New rules proposed by the FCC could sharply curtail or eliminate that freedom thanks to a series of provisions that mandate locking down the device's radio and preventing any modifications to its pre-approved settings.

Users may flash to open-source firmware for any number of reasons. Sometimes a router has a previously-unknown bug or security flaw, and the manufacturer has either abandoned the device or refuses to issue a fix in a timely manner. Sometimes users may want additional settings and capabilities that aren't provided by whatever options the manufacturer has chosen to install. In some cases, these features are restricted because the company wants to sell them as part of a high-end router, even if the underlying hardware between the two models is completely identical. Either way, modifying radio settings like transmit power or using unauthorized channels is just one thing that users' do.