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386

The US government just banned consumer routers made outside the US (www.theverge.com)

submitted 1 day ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

54 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The US claims foreign-made routers pose national security risks.

In December, the Federal Communications Commission banned all future drones made in foreign countries from being imported into the United States, unless or until their maker gets an exemption. Now, the FCC has done the exact same for consumer networking gear, citing “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.”

If you already have a Wi-Fi or wired router, you can keep on using it — and companies that have already gotten FCC radio authorization for a specific foreign-made product can continue to import that product.

But since the vast majority — if not all — consumer routers are manufactured outside the United States, the vast majority of future consumer routers are now banned. By adding all foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List, the FCC is saying it will no longer authorize their radios, which de facto bans new devices from import into the country.

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[–] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Well, I tried to get y'all to stock up on drones a year ago

Unrelated: drones make a great Christmas gift for that recently laid off, benefits denied, recently diagnosed with a disease caused by known carcinogens in their everything, injured at work, under paid and exploited person you know.

Get em before they’re deemed a safety hazard and pulled from shelves.

For some reason the above comment gives an error of Error when viewed outside my comments.

https://lemmy.ca/post/34476205/13234882

Maybe I made them ban drones:

I may have suggested some things.

You may have to copy and paste that link - voyager refuses to open it.

[–] bagsy@lemmy.world 1 points 3 hours ago

OPNSense and a 2 NIC PC are all you need.

[–] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 12 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

It's always projection. This means the dark empire is weaponizing commercial drones and wifi routers and everything else. They don't want anyone to do to them, what they will now do to you.

[–] Zacpod@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

That was exactly my thought. "Oh, this means thar the US has Spyware on the routers produced inside the USA, and any US drone has killswitches built in."

[–] halfsak@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Yup. You'll need to insert your ID into the US govt approved router as well

[–] Sabata11792@ani.social 1 points 1 hour ago

Just hold up to the camera on the router.

[–] ramble81@lemmy.zip 33 points 16 hours ago

Wait, it talks about FCC radio authorization. However that doesn’t make it a router, just an access point. Quite a few routers (thinking the Pro-sumer Uniquiti UXG models) don’t even have radios and aren’t wireless so there’s no radio they can withhold certification on. This could affect AIOs but all you’d have to do is separate your router from your AP.

Definitely sounds like a quickly thrown out, half baked shakedown (bribe) measure with something they could control (radio authorization) and just targeted routers since that’s a common place they are.

[–] Skankhunt420@sh.itjust.works 13 points 15 hours ago

United on Spying on our Asses.

[–] pHr34kY@lemmy.world 36 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Many people will soon find joy in slapping a 4-port NIC into an old PC and learning nftables, BIND9 and kea.

[–] psoul@lemmy.world 19 points 14 hours ago

It’s nftables little Bobby Tables’ brother?

[–] Skankhunt420@sh.itjust.works 6 points 15 hours ago

I will find joy in learning about all of these things now.

Thank you!

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 52 points 21 hours ago

Let me guess, Don Jr. conveniently started a router company yesterday?

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 20 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

They COULD just regulate these things...

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Seriously, how hard is it to write a blanket, "No spyware allowed in electronics whatsoever" law and call it a day?

[–] inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world 11 points 15 hours ago

Nooooooo! The free market hates regulation.

But, loves... banning? Wait, that can't be right...

[–] GreenShimada@lemmy.world 58 points 23 hours ago

until their maker gets an exemption

Ah, yes, how to ask for a bribe 101.

[–] Substance_P@lemmy.world 120 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Here's a list of all the commercially available US made routers below

<null>

Good hunting !

[–] StealthLizardDrop@piefed.social 93 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Its probably to force people to use ISP routers which imo are compromised from the gecko

[–] KneeTitts@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago

which imo are compromised from the gecko

elvis sings: "In the geckoooo"

[–] HexaBack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I fucking hate my xfinity router. their excuse of a "settings" panel can ONLY be accessed from their app 🤮, and just marvel at the plethora of options you can configure:

SSID

Password

xfinitywifi Hotspot ON/OFF

"Safe" Browsing ON/OFF

this is madness compared to my previous att router, which while still a shitty ISP router, at least had enough settings to create a proper self-hosting environment. I feel this is being done to kill self-hosting.

[–] IamSparticles@lemmy.zip 6 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

You don't have to use their hardware. In fact, you can save the monthly equipment rental fee by purchasing and setting up your own. I've been using Xfinity with my own cable modem and router for years.

[–] TwitchingCheese@lemmy.world 0 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Except with their bandwidth fees I would be paying more money to use my own equipment than to rent theirs (which includes unlimited bandwidth). Not to mention there are very few modems they allow to use DOCSIS High Split for increased upload speeds even if they're capable of it.

