In Router News
Netgear router exploit has been detected. The patch will be out next Wednesday for the firmware. The exploit allows external access to the router to change the DNS settings among other things.
The first thing I did when I bought my new wireless router was to upgrade the firmware. I have yet to buy anything that has the current version of the firmware installed. I have serious doubts as to the number of users who are even aware that devices like routers and printers have firmware and/or device drivers that may need upgrades.
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In other news, no router exploits have been found in my Apple Airport XTreme router in, like, ever, and it auto-updates without me having to tell it to update. In fact, I’d have to tell it *not* to auto-update.
Some computer companies realize that customers are idiots, and design around that. Others are Netgear. Or may as well be.
You can do that sort of thing when you control the hardware and software with 40%+ profit margins. I don’t know that I would call people willing to pay those margins ‘idiots’ …
Thing is, Netgear *does* control the hardware and software, and they’re using the exact same internal components that Apple is using. And they could have implemented auto-updating just like Apple (it’s Linux, after all), but they didn’t because, well, because that would be thinking like a user, not like a computer engineer, and they don’t think like users. SIGH.
HP does it, but most other vendors don’t bother. The new router I bought wipes out all settings when you update the firmware which is a PITA.
Hell, Apple is the only vendor with a decent back-up system.
Has anyone else besides me ever had a day when you longed for a golden age in which a “router” was something you used to make grooves in wood?
“grooves in wood”? I’d think those antenna stubs would be too dull to accomplish that. I’ll stick to knapped flint, thanks.
Actually, Steve, I have to deal with those routers when installing doors, etc. and would love to be able to update the firmware so that the setting for one door is the same for all doors.
PJ, have you considered upgrading to obsidian?
I thought about obsidian, Bryan, but it wouldn’t work with my Win98 themes. People tell me this “Aero Glass” thing is pretty sharp, though.
Steve —
You are not the only one who misses the analog world. Somehow the downy soft, durable, virgin wool sweaters and shirts I used to own have stuck in my mind as a symbol. Also recyclable glass bottles. Wasn’t it nice to have things that didn’t need to be upgraded for several decades? Well, I do have hand tools that are older than I am. Just used some of them to install a new sink fixture.
Yeah, PJ, I have a few Craftsmen Chert tools that are a few generations older than I am. 🙂