FCC Won't Easily End Concerns on Rules for Wi-Fi Routers, Network Architect Says

FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp isn't likely to easily put to bed concerns the FCC plans to clamp down on third-party firmware installation on devices, including Wi-Fi routers, said Richard Bennett, network architect, in a High Tech Forum blog post Friday. Knapp put out a blog post of his own Thursday saying the FCC is still only asking questions (see 1511120056). Knapp’s latest comment, “while reasonable on its face, isn’t going to satisfy the complainers, who insist that no part of the router code, not even the part that relates to regulatory compliance, should be locked down,” Bennett wrote. “The issue that most people don’t appreciate here is that Wi-Fi chips don’t have any features built-in … to ensure compliance, so compliance is effectively an honor system,” he wrote. “The other issue that isn’t widely appreciated is that there’s no money in developing home router code at this point, so the only way to make home routers better is through open source projects sponsored by the firms with a legitimate interest in good home routers, which would be major ISPs and network equipment vendors.” The only protections in Wi-Fi chips are designed to sense military radars and avoid them as much as possible, Bennett said.