Put it in bridge mode, open it up and disconnect the wifi antennas and use your own gear.

[–] IamSparticles@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 hours ago

Bandwidth fees? No idea what you're talking about. I pay a flat monthly price for 1Gbit down, 300Mbit up with no data caps or throttling, and I definitely get the speeds I'm paying for. I have a relatively cheap Motorola modem. I think I paid about $120 for it 6 years ago and haven't had a spot of trouble. I never reboot it. The only time I have lost connection it turned out to be a failed signal attenuator in a junction box down the street.

[–] HexaBack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I'm aware, but this post is saying that it won't be possible for much longer

[–] IamSparticles@lemmy.zip 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Still possible. You just may not be able to buy new hardware.

[–] HexaBack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

if it doesn't get scalped to shit... we see what's happening with RAM right now...

[–] possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

okay, buy a new router now with your desired options and protect your neck? i get that it may not be cost effective but your options here are shit both ways.

[–] HexaBack@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

that's what I'm doing rn, sorry if it sounded like I was arguing

[–] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

From the ... gecko? From the get-go. Boneappletea in the wild, or autocorrect gone wrong?

[–] StealthLizardDrop@piefed.social 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Requested context provided at the time stamp, though you can watch entire clip its gold

https://youtu.be/5ExXOIvY9V0?t=380

[–] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 2 points 8 hours ago

Thank you for your kind act of mercy.

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world 61 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I was going to correct you then I saw your username and I’m fucking amused.

As you were.

[–] StealthLizardDrop@piefed.social 3 points 6 hours ago

3 word generators for the win 😀

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 5 points 17 hours ago

But 15 minutes could save you 15% on your car insurance!

[–] luthis@lemmy.nz 11 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Yeah that was my question. The US can manufacture routers now???

[–] SuiXi3D@fedia.io 9 points 18 hours ago

We can make wafers here, and we can absolutely do final assembly using wave solder machines (worked for a couple of companies in Austin doing either) but it’s the crucial step between that we don’t do. The US doesn’t really make electrical components, not at that scale anyway. We don’t even spend the money on pick and place machines, and even if we do final board assembly here it’s sub-par at best. I’m arguing with my boss every day that I’m not a damn machine, I can’t make perfect solder joints every time.

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[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 82 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Everyone who is even remotely technically able and even slightly concerned about privacy needs to learn how to BYO router

[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

Sounds... like a bit of a pain in the ass.

So, I imagine we're talking about a linux micro-pc with perhaps 1 or 2 additional pcix networking cards?

[–] sunstoned@lemmus.org 2 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

If you want a dedicated device, sure. Image it with OPNSense and it'll basically just work.

You can also take any desktop you already have, fire up an OPNSense VM, pcie passthrough your WAN NIC + WiFi card, bridge to a separate LAN NIC, go through the setup, and there's your router.

[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Alright, well I appreciate the direction there, that's really helpful.

You can also take any desktop you already have, fire up an OPNSense VM, pcie passthrough your WAN NIC + WiFi card, bridge to a separate LAN NIC, go through the setup, and there's your router.

Although, I gotta be honest, for someone who doesn't regularly use Linux, that does sound like a lot of potential issues getting this working.

[–] sunstoned@lemmus.org 1 points 7 hours ago

That's fair. Once you understand some basics though it's not too bad. There's a UI just like any router you might already be used to. The most confusing part for someone who is new to this would probably be setting up the VM hardware plumbing, and understanding that a passthrough means that hardware is unavailable to the host.

[–] KeenFlame@feddit.nu 8 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Ah yes, more security holes incoming. Gotta love maglomania (not sure if that is the correct word?)

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 6 points 15 hours ago

magalomania. 😀

[–] Scubus@sh.itjust.works 18 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

At least this bans isreali routers

[–] rants_unnecessarily@piefed.social 13 points 17 hours ago

They will get an exemption, if they don't have it already.

[–] Imaginary_Stand4909@lemmy.blahaj.zone 27 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (1 children)

So... can I still flash custom firmware like OPNsense and Openwrt on them? Cause I literally just posted about hardware decision a few days ago 😭

Edit: It seems the article and actual FCC document will leave previous router models alone, but anything newer is cooked... Even the US brands like Cisco aren't actually manufactured here because we fucking outsource evrything. I hate this government.

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

You can just buy one of those SBCs with two RJ45 ports that can be used as routers, i doubt that those will be banned.

[–] village604@adultswim.fan 4 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Or just a PCIe nic in an old desktop

[–] eli@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Yeah this is where I'm at. Even an old thin client with like 4 cores and 8GBs of RAM is more than enough for the majority of home users. Find one with two NICs or a small pcie slot, slap in a 4 port and you're smooth sailing.

I plan on building exactly this soon and throw opnsense on it

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