19.07.2 Wireless regdb issues - inconsistency

Installing and Using OpenWrt
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Using OpenWrt 19.07.2

Router Xiaomi Router 3G (mir3g)

Issues with 5GHz :

  • Getting 5GHz to work is a hit or miss
  • Region, random European Union country, for example Estonia (country code EE)
  • Only a limited number of 5GHz channels are working.
  • Selecting channel 136 + save&apply marks it active as channel 36.
  • Luci shows in Network > Wireless Channel 36
  • Clicking Edit on the 5GHz device, shows channel 136
  • Drop-down menu shows channel 136

If I select country code as DE, then a long list of channels are available. Much more than country code EE.

This clearly is a bug. I think in the driver, perhaps.

All European Union countries should have the same 5GHz channels available.

Furthermore, if the country code is EE, then the below command in CLI does not work:

root@OpenWrt:~# iw dev wlan1 scan
command failed: Resource busy (-16)

Scanning of 5GHz networks also does not work from Luci.

If the country code is DE, then the same command returns a long list of data and 5GHz network scan works, even from Luci.

Same in country code FI (Finland) and AT (Austria). The selection of 5GHz channels should be equal, but Finland has bigger selection.

To be clear, this issue with 5GHz has been present in all OpenWrt versions that I have used. With many different routers.

I have now experimented with different country codes, and 5GHz channel 165 does not turn on under any country codes. It can be selected, but it stays gray and disabled until the channel is selected one notch below 165. For example 161.

In European Union, there are EC Directives that regulate the usage of WIRELESS, which are the same regardless of which EU country you live in.

A screenshot:

Marginaal 2020-03-11 211837
Marginaal 2020-03-11 2118371404×975 91.1 KB

So, if I change from one EU country to another, this is the same as changing region from California to Texas.

It should not change anything. And why is the list of available channels different inside EU?

According to EC Directives, the WLAN regulations do not differ from one EU country to another no more than changing the region from California to Texas.

But in OpenWrt, it differs.

The wireless regdb that gets used by OpenWrt to set the radio parameters in accordance with national rules is incorrect in many cases.

Here is another post, with specifics for UK.

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Duplicate of: 19.07.2 wireless regdb issues

And BTW, if the chart is out of date too, why do you reference it?

(Perhaps that was missed too; because one instead thinks I'm trolling.)

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Please post the updated chart, that you are referring to.

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I was afraid you'd ask that (and it comes from this notion someone has compiled some "chart"...but if that were the case, why isn't reg-db easily updated???)...nonetheless I'll immediately post what I found, then respond - so, as not to be called a troll again:

Just to note an out-of-date chart I located:

(Response)

Did you see the original post mentioning UK?

Each country issues their own "chart" (I'm currently reading Germany's - in German, in anticipation of that question - didn't find anything; but then, I understand little German). The OP for example showed UK.

I am asking WHAT we are supposed to gather from a "chart" we know is wrong?

But it seems like you might be asking for a non-existent chart (if you don't understand why such a thing doesn't exist, I will still provide the data you see - in part, as there are ~170 nations in the world and the UN facilities that control WiFi emissions).

It really will take a serious compilation of these "charts" (in quotes since in most cases there's no such thing - but usually exist as written regulations). I hope you see with just these samples, why it's needed to fix the upstream.

Hopefully this list satisfies your actual question (and I hope you were not asking me - as to be unreasonable and demand I locate the "chart" of every nation for purposes your post - but I may be willing to do so for the maintainer of reg-db).

1 Like
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My issue is with OpenWrt regdb concerning European Union. I have never complained about Canada or USA or China, or Russia.

The charts you posted are not relevant for European Union, apart from a vague mention of Germany, your post is not on topic nor helpful. Thanks for the effort, though - I will keep your info in mind.

The problem is:

Wireless regdb used by OpenWrt for European Union is not consistent and is very often wrong.

1 Like
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Again, I'll provide more information, then respond:

Just to satisfy:

  • UK (already listed - English)
  • Germany (already listed - in German)
  • France
  • I also tried to search Ireland, I could find no published documents); and also
    • Malta
    • Cyprus
    • Spain

...not easily located.

Given how difficult it was to locate France's (since I speak English) - I'll digress on the chart thing (as I think my finding all 27 is your preference - mostly written in foreign languages). It may be a misunderstanding about the existence of such "charts."

Also, in some nations, these documents are not free.

(Response)

Are you under the impression that EU or the European Council regulates radio?
(see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_in_the_European_Union)

I'm lost on why you keep saying European Union like it's a country/nation with radio regulations. I mentioned the UK because of that (but in the previous thread, I honestly how it could have been mistook due to the tenor of the conversation).

Also, wouldn't you have an easier time producing at least one...especially if you're in an EU nation??? :thinking:

Do you find it's more inconsistent for one country - more than others?

I'm trying to trace if there was a significant change in rules and rule making regarding WiFi in the EU nations within a particular calendar year (for search purposes).

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As @lleachii mentioned, compiling this information is far from easy (and highly sensitive from a legal point of view), as regulations are often layered between different documents or sometimes partially overridden by international agreements (e.g. CEPT, ETSI, etc.). That's exactly why it's so important to have many eyes, with local representation and access to local legal counsel, involved, upstream is the canonical source where this is happening - if you want changes, this is your best chance.

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I really hope that this is your personal opinion and not an official OpenWrt position, that EC regulations concerning wifi radio frequencies are so complicated that nobody knows what they are, where they can be found and why anyone is concerned about these difficult frequencies.

This gives the opponents of Free Software and opponents of OpenWrt a loaded gun. Already there is a EU Radio Lockdown Directive:

All it takes now, is someone to screenshot this discussion, and sending it to the EC Commission, to provoke further directives from them.

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Why is the evidence for this thread a single screenshot from Wikipedia lol.

The answer to this is incredibly simple.
If you disagree with the rules in the regulatory db, find an official (not Wikipedia) document/ruling/legislation which lists what it should be, and send it upstream.

That is your one and only recourse here.

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OpenWrt's official position is to stick to the rules published by the wireless regdb project.

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I'm not sure how OpenWrt would have a "loaded gun" or be worried about the lockdown (which has already occurred in the US), nor a screenshot...

  • because OpenWrt doesn't willy nilly make up a reg-db's - it only gets them from upstream
  • and we generally can get around such locks (which generally require some kind of "out-of-band" advanced-user flashing)

That's why we keep suggesting you contact them.

Why do you keep insisting that the EU/EC/EP makes radio regs for nations?

I think this is a misunderstanding that you haven't figured out yet, and why you apparently misunderstand @slh about the tedious process of compiling/updating the reg-db in one consolidated location (i.e. it's main repository/codebase).

1 Like