[LEDE-DEV] [PATCH] mac80211: respect user-set regulatory domain by default

[Daniel Golle]

Hi Daniel!

On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 09:29:23PM -0400, Daniel Dickinson wrote:
> ...
> If the FCC hadn't already completely knobbish and basically eliminated
> (or least required one to be much more determined and skilled) the
> ability to use OpenWrt/LEDE on new routers in the US anyway, I might
> have some objection (I'm not in the US but Canada will almost certainly
> adopt similar legislation since our government tends to do what the US
> wants, putzes that they are) on the grounds of leading to trouble.
> 
> As it is, for new wireless routers, the US, and probably soon Canada,
> are shut out from participating in OpenWrt/LEDE anyway, it's pretty much
> moot point for those of us here, and in sane parts of the world it makes
> sense.

As we have learned at BattleMesh, this whole lockdown madness was
actually started in some back-office of the European Comission back
in 2014 without anyone of us noticing. As usually, if things like
that happend, we Europeans are quick to blame others eventhough it
was out own governments making that decission and then encouraging
the FCC to do the same on the other side of the Atlantic.

Independently of that whole issue, I believe we should always try our
bests to make it as easy as possible for users to obey to radio
regulations. One improvement could be to make sure the user enters her
country code before starting to use the firmware.
Currently, users outside of the US may just enable the 5 GHz radio and
without ever being asked, the device will just assume FCC regulations
and most likely use frequencies and/or transmit power inappropriate to
the region it is actually being used.


Cheers


Daniel