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submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by Yuritopiaposadism@hexbear.net to c/technology@hexbear.net

The US FCC router ban has updates: Now, the first products have been added to the exempted list -- and it's from Netgear, a company that has dedicated years to lobbying the federal government. The FCC also clarified that its router ban includes wireless hotspots (e.g. 5G hotspots), and the broad definition of a "router" could feasibly even include game consoles, phones, and simple range extenders. We dig through links within the ISP (Internet Service Provider) industry, including lobbying contributions, and find a path to what we think is long-term router subscriptions via "authorized" sources like ISPs. The risk of eventual government backdoors also prevails in such a situation. Conflicts of interest with Starlink also present concerns.

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[-] BobDole@hexbear.net 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Oh that’s probably why they banned Chinese routers.

Edit: there was no description when I made this comment

[-] doubledealer@hexbear.net 22 points 1 week ago

And we'll see this extend to other areas of computing as Chinese tech advances if US policy continues unabated. No RAM, no CPUs/GPUs.

[-] SuperZutsuki@hexbear.net 17 points 1 week ago

The way things are going, the US will be banning electricity, metal tools, and fire over the next few years.

[-] TheTaglineToldMeTo@hexbear.net 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

"From disrupting network connectivity to enabling local networking espionage and intellectual property theft, foreign-produced routers present additional and unacceptable risks to Americans."

projection

[-] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 6 points 1 week ago

They should ban printers instead

[-] plinky@hexbear.net 18 points 1 week ago

embrace openwrt life, fuck for 5 hours and forget it for 10 years

[-] SuperZutsuki@hexbear.net 15 points 1 week ago

And yet I can just build a fucking router with an old computer. Get fucked, FCC.

[-] git@hexbear.net 12 points 1 week ago

Yes you can also put opnsense into firewall only mode and put it in front of a mikrotik if you really wanted to.

[-] chgxvjh@hexbear.net 7 points 1 week ago

Telling the Alibaba seller to hide the router in a shipment of dickpills.

[-] Beaver@hexbear.net 7 points 1 week ago

I'm feeling more and more vindicated in my tendency to hoard old tech.

[-] NewOldGuard@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

The FCC banned the sale of all new consumer routers not produced in the US

[-] HexReplyBot@hexbear.net 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I found a YouTube link in your post. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:

this post was submitted on 04 May 2026
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