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RT-AC88U FCC Compliance...?

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Looker

Occasional Visitor
I am curious about the new FCC regulations. I have been reading and still have these questions:

1) Are the new RT-AC88U routers that are being sold right now (end of May 2016) on Amazon (in the US) already compliant with the new rules?

2) Also, how much of the compliance is based on firmware, and how much of it is built into the hardware?

I also have the same questions about the RT-AC68U.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask or if this has been beaten to death in the past. I couldn't find the info.

Thanks!
 
1) Depends.

2) 100% firmware at this time.

This applies to all routers, not just the ones you are asking for.

The firmware will make it compliant and some models may still be on shelves with older firmware and some may have the latest (locked) firmware already. No way to tell until you boot it up.
 
1) Are the new RT-AC88U routers that are being sold right now (end of May 2016) on Amazon (in the US) already compliant with the new rules?

From an RF level, they should be. All devices that were certified within the last year were under the new rules AFAIK.

2) Also, how much of the compliance is based on firmware, and how much of it is built into the hardware?

It's a bit of everything. The Broadcom chipset for instance is designed with the latest rules in mind (it's even mentioned in Broadcom's specs sheet). The SDK architecture is also developed with it in mind (the bootloader is now encrypted). The wireless driver itself uses a calibration file based on regulations to determine power output based on channel, encoding method and so on. And the firmware itself has to limit what is exposed to end-users, meaning not offer any user interface allowing to manually change the region or power output.

But long story short, as an end user, you don't have to worry about it. Pre-existing models can be made compliant through firmware changes if they weren't already.
 
new fw out

ASUS RT-AC88U Firmware version 3.0.0.4.380.3341

https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/RT-AC88U/HelpDesk_Download/

says

ASUS has been dedicated to cooperate with third party developers to come up with more innovative features.
To comply with regulatory amendments, we have modified firmware verification rule to ensure better firmware quality.
This version is not compatible with all previously released ASUS firmware and uncertified third party firmware.

looks like all models have this fw update as well

just a question who certifies the 3rd pparty fw asus or the chipset manufacturer ?
 

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