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Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

kb.netgear.com

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Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#171

Post by the_biot »

aojdwhsd wrote: post #167
the_biot wrote: post #102

That switch is based on a Realtek RTL838x/RTL839x SoC. An effort is currently underway to properly support these in openWRT and the mainline Linux kernel. First patch in OpenWRT is in: https://git.openwrt.org/?p=openwrt/openwrt.git;a=commit;h=df... These SoCs are used in a lot of consumer-level switches, so it's a target-rich environment! We're populating a wiki to keep track of it all, feel free to join in if you ca…

Nice! This is exciting as I own an early GS110TPv3. Would a very early firmware image help you in any with this effort (v1.0.0.4)? My switch is booted into a more recent firmware version now (7.x.x.x) but if I recall, the cloud features were not present in 1.0.0.4.

Not really, the firmware is what we aim to replace. But if you want your device supported, you can pitch in. Post description/pics in the wiki, help test code, etc.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#172

Post by jchw »

Hydraulix989 wrote: post #125
jchw wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ran into a similar issue with a Linksys consumer router. Needless to say, that was back in the box and to the retailer in a new york minute. I ended up going with Ubiquiti equipment for now, since it was available locally. Much more expensive and complicated but Linksys convinced me it was worth any cost to get the hell away from them. But I will definitely be looking into the Turris Omnia, pfSense devices, and may…

Doesn't Ubiquiti require online registration, too? It was the first thing I had to do to set up my Unifi AP.

I set up my own controller. No such issue.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#173

Post by encom »

manigandham wrote: post #64
pineyboi wrote: post #61

Razer has done something similar with their peripherals. I remember buying a Razer keyboard that I later realized required an online account and some Synapse software to configure in any meaningful way. Quickest return I ever made. Razer's privacy policy is dicey and then there's this[0] which inspires loads of confidence. [0]: https://www.pcmag.com/news/razer-accidentally-exposed-custom...

Razer Synapse has removed that requirement now, you can use local guest account without registering.

The Synapse software is absolute trash.

I've used Logitech mice since forever, but their quality has taken a nose dive, so I bought a Razor Deathadder. Because everyone markets their products towards 13 year-olds, it's called "Deathadder" and it's stuffed full of RGB LEDs. To disable the LEDs, you must install the Synapse software which is Electron trash, because nobody writes real software any more. And you have to KEEP this software installed, to keep the LEDs off. If you uninstall it, the LEDs come right back on.

So I did what anyone would do: I took a screwdriver and a sidecutter, ripped out the leds and threw them in the trash.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#174

Post by hinkley »

nicolaslem wrote: post #94
hinkley wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder how hard it is to build your own switch these days? Maybe something built around a Pi class SBC?

If you don't care about performance, any computer can bridge multiple interfaces in software and behave like a switch.

15 years ago all of the better switches could internally handle the aggregate bandwidth of all of their ports. I assumed that would be standard now, but shopping for a switch recently I discovered I was wrong. We still have switches where you can’t max out all ports at the same time.

I think you could still make one that doesn’t have that problem, but the memory would limit doing much smart switch work. If any.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#177

Post by msh »

jimbob45 wrote: post #117
shock wrote: post #38

I recently bought a couple of Netgear Managed Switches (for Business)⁰ and in their datasheet they list "Local-only management" as a feature. Only after they arrived we discovered that you only get limited functionality in the Local-only management mode, you have to register the switches to your Netgear Cloud account to get access to the full functionality. Reading up on it, this was achieved only after a community o…

As someone who buys a router/switch/dongle once a decade and doesn’t follow the networking meta, who do you buy from?

Ubiquity and mikrotik for the personal / smb stuff.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#178

Post by craftoman »

0xy wrote: post #90
dylz wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When they pushed the firmware, iirc the telemetry was done without notice, opted in and enabled by default, and there was no way to actually opt out until _another firmware update after the uproar_

Ubiquiti has never cared about security, if they did they wouldn't have been scammed for $40,000,000 via a literal scam email. If Ubiquiti staff has the non-existent procedures and corporate security for this to happen, they surely don't care about your privacy or security.

They didn't scammed, they washed some of the investors money. These kind of attacks are ridiculously hard to believe.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#179

Post by pcdoodle »

woadwarrior01 wrote: post #105
duxup wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LG

It's the same with LG TVs. The remote app on iOS for my 2018 LG OLED TV does not launch without granting it location access. I don't understand why a TV remote app would ever need location access?

Don't bring up a BLE packet sniffer around a LG soundbar, it's spamming about 10 UUID packets per second. Pretty annoying.

Re: Netgear Firmware Requires Online Registration

#180

Post by Silhouette »

hinkley wrote: post #74
greatgib wrote: post #7

Soon you will not be able to use a switch on a private network not connected to the internet thanks to these assholes... No more Netgear device for me!

I wonder how hard it is to build your own switch these days? Maybe something built around a Pi class SBC?

Building a switch is (relatively) easy. Building a switch that can offer acceptable performance in a box with enough ports on it to be useful is harder.

It's not immediately obvious what advantage you'd gain by doing that anyway, since you can just buy a white box switch and run your own software on it.

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