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Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

mashable.com

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Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#91

Post by bityard »

2Gkashmiri wrote: post #64
canpan wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When buying fridge, washing machine, oven etc, when I moved, I told the sales person, I like quality, am not price sensitive, but any device that requires an app or has a camera/mic built in is out of question. Some didn't know how to handle that, being used to sell it as a "good thing".

I have an HP wifi printer, 5820 I think. I haven't signed in to HP, haven't connected the printer to cloud. Same for anything else. I don't see the whole "oh you need firmware update to improve the product". 90% of the time it just works. So what happens if the fridge isn't given internet access ? Or washing machine?

Companies are beginning to gate previously existing features behind the requirement to connect their devices to the cloud and/or install an app on your phone.

Dishwashers, refrigerators, even (and perhaps especially) cars.

"Just don't connect it to the Internet," is sadly less viable option as time goes on.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#92

Post by exe34 »

canpan wrote: post #56
zootboy wrote: post #6

And this is why "mandatory app to configure" is an instant dealbreaker for me for any piece of hardware. Don't buy crap like this. Force companies to be better.

When buying fridge, washing machine, oven etc, when I moved, I told the sales person, I like quality, am not price sensitive, but any device that requires an app or has a camera/mic built in is out of question. Some didn't know how to handle that, being used to sell it as a "good thing".

I paid £50 more for a washing machine without wifi/app.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#93

Post by dbgobrrr »

gausswho wrote: post #84
microtonal wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The One is nice if you want to support the OpenWrt project, but if you want raw power, the GL.iNet Flint 2 (MT6000) is a much better choice. Faster SoC, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, one more 2.5 GBe port, twice as fast WiFi 6, and also supports vanilla OpenWrt.

I've put OpenWRT on the Flint 2, and I've had issues with connectivity that I don't have with OpenWRT on a Linksys router. I need to disconnect and reconnect every so often. I'd read that this is due to the Mediatek modem not being as well supported, but I'm not sure how to diagnose.

Have the same router (Flint 2), and had a similar issue in the past. After I configured SSIDs with different names on the radios (i.e. the SSID is either configured on radio0 or radio1, not both), I didn't encounter this anymore. YMMV, but this helped me - perhaps it'll prove useful to you as well.

And besides this issue, overall it works great. I recommend this to anyone who asks me about it.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#94

Post by archi42 »

MrGilbert wrote: post #75
microtonal wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

fridge, washing machine, oven etc, [...] Some didn't know how to handle that I am surprised, all the European brands like Miele, Siemens, Bosch, etc. household appliances work fine without an app. Most that we have now do have an option to connect to WiFi, we never connected them and they all work fine with good old buttons like it's 1985.

There is a dishwasher from Bosch, that misses some features if you are not using the App - cost-cutting measures. Jeff Geerling made a video about that: https://youtu.be/5M_hmwBBPnc

Ugh, we have BSH [Bosch Siemens Group] appliances with wifi, but ours add actual features and don't artificially lock any. Both dryer and washing machine: Remote start, start when energy is cheap, notifications when done or on issues. The dryer can automatically select the program based on the last washing machine program. For the washing machine program I can use the phone to select what I put in there, and it picks a program for me.

However, I can also use the dials much like I did with our old appliances. There is nothing locked out and we actually used them offline for a few weeks (tbh I didn't try setting the finish time using the appliances' controls).

In Jeff's case that's obviously not the case, but there are still options from BSH. As with everything, one has to be careful in what they buy these days. Don't interpret this as victim blaming: I hate that we have to be careful with these traps.

Edit: There are of course alternative manufacturers, but BSH ist a known quantity regarding quality. And when it comes to cloud stuff I trust them a little bit more than other manufacturers; they're actually the only smart thing we own that's not blocked in my OpnSense.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#95

Post by functionmouse »

Terr_ wrote: post #72
canpan wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When buying fridge, washing machine, oven etc, when I moved, I told the sales person, I like quality, am not price sensitive, but any device that requires an app or has a camera/mic built in is out of question. Some didn't know how to handle that, being used to sell it as a "good thing".

XFinity (Comcast) recently sent my parents a new router, and AFAICT there was no way to configure it from a LAN computer. It required a damn proprietary phone app, which I assume was bouncing commands through the internet.

don't rent your router

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#96

Post by gaiagraphia »

hypfer wrote: post #49
sanex wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I listened to an interview with the guy who nearly cured his dog's cancer with ai and he expressed concern multiple times that going public with the story would cause the labs to cut off the ability.

For reference for other readers, here's the primary source: https://x.com/paul_conyngham/status/2036940410363535823 Also, thanks for mentioning! I wasn't aware of this

Thanks for this. Absolutely incredible read.

I'm really hoping these new tools will empower a new generation of people. It's sad that there even needs to be a term 'citizen scientist'.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#97

Post by GolfPopper »

Terr_ wrote: post #72
canpan wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When buying fridge, washing machine, oven etc, when I moved, I told the sales person, I like quality, am not price sensitive, but any device that requires an app or has a camera/mic built in is out of question. Some didn't know how to handle that, being used to sell it as a "good thing".

XFinity (Comcast) recently sent my parents a new router, and AFAICT there was no way to configure it from a LAN computer. It required a damn proprietary phone app, which I assume was bouncing commands through the internet.

I'm not familiar with Comcast's specific hardware, but it also possible that the router is always broadcasting a hidden SSID, or is using Bluetooth for setup and configuration. Both of which are also potentially problematic.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#99

Post by GolfPopper »

bityard wrote: post #91
2Gkashmiri wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an HP wifi printer, 5820 I think. I haven't signed in to HP, haven't connected the printer to cloud. Same for anything else. I don't see the whole "oh you need firmware update to improve the product". 90% of the time it just works. So what happens if the fridge isn't given internet access ? Or washing machine?

Companies are beginning to gate previously existing features behind the requirement to connect their devices to the cloud and/or install an app on your phone. Dishwashers, refrigerators, even (and perhaps especially) cars. "Just don't connect it to the Internet," is sadly less viable option as time goes on.

>"Just don't connect it to the Internet," is sadly less viable option as time goes on.

I feel compelled to quibble with your word choice here. Not connecting appliances to the Internet remains a viable option. It is simply one that is increasingly not common or not readily available.

Re: Motorola effectively bricked its entire line of WiFi routers without explanation

#100

Post by GolfPopper »

Reason077 wrote: post #8

> “It suddenly stopped working, and no one knows why.” Based on the screenshots I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s because someone forgot to update, or just stopped paying for, the server license.

Or a key employee who was handling that died, quit, or was fired.
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