Answer: somebody got paid.

And there’s a backdoor in all their products

Correct

My friend has an Amazon owned router. Is that better?

Take a wild guess

change it asap

That’s a given, but I think they are suggesting they added one for the us government.

Spyware, but it’s removable

paywall

Use “Reading Mode” it works fine

I stopped buying Asus routers because they fucking suck.

They are prolific when it comes to knowing about and ignoring major security flaws in all of their software. That and just the shittiest hardware. They made a name with netbooks, had a few good years and then pioneered enshittifcation. Fuck asus.

Holy crap I forgot about netbooks, I kinda liked that form factor…

Add Archer / TP link to that list.

Out of the loop, what’s wrong with them? What’s the alternative?

I am also interested in knowing, got a tp link 4G router currently and have been wondering about getting a 5G router sometime. UK so doesnt matter if its banned in the US.

TP-Link has been alleged to have National Security concerns due to its ties to China.

You can read for yourself but when this was in the news ~1 year ago I looked into it. To me it seems like a combination of a smear campaign started by Netgear and bad actors from the Republican Party within the government.

Edit: This is a pretty good write up that explains it without straying too far into opinion.

Tp link problems with updates, possible back door, charges you to make basic config to your router as they force you into yearly memberships. The router itself is solid…

Asuswrt-Merlin has been nice to work with otherwise I’d not really go with Asus.

There’s a router ban?

In the land of the free

For “security” reasons. They’re moving to ban vpns.

If midterms don’t turn out I wholeheartedly expect violence. This shits out of control.

Why would anyone want to manufacture in the US? Tariffs on components would rape your margins

Just a thought, but maybe we don’t use rape in this context?

I see what you’re saying, but the second definition of that word in the Webster’s dictionary is “an outrageous violation”. The use of the word in the way that they did it is valid and not archaic.

When people think of Trump, I want people to think of rape

You’re right, and you were even polite about it. Anyone who uses that word for anything other than being literal has decided that they are completely fine with triggering rape victims if it helps them make a point.

Oh, and the people who comment on the use of that word are often rape victims, who then get piled with mean comments and downvotes. It’s gross.

That picture though 😆

This is how they escaped.

This is how they get maximum WiFi range

Bitcoin donation to the fucking Orange Menace

Probably all they had to do was buy a bunch of crypto “currency” from World Liberty Financial. Nothing to see here.

This is not information we should expect from Asus, and Asus is right to not provide it to the press. This information should come directly from the United States government in an honest, transparent, and verifiable release. If the government is unable to provide such a release, then we are left to wonder what the government did that was so shady that they won’t follow even the most mundane of bureaucratic processes. Par for the course for the current administration, unfortunately…

They paid the bribe money to Mafiusa.