You will rent your NSA spyware router or face the consequences
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I bought a Netgear router that said you didn't need the App to configure it.
That was a lie, you can only configure it from a browser while it is not connected to the internet, if on the internet you need to sign in to netgear's cloud server to configure it. If you disconnect it from the internet to use the browser it resets the LAN dropping all local connections.
Then I put it behind a tcpdump and it's connecting to several netgear sites once a minute or something like that, reporting the router serial number.
Returned it and got a Chinese one. The App just reads the factory password from the QR code and configures same as with browser, no cloud account. It only talks to the internet to check for updates, if that's enabled.
I don't want a Chinese router, but Jesus Christ is Netgear a piece of shit router.
Only buy routers that are on DD-WRT or OpenWRT's compatibility lists.
I didn't see any wifi 7 that were dd-wrt compatible at the time and I don't care about it that much to mess with openwrt.
Last router was gigabit with factory firmware and maxed out at like 200 mbit with dd-wrt.
If the Chinese hack my router I'll just get that out of storage.
That's why I only have thrift store routers flashed to dd-wrt/openwrt/x-wrt, liminix, or tomato/freshtomato based firmware.
This video from Gamers Nexus, published on May 2, 2026, investigates a recent FCC ruling that effectively halts the sale of new foreign-made consumer routers in the United States.
The FCC Ban and National Security The FCC, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, added "routers produced in a foreign country" to its "covered list" of equipment deemed a security risk on March 23, 2026 [02:47].
Reasoning: The government claims foreign routers (specifically from countries like China) pose a risk to critical infrastructure and have been implicated in cyberattacks like "Salt Typhoon" [06:22].
Scope: While focused on "consumer-grade" routers, the definition is broad enough to potentially include Wi-Fi extenders, mesh systems, and even portable hotspots [13:58].
Current Status: Existing router models already in the U.S. can still be sold, but new models cannot be authorized for import without a specific exemption [03:07].
Concerns for Consumers The video argues that this ban may actually decrease security for everyday users:
End of Life (EOL): Existing routers will receive security updates only until March 1, 2027. After that, users will be left with unpatched, vulnerable hardware [12:06].
Consolidation of Power: The ruling may force more consumers to rent routers from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), ensuring a perpetual monthly fee and giving ISPs more control over user data [00:17].
Innovation Gap: Banning new hardware imports means U.S. consumers may lose out on newer technologies like Wi-Fi 7 and advanced hardware security features available in other global markets [11:45].
Corporate Lobbying and "Bribes" The video highlights what it describes as "open corruption" regarding exemptions:
Netgear: The company has spent approximately $560,000 on lobbying since 2023 and recently received "conditional approval" for many of its routers until October 2027 [01:21], [21:36].
TP-Link: A major rival to Netgear, TP-Link has faced intense government scrutiny and a potential total ban, which Netgear has reportedly lobbied for to gain a market advantage [24:23].
Starlink: Elon Musk’s Starlink stands to benefit significantly, as its routers are partially manufactured in Texas and it maintains close ties to the federal government [18:31].
The Surveillance Angle The video suggests that the push for "U.S.-made" or "government-approved" routers is less about security and more about mass surveillance:
Government Backdoors: By controlling the hardware and software pipeline, the U.S. government could potentially implement its own backdoors into consumer devices [04:56].
Surveillance Apparatus: The video links the ban to broader collaborations between the government and tech firms like Palantir and Nvidia to build advanced tracking systems [26:40].
Recommendations for Users To protect privacy and ensure long-term security, the video suggests looking into DIY router solutions using open-source firmware like OpenWRT or pfSense, which often provide patches more quickly than commercial manufacturers [37:12].
Already Happening Government Backdoors: By controlling the hardware and software pipeline, the U.S. government could potentially implement its own backdoors into consumer devices [04:56]. Preserving this is paramount to current and planned mass surveillance. IMHO
Yes, exactly. There's going to be no way around government having access to everything unless you use underground Russian/Chinese/Iranian hardware and software but then you risk them having access to everything. You basically have to make it yourself.
Link to make on my own? Kidding, but maybe a niche market to be tapped.
A computer with a bunch of network interface cards can function as a router
MicroTik RouterOS
Tomato
Getting familiar with the tech. Thx
Caused by jeetcode:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Typhoon
Not a single hardware vulnerability in the list.
jeetcode kicked Whites out of IT by basically banning QA due to failed tests. I tried to get Selenium in use while I was at the hospital.
The FCC is clearly exceeding it's regulatory authority. The Chevron doctrine probably applies. This should be a simple court case for any manufacturer willing to try it.
Last month, or whenever, when first saw the first press releases about this, I immediately bought the best WRT compatible router I could find even though I have no plans on replacing my current one for a while.
Wonder if it applies to non-WIFI routers. Could always hook them up in layered fashion to ghettoize as much as possible and possibly at least force NSA snoopers to be in radio range.
Which is..?
I got a TP-Link Tri-Band BE9700 WiFi 7 Router (Archer BE600)
I cannot give a review yet as it sits wrapped in the original plastic wrap.
It wasn't on the DD-WRT or OpenWRT compatibility lists yet, but it did have its WRT firmware source code released on the official website, so presumably it was just too new.
If risk adverse, I would recommend looking at the DD-WRT and OpenWRT compatibility lists and choosing from those. Some of the slightly older TP-Link Archer models were on there.
Nice. Those are rock solid.
There are others in the Archer line which are compatible. I have an Archer I don't use because it wasn't on the list when I found it but it was $5 and used broadcom or realtek chipset.
I think a lot of them work even if not on the list, it is just that the work-for-handouts open source devs haven't tested it
To me, as long as it isn't locked down, and the firmware has been GPLed, that at least means they won't do anything too horrible on their built in firmware, like the guy above was saying you had to use an app to configure his Netgear router.
Yeah it uses the chipsets that are most likely supported but the problem is having a valid firmware which can bypass the security checks such as checksum and other verification. Most likely the funtion calls will be identical to other models in the series.
I used to develop in busybox.
As irritated as I am about current day Trump, it's really off-putting to see Gamers Nexus go fully TDS in recent months. If only they were so vocal about government corruption when it was their team in power.
Yeah even when they're 100% right it calls their motivations into question. Would they have spun this as preventing backdoors being installed from countries with less regulation if Biden had done it?
I'll give him the discount since he mentions the jews though doesn't call them out.
Nobody likes the new jew tech overlords. For the first time the left and the right are united. And boomer orange man shows up to keep the tradcucks and rednecks advocating for their own demise. Cohencidence?