Stefanik Gábor wrote:
Another question: is this legal in the US? AFAIK this might conflict
with FCC regulations. (Not sure about EU.)
Although I don't claim to be a lawyer, I found this information from
http://www.softwarefreedom.org/resources/2007/fcc-sdr-whitepaper.html,
which is a translation of the FCC's rules regarding software defined
radios (including 802.11 chips).
Snippet 1:
The rules require any manufacturer certifying a device under the new
process to take steps to prevent “unauthorized” changes to the software
on the device that might alter its radio frequency and power parameters
in a way that takes it out of compliance with the regulations known as
FCC Part 15 regulations.2 The specific technology implemented to
accomplish this task is left to the manufacturers seeking certification,
although the FCC suggests several possible mechanisms that can serve as
such “security measures.”3
Snippet 2:
Since software is a representation of a mathematical algorithm, it is
not a “device”, “home electronic equipment” or a “home electronic ...
system.”17 Further, there is no precedent for applying the device
certification rules to software except as installed as a component of a
specific hardware device. Indeed, the FCC has explicitly limited the
certification requirements to “hardware-based device[s].”18 Both of
these facts make it clear that the FCC rules do not apply to software by
itself, but only to hardware-based devices.
What I get out of this, and out of poking in the legal babble, is that
as long as our firmware doesn't cause the hardware itself to violate FCC
specs, we're in the clear. According to Snippet 1, it shouldn't even be
possible to violate the specifications, but we all know how good
manufacturers are at stuff like that ;P.
-Andrew/Zappacky
(IANAL, Proceed at your own risk, etc)
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