Wireless regulatory database errors

For Developers
1

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

For example, for the UK, the current version of this file shows

country GB: DFS-ETSI
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (20)
	(5170 - 5250 @ 80), (20), AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (20), DFS, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5490 - 5710 @ 160), (27), DFS, wmmrule=ETSI
	# 60 GHz band channels 1-4, ref: Etsi En 302 567
	(57000 - 66000 @ 2160), (40)

Whereas from my reading of the Ofcom documents (the UK regulator), it should be thus

country GB: DFS-ETSI
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (100 mW)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (200 mW), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (200 mW), DFS, NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5470 - 5730 @ 160), (1000 mW), DFS, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (200 mW), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	# 60 GHz band channels 1-4, ref: Etsi En 302 567
	(57100 - 63900 @ 2160), (10 mW)

or with transmit powers expressed in dbM (the rules are actually given by Ofcom in mW, so easier to specify in mW for reference purposes and it's a little more accurate)

country GB: DFS-ETSI
	(2402 - 2482 @ 40), (20)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (23), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (23), DFS, NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5470 - 5730 @ 160), (30), DFS, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (23), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, wmmrule=ETSI
	# 60 GHz band channels 1-4, ref: Etsi En 302 567
	(57100 - 63900 @ 2160), (10)

We should actually create a set of community patches to update the wireless-regdb so that it contains correct entries. Certainly in the UK there are quite heavy penalties for out-of-spec equipment and I'd imagine the case is the same elsewhere.

2

No, OpenWrt shouldn't maintain "community patches" to wireless-regdb, potential bugs and fixes should be submitted upstream and fixed for everyone. Once it's fixed upstream, you can simply ask for an update to the package for OpenWrt and everyone gets the fixes for free.

Edit: As you already mentioned, the legal implications might be harsh and the information provided by the regulatory agencies is often spread around multiple documents and difficult to parse. I doubt anyone in OpenWrt would be willing to take that responsibility, especially as this information is written in the local languages of the corresponding countries (and google translate is not sufficient for this information). wireless-regdb is originally based on Atheros' legal advice, and besides the wireless- and distro maintainers, representatives of several companies (Canonical, QCA and Intel at least) are keeping an eye on wireless-regdb development and can (if necessary) ask their legal departments for advice. It's much easier to convince OpenWrt to update wireless-regdb to a newer upstream version, than to modify it locally.

2 Likes
3

Fair enough, I take your point. I replied to you in the other thread on submitting it. The UK one has been wrong for as long as I've been using Openwrt, since 2012.

In the meantime, I'm updating my own regdb. At least I know my wifi will be operating within the regulations.

As evidence of the incorrect nature of the UK one, if you look at the spec above for 5470 - 5730, the relevant Ofcom rule is shown in the image below

ofcom
ofcom1056×165 32.9 KB

You'll see that the wireless-regdb has the frequency band incorrect as well as the transmit power incorrect (1000 mW = 30 dbM)

It's also missing entries for frequency allocations that happened in the last few years (5725 to 5850)

ofcom2
ofcom21052×137 29.7 KB

[Just noticed this band needs DFS as well]

4

@dl12345 How do you update your own regdb?
Thanks,

5

I'm not going to give detailed instructions on how to do this on the forum, since it can also be used to modify the database in a manner that is not compliant inasmuch as it can be used to make it compliant.

6

Okay how about some vague info?