It's 2021 & The FSF Is Still Endorsing 802.11n WiFi Hardware

[phoronix]

Phoronix: It's 2021 & The FSF Is Still Endorsing 802.11n WiFi Hardware

As the first announcement of a newly-certified product by the Free Software Foundation since early 2020 as "Respect Your Freedom" compliant, the FSF is backing another 802.11n WiFi adapter...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pa...apter-FSF-2021

[andyprough]

Nice! I've been waiting for this. ThinkPenguin had removed their other routers from the store while they got FSF approval on this one.

Michael, your age-shaming headlines probably drive a big chunk of their business to them. You should probably ask for a commission.

[tildearrow]

"Respect your Freedom"-certified hardware:

- At least 10 years old
- Outdated technology
- Years of effort around running fully open software down to the firmware and ROM chips

Expect the first RYF-certified 802.11ac device in 2023-2024...

[Ipkh]

I'll bite when they approve some devices to connect to it. If binary blobs are at stake, there's no device capable of connecting to it by FSF standars.

[tildearrow]

I'll bite when they approve some devices to connect to it. If binary blobs are at stake, there's no device capable of connecting to it by FSF standars.

They do sell RYF-certified Wi-Fi cards.

[Azrael5]

Can it acts as repeater?

[fransdb]

It seems to me that some people think that the WIFI-4 is outdated and therefore useless. WIFI-4 is older (2008), we now have WIFI-5 and WIFI-6, but is it thus outdated?
Where are the countries that have broadband IP traffic with speeds of 0.4-2Gb/s available for most consumers?
Looking globally, having a WIFI-4 router (max 600 Mb/s) is for most people enough since their local speed connections are still rated in single or double digit Mb/s and if they are lucky 200 Mb/s. Okay, some have already 1 Gb/s connections with fiber optics.

It is the same of having - say - an Bugatti Veron 415 Km/h (257.9 mph) and having roads where the speed limit is 120 Km/h (74.6 mph). You pay a lot but can't use it because of the law, or infrastructure or number of concurrent users.

So, please, accept the world as it is today and don't be so condescending.

[Setif]

It seems to me that some people think that the WIFI-4 is outdated and therefore useless. WIFI-4 is older (2008), we now have WIFI-5 and WIFI-6, but is it thus outdated?
Where are the countries that have broadband IP traffic with speeds of 0.4-2Gb/s available for most consumers?
Looking globally, having a WIFI-4 router (max 600 Mb/s) is for most people enough since their local speed connections are still rated in single or double digit Mb/s and if they are lucky 200 Mb/s. Okay, some have already 1 Gb/s connections with fiber optics.

It is the same of having - say - an Bugatti Veron 415 Km/h (257.9 mph) and having roads where the speed limit is 120 Km/h (74.6 mph). You pay a lot but can't use it because of the law, or infrastructure or number of concurrent users.

So, please, accept the world as it is today and don't be so condescending.

In my country Algeria (which considered relatively rich in Africa) most people (80%-90%) have 4Mb/s Internet.
IDOOM ADSL (algerietelecom.dz) (Sorry, Not in English)

[mgulick]

802.11n is plenty fast enough for most uses. I've ripped out the intel cards in most of my laptops and replaced them with 802.11n devices which are supported by the fully-free ath9k driver. It is fast and trouble-free. For the devices or scenarios where I do care about super-fast LAN bandwidth, I use ethernet. For a laptop used to ssh into servers, surf the internet and stream videos, 802.11n is fine. I'm happy to have devices available which are supported by fully-free drivers.

[kpedersen]

Frankly if 802.11n isn't enough for you at this current point in time, you need to optimise your habits and perhaps settle for streaming your porn in a slightly lower resolution.

Perhaps also use an adblock to prevent wasted bandwidth and energy. Otherwise I very much feel sorry for those sharing the same residential ISP network exchange as you.

If you have serious requirements for a fast connection... you will be on wired anyway.