05/fcc_software_updates/
>> 
>> Analysis America's broadband watchdog is suffering a backlash over plans to 
>> control software updates to Wi-Fi routers, smartphones, and even laptops.
>> In a proposed update [PDF] to the regulator's rules over radiofrequency 
>> equipment, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would oblige 
>> manufacturers to "specify which parties will be authorized to make software 
>> changes."
>> In addition, it proposes that "modifications by third parties should not be 
>> permitted unless the third party receives its own certification."
>
> This runs afoul of the radio amateur's lawful right to modify devices for our 
> own use.  Many amateurs use modified wi-fi gear because parts of the wi-fi 
> spectrum fall inside the amateur bands.
>
Except they are talking about license free activity, which doesn't need a 
license but is limited in operation.  They don't want just anyone 
tampering with the things.

The precedence is all those CB amplifiers.  They were sold as amplifiers 
for amateur radio, I can even remember the Lafayette catalog page where 
they had an amplifier on the CB page and stated "illegal for Class D 
citizen band use", but since they needed only a few watts input, and put 
out only about 40 watts, they clearly were intended for the CB market.

So about 1977, the US FCC put in regulations about amplifiers that worked 
in the general frequency range.  So you couldn't buy one that worked at 10 
metres, you had to get a kit and prove you had a ham license to get it. 
Or something like that.  The intent wasn't to restrict hams, but to 
eliminate or at least reduce the use of amplifiers on CB.

   Michael


> Anyway how are they going to control anything?  Consumer product regulation 
> is shit these days at best.  Many different non-conforming items make it into 
> the USA and produce all kinds of interference, and the FCC prefers to make 
> exceptions (like the infamous white-box exception) rather than crack down on 
> sellers, importers, and manufacturers of goods that violate part 15 rules.
>

> There are many cases of people, hams mostly, finding some new piece of wonder 
> junk consumer technology in their house is putting out all kinds of 
> interference, opening it, and noticing parts omitted from the design like 
> filters, shielding or screening, and so forth.  Samsung is pretty notorious 
> for omitting parts designed for part 15 compliance once they get type 
> approval and go into production but they are by no means the only company 
> doing this.
>
> The FCC can barely get off its ass to enforce anything these days.  Mostly it 
> seems like an industry trade association to me.  Even if they pass these 
> rules, enforcement will be minimal to nonexistant.  How many new consumer 
> products are introduced into the US market per year, that have the capability 
> to have a software change impact the radio?  Thousands, or tens of thousands.
>
>

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America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2015-09-07 08:27 +0300
  Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2015-09-07 09:48 +0200
    Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers Andy Burns <usenet.feb2014@adslpipe.co.uk> - 2015-09-07 09:32 +0100
  Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-09 14:52 -0700
    Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-09 22:33 -0400
      Re: America's FCC to crack down on wifi routers Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-10 14:42 -0700

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