territory_code=CN/02

[gjf]

Happy New Year to everyone!

As you possibly know setting CFE value territory_code=CN/02 leads to possibility to change a region for WiFi in web-GUI:

This changing leads to easy-to-use setting of legislative restriction for appropriate region without changing CFE/NVRAM.
A cons is the interface can be either English or Chinese. No other options.

This tweak is definetely working for Asus RT-AC68/AC66. Maybe other models also.

The question is: why this tweak is possible for China only? And is it possibe to implement for other territorries also - with possibility to use multilanguage GUI?

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I have the mentioned routers but not currently using them here.
It would seem though that this setting might also disable some feature like encryption transports or web gui pages for countries that are (for the lack of a better word) blockaded by the US . North Korea and Cuba come to mind. OR, most countries or regions have emmission specifications that China may not have.
I was reading in a chinese forum where they were setting their output power to 36dBm. Which is way Way above what I'd consider safe. Not just health wise but also spectrum wise. When the power level goes beyond what the device is rated for, there is a point where the signal gets wider without increasing the "on channel" power. Meaning it just makes more noise on adjacent channels without a real increase on the the frequency(s) in use. It is consuming more power but the useable output is not increasing.

As far as disabling anything I don't know that I can verify this .
I have an RT-N12K with mentions of 5g in the firmware written to the cfe but also a region code of Kr for 5G there too.
The 2G settings are US .
As far as power goes . To remain a "good neighbor" to other wifi operators in my area, I wouldn't turn mine up above what it's rated for initially.

 

[gjf]

KsWoodsMan
I don't think so.
As far as I see this setting changes the WiFi power and number of bands only.

For instance:
USA means:
2.4GHz - all bands 1-11 – 23.25dB/211mW
5GHz - bands 36-48 – 20.25dB/105mW
5 GHz - bands 149-161 – 24dB/251mW
Australia means:
2.4GHz - all bands 1-13 – 26.5dB/450mW
5GHz - bands 36-48 – 14dB/25mW
5 GHz - bands 149-161 – 24dB/251mW

In this case "safety" seems also nonsense as I don't believe humans in USA and Australia are different

The only case is local legislative restrictions. And marketing of course - because of restriction ones cannot buy routers designed for Australian market to be used in USA. Taking into account the routers are the same, the firmware is the same anf the hardware is the same it is price-based game with the customers for the specific market.

That's why I see this option useful and that's why I am asking about implementation in all firmwares, not Chinese only. I understand the manufacturer will not like it because of marketing (and I am not surprised), but I think non-official formware makers could pay attention on it.

 

[thiggins]

This a regulatory, not a marketing issue. Allowing settings to be changed that violate FCC regulations is illegal in the U.S.

If a router does not allow regions to be changed using factory firmware, then you should consider it illegal to do so by other means.

Discussions about hacks to get around these limits are not allowed on SNBForums.