It should probably be noted changing the regulatory region of an RF device may result in you using illegal frequencies in your area depending on the combination of which region you're in and which region you're setting it to.
Yeah, not sure if author knows, they certainly don't share if they understand this or not, but these things aren't available because the some governments say those frequencies are illegal to use. Turkey for example has multiple frequencies under 5Ghz WiFi that is banned, hence consumer don't get to use 5Ghz WiFi. If you change that, you're breaking the law and you might get a visit, depending on how hardcore they are about the rules. Tend to be pretty strict and swift payback when it comes to using frequencies you shouldn't, as they're used for other stuff and easily seen when other traffic appears.
If it's a station (client) then it's unlikely, as long as your APs are compliant.
With some chipsets it can end up being entirely ass-backwards - if you use an Intel WiFi chipset, a nearby AP can broadcast the wrong region and cripple your connectivity.
Outdated regulatory databases and firmware efforts by vendors have generally made both illegal and legal usage beyond ch 1-12 at 2.4GHz rather difficult.
I don't get it, why can't they just change the region in the settings?
I was able to on my LG. Nice TV, worst firmware ever. It had an issue with Wifi. It basically will not connect once or so a week. You needed to change, you guess it, the region. So I will keep changing from Germany to Spain to Ireland to Germany to Etc. I sent pictures, videos, emails, links to youtube videos to LG support, they wouldn't care, they would just deny it. In the end I bought a Fire TV Max and that was it. But what a horrible support experience LG never again.
Android had (has?) a similar issue with the hotspot feature where it will not turn on in a region where 5 GHz is more regulated than in the US but will also not give you any warning about it.
I wonder how long it will be until TVs have some sort of cellular modem built in. Maybe some form of LPWAN - your TV may not be connected to the internet, but odds are there's one in range that is.
I was playing around with LG TV homebrew a while back. Still have the same TV, and in the age of AI, I'm considering putting a coding agent to work on a dump of the filesystem to see what it'd take to run stock Linux on it.
Well, I have Sony and Samsung (both middle east regions) but they dont have any restrictions in these areas. I only see these kinda quirks with LG all the times.
Linux's wireless-regdb has proper 5G regulatory information for at least SA, CY, EG, QA, at least since 2017, just checked. The TV in the repo is 2025 year model.
It should probably be noted changing the regulatory region of an RF device may result in you using illegal frequencies in your area depending on the combination of which region you're in and which region you're setting it to.
Yeah, not sure if author knows, they certainly don't share if they understand this or not, but these things aren't available because the some governments say those frequencies are illegal to use. Turkey for example has multiple frequencies under 5Ghz WiFi that is banned, hence consumer don't get to use 5Ghz WiFi. If you change that, you're breaking the law and you might get a visit, depending on how hardcore they are about the rules. Tend to be pretty strict and swift payback when it comes to using frequencies you shouldn't, as they're used for other stuff and easily seen when other traffic appears.
> Turkey for example has multiple frequencies under 5Ghz WiFi that is banned, hence consumer don't get to use 5Ghz WiFi.
Are you sure? According to wiki, there are plenty allowed 5GHz channels in Turkey.
If it's a station (client) then it's unlikely, as long as your APs are compliant.
With some chipsets it can end up being entirely ass-backwards - if you use an Intel WiFi chipset, a nearby AP can broadcast the wrong region and cripple your connectivity.
Outdated regulatory databases and firmware efforts by vendors have generally made both illegal and legal usage beyond ch 1-12 at 2.4GHz rather difficult.
You mean that this helicopter hovering about my home is looking out for me?
Oh no, again
I don't get it, why can't they just change the region in the settings?
I was able to on my LG. Nice TV, worst firmware ever. It had an issue with Wifi. It basically will not connect once or so a week. You needed to change, you guess it, the region. So I will keep changing from Germany to Spain to Ireland to Germany to Etc. I sent pictures, videos, emails, links to youtube videos to LG support, they wouldn't care, they would just deny it. In the end I bought a Fire TV Max and that was it. But what a horrible support experience LG never again.
Why the hell would you ever let a TV on any network?
Android had (has?) a similar issue with the hotspot feature where it will not turn on in a region where 5 GHz is more regulated than in the US but will also not give you any warning about it.
If LG ever removes or restricts Developer Mode, I am selling my TV the same day.
new locked down spyware TVs are so cheap, who would want to buy and move -your- locked down spyware TV?
Jailbroken LG TVs are the panacea of locked down spyware TVs.
Although like OP, if I ever lose the ability to run root, then that's the day I look for a new TV (lord have mercy).
I don’t think I will ever again connect a tv to the internet
I wonder how long it will be until TVs have some sort of cellular modem built in. Maybe some form of LPWAN - your TV may not be connected to the internet, but odds are there's one in range that is.
I was playing around with LG TV homebrew a while back. Still have the same TV, and in the age of AI, I'm considering putting a coding agent to work on a dump of the filesystem to see what it'd take to run stock Linux on it.
yea... LG policies are real shitty. I didn't have 5Ghz Wifi on my TV. why? cuz I'm in middle east!
Sounds more like a legal issue with permitted spectrum use than an arbitrary LG policy.
Well, I have Sony and Samsung (both middle east regions) but they dont have any restrictions in these areas. I only see these kinda quirks with LG all the times.
It's more likely an out-of-date regulatory database that predates 5GHz being allowed in those regions.
Linux's wireless-regdb has proper 5G regulatory information for at least SA, CY, EG, QA, at least since 2017, just checked. The TV in the repo is 2025 year model.
"Saudi Arabia's CITC hates this one weird trick!"