PSA: Yes, You Can Still Legally Hack Your Wi-Fi Router, Says FCC

A few months ago, the FCC announced regulations that looked like it could begin to restrict hacking of consumer Wi-Fi . If this bothers you, don’t worry. The FCC has changed its plan and you can change your router’s firmware without any legal hindrance.

While Wi-Fi hacking has never been technically illegal , concerns recently arose when the FCC proposed new rules that include phrases implying that routers will be “protected from flashing and installing third-party firmware such as DD-WRT.” While the goal was to prevent users from turning their Wi-Fi routers into powerful radios that interfere with the normal use of their equipment by others, the wording was too broad.

Fortunately, the FCC has cleared this document, removed the problematic language, and issued a statement reiterating that it does not intend to completely block the router’s custom firmware. So away, young hackers .

Clear ether on Wi-Fi software update | FCC via Hackaday

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