[Commotion-discuss] Chilling effect, TP-Link locking their routers against 3rd party firmware

Thu Feb 18 14:45:28 EST 2016

Adam, thanks for chiming in, especially since it was your chat with TP-Link
tech support.

The hair-splitting I saw was at venues like news.ycombinator.org, not on
listservs we likely are both subscribed to, and should say found such
quibbles trivial.  TP-Link clearly was motivated by proposed FCC
rulemaking, although they may indeed have their own motivations at the same
time.

The specific detail that they're locking down 2.4GHz products too was quite
galling; no FCC actions pertain to those devices.  So, either their
products share enough of the same firmware tree that inexpensively placing
locks on one product necessitates placing locks on all products, or TP-Link
is mindfully wanting to lock out 3rd party firmware.  (Sadly, not the first
time this sequence of events has run its course, cf. history with Meraki.)

On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 1:36 PM, Adam Longwill <adam.longwill at metamesh.org>
wrote:

> Ben, unfortunately there is no hair-splitting according to the chat record
> I have pasted below from 2 days ago. TP-Link is locking down all devices
> due to FCC regulations.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Chat transcript
>
>
>
> *Name:* Adam Longwill
>
> *E-mail:* adam.longwill at metamesh.org
>
> *Choose Product Category:* Wireless Router
>
> *Please Describe Your Model No. and Problem* WDR3600
>
>
>
>   Camille Tue, 02/16/16 09:05:00 pm America/New_York
>
> Hello. How may I help you?
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:05:15 pm
>
> I cannot view my support tickets
> my support tickets were closed because I could not view or reply to them
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:05:34 pm
>
> may I have the ticket number?
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:05:34 pm
>
> and my original support issues were not resolved.
> I wish I knew- but because the support site is broken I have to check my
> e-mail.
> 194265 is one
> 195288 is the other regarding your broken site
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:07:07 pm
>
> regarding ticket issue, please follow steps below to have a try
> 1. Make sure you have clean up all the history of the web browser. 2.
> Please try different computers and web browser.Did you have the same
> problem? 3. Try to refresh by pressing the Ctrl+F5. 4. What is the
> operating system and version of your computers? Is that 32bit or 64bit? 5.
> What is the version of the web browser you have tried?
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:08:24 pm
>
> I have tried multiple computers multiple browsers, and cleared cookies
> I'm using Chrome current and have tried firefox and IE
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:09:12 pm
>
> did you clear history of web browser?
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:09:17 pm
>
> yes
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:09:36 pm
>
> OK
> Dear Adam, Many thanks for your valuable reply. If you cannot replace the
> firmware with a third party firmware, then please try to downgrade the
> firmware to the older version to see whether it can work. Sorry that we
> don't have the information about the unlocked firmware. This has to be
> tried by yourself. Sorry again for the inconvenience caused and your great
> cooperation & Patience will be highly appreciated.
> this is my colleague reply
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:10:01 pm
>
> downgrading does not work
> I get an 18005 errror
> upon attempting to downgrade
> I want to know if this is because of the FCC's rules regarding broadcast
> strength and DFS control. Has TP-Link complied with these rules and
> locked down its firmware and if so, for what models
> I need to know if I am going to continue purchasing devices from you.
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:13:25 pm
>
> wait one moment please
> Thanks for your waiting, right now only these products has limitation on
> firmware: Archer C7 V2 Archer C1900 V1 Touch P5 V1 Archer C2600 V1 Archer
> C3200 V1 Archer C2 V1 Archer C5 V2 Archer C8 V1 Archer C9 V1 TL-WR841N V11
> TL-WDR3500 V1 TL-WR940N V3.0 TL-WR1043ND V3.0 TL-WR710N(USA) TL-WR841N V9.0
> and all products will also limite firmware in the future.
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:26:19 pm
>
> Wow. Thank you. I'm impressed with your digging
> And this limitation is due to FCC rule clarifications in 2015?
> And not some other reason
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:28:15 pm
>
> Right, due to FCC
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:28:50 pm
>
> Thank you very much. Can you explain why the WDR3600 appears to be locked
> down? Is it possible that your list is not totally updated?
> And do you have a method or avenue that people who wish to use other
> firmware have?
>
>
>
>
>   Camille 09:34:02 pm
>
> Yes, wdr3600 as dual band wifi router, is also locked down. And there is
> no other way to use other firmware. Sorry for that
>
>
>
>
>   Adam Longwill 09:34:19 pm
>
> Thank you very much, Camille. You've been very helpful.
>
>
>
> Duration: 29m 32s
> Chat started on: http://www.tp-link
> .us/support-contact.html#Hotline-Support
> Referrer: http://www.tp-link.us/
> Visitor geolocation: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States / 96.89.42.102
> Chat group: US
> <http://twitter.com/LiveChat> <http://facebook.com/LiveChat>
>
> E-mail from LiveChat
> <http://www.livechatinc.com/?utm_source=livechat&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=chat_transcript>
>
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 11:10 AM, Ben West <ben at gowasabi.net> wrote:
>
>> Presently, Commotion is being built for TP-Link WDR3600 and WDR4300,
>> among others.
>> https://commotionwireless.net/docs/guides-howtos/recommended-hardware/
>> https://commotionwireless.net/download/routers/
>>
>> Please be advised people have confirmed these very TP-Link products and
>> plenty others are now appearing in the field with 3rd-party firmware
>> upgrade locked out.  I.e. Commotion's install instructions will no longer
>> work.
>>
>> The particular conversation with the TP-Link support rep quoted below
>> also mentions 2.4GHz products being locked too, with FCC rulemaking cited
>> as (incorrect) reason.
>>
>> http://ml.ninux.org/pipermail/battlemesh/2016-February/004379.html
>> https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11122966
>>
>> https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/46c0t0/tplink_begins_router_lockdown_due_to_fcc_proposed/
>> https://www.gofundme.com/save_wifi_round_2 (funding campaign started in
>> response)
>>
>> I read some hair-splitting about whether TP-Link started doing this in
>> response to the FCC proposed rulemaking re: 5.8GHz operation, or whether
>> they had their own reasons.
>>
>> Precise details of the lockdown are still sketchy, but it looks like a
>> serial console is needed to override it.
>>
>> --
>> Ben West
>> http://gowasabi.net
>> ben at gowasabi.net
>> 314-246-9434
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Commotion-discuss mailing list
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>> https://lists.chambana.net/mailman/listinfo/commotion-discuss
>>
>>
>
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>

-- 
Ben West
http://gowasabi.net
ben at gowasabi.net
314-246-9434
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