The Dark Secret of Home Routers: Planned Obsolescence by Design
Well-known brand home routers like TP-Link, Netgear, D-Link, and ASUS manufactured during the 2012-2020 period hide a structural problem that affects millions of users. The combination of extremely reduced flash memories and operating systems with restricted features creates a technological time bomb that turns seemingly functional devices into premature waste candidates 📡.
The Technical Causes Behind the Problem
The origin of this situation lies in three critical factors that interact synergistically to limit the lifespan of these devices. The technical trifecta turns physically operational hardware into obsolete equipment due to the impossibility of software updates.
Main Limiting Components:- Insufficient Internal Storage - Minimum capacity flash memories cannot host new firmware versions with security improvements and features
- Low-Performance Processors - Outdated CPUs incapable of processing advanced functions and modern network standards
- Closed Operating Systems - Proprietary firmware that blocks the installation of alternatives like OpenWRT or DD-WRT
It is paradoxical that devices designed to connect us to the future become disconnected from the present due to design decisions that prioritized saving pennies on memory over product durability.
Current Landscape and Available Alternatives
Some manufacturers have begun responding to these criticisms by including more internal memory in recent models and extending firmware support. Certain models now allow installing alternative systems, but most old routers remain locked to obsolete versions without update possibilities.
Partial Solutions Implemented:- Memory Increase in recent models to allow future updates
- Extension of Support for firmware by some manufacturers
- Compatibility with Alternative Firmware in certain models via OpenWRT/DD-WRT
The Consumer's Dilemma
Users face the frustrating reality of having to replace perfectly functional hardware due to security needs and compatibility with new network standards. This situation represents a massive technological waste and an unnecessary additional cost for consumers who trusted well-known brands 🤔.