They’re saying it’s for “national security” reasons. The rule only applies to consumer/residential routers, not routers designed for businesses and enterprises.
Currently, nearly all consumer routers are made outside the US.
2 Likes
I would be surprised if this isn’t struck down by the courts. The infrastructure just does not exist in the US for this ban to work unless the FCC makes so many exemptions that the ban becomes effectively meaningless.
1 Like
You’re assuming logic still exists in the US. It’s no longer for the case. I feel the reaction to any such news is or should be - whatever will happen will happen so you shrug and move on.
That sounds like burying your head in the sand with more steps.
So many questions, for example:
The fuck?
They are only banning “consumer routers.” I wonder how they differentiate. Is Ubiquiti consumer grade? Are we going to see an explosion in “small business routers”?
Like little text that says “not for residential use” like how people are buying peptides/drugs online that are “not for human consumption” these days?
Is this a ploy to get everyone to use cell phones that are more easily tracked?
Once again, like “stopping terrorists” or “protecting children,” this is another attack on the American people in the name of “security.” When will we stop accepting “security” as an excuse?
8 Likes
No. That’s more like being exhausted and giving up making sense of things. You do what you need to and however you can, and move on.
That’s really how I meant my comment to be read.
1 Like
When the general populace becomes critical thinkers and asks the very same question. Don’t think we should be waiting for it to happen anytime soon.
4 Likes
Yeah its expecially confusing given how the FCC defines routers
Routers: For the purpose of this determination, the term “Routers” is defined by National
Institute of Science and Technology’s Internal Report 8425A to include consumer-grade
networking devices that are primarily intended for residential use and can be installed by the customer. Routers forward data packets, most commonly Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between networked systems.
I do wonder if companies will argue that they do not sell “routers” they sell “WiFi enabled switches”.
Expect to see an up tick on the sale of devices like the Raspberry Pi but with at least two Ethernet ports instead of one. “Gee Dad, it’s not a router, it’s a computer.” Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
4 Likes
A couple of things to note about this decision:
1- It does not apply to existing router and router certification.
2- They state in their decision :
’ Producers of consumer-grade routers that receive Conditional Approval from DoW or DHS can continue to receive FCC equipment authorization’‘
3- American could bypass this restriction buy buying product from amazon.ca, the Canadian FCC has almost the same technicals standards than the FCC.
Free market, law of supply and demand /s
1 Like
Courts generally give broad deference to the government in national security concerns. Don’t see how this is illegal in any way.
Its just an overreach. As @ctf said
All these major brands will bring lawsuits and I expect the courts will eventually rule the FCC doesn’t have the authority to make this type of ban.
Remember a lot of issues brought before courts don’t have to revolve around the question of if the action was illegal. Government agencies constantly do things that are not explicitly legal or illegal and its for the courts to decide what the line is.
you’ll pry my Mikrotiks out of my cold, dead hands… i just can’t see this as being feasible in any kind of timeframe. there are, AFAIK, zero production facs here in NA to even remotely meet consumer demand. unless the evil twins (Google & Apple) magically pull something out of the ether…
1 Like
it does not apply to the current certified products. Only to newer ones.
OpenWRT or bust
2 Likes
TBH, I see this as another move by the US president to “encourage" manufacturing back into the US, or if they don’t , they can try to pay the ransom for so called “exemption“.
Look how Tiktok thing played out, privacy / security / protection, etc. are all buzz words of profit, power and control.
I wonder why consumer routers is restricted, while most traffic are actually encrypted, but phones/ tablets / PCs, the actual place that data and traffic are being stored and generated, are not.
Well. I say I wonder but really I am not.
1 Like
I too think this will be struck down. There is so much importing going on in the US, this would set a terrible precedent.
Router backdoors must be local to the nation. Routers with foreign backdoors will be banned.
Perhaps manufacturing will return to the US.
2 Likes