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Netgear Adds Support For "Collecting Analytics Data" To Popular R7000 Router

Posted by EditorDavid on from the watching-the-wifi dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Netgear's latest firmware update for the R7000 includes new support for collecting analytics data. The update release notes include this caution:

NOTE:It is strongly recommended that after the firmware is updated to this version, log back in to the router s web GUI and configure the settings for this feature.

An article on Netgear's KB states updated last week that Netgear collects information including IP addresses, MAC, certain WiFi information, and information about connected devices.

9 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. Wow! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I guess it is time to switch to a different brand.

  2. This is supposed to be a security device by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And it's leaking the owner's personal information over the internet.

    1. Re:This is supposed to be a security device by Svartalf · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Ah, but must will stupidly agree to it.

      --
      I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
  3. Yup by rholtzjr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not sure I like the "feature" if it is not configurable to either enable or disable (e.g. opt in/out).

  4. Notgear... by Svartalf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm unsure I even like this "feature" with it being controllable.

    --
    I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
  5. Clarification: Netgear collects your data by the_other_chewey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's not made clear at all in TFS, and could be read as if Netgear routers now supported more network stats available to the router's owner.

    That's not it: "Analytics Data" collection is done by Netgear, remotely.

  6. It's a fad! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    IMHO this shouldn't be more of an outrage than all of the tracking companies involved in collecting user data on various websites, i would dare to say that the biggest online companies make the most of if not all of their revenue selling user data. Not to mention that certain alphabet soup agency affiliate outreach that seems to have had a hand in most of the startup companies from the mid 90's or so.

    I try to avoid using that certain operating system that wants to "get to know me" through online telemetry, voice analysis, typing and inking.
    Though recently i have started to notice that more and more websites require you to log in to even get any sort of access, preferably through Facebook or Twitter. When a popular web-browser all of a sudden asked me to "log in" so i could share my history and bookmarks with more devices and wanted me to download stuff not to my own computer but to their cloud service it just sort of clicked on me. It's a fad!

    If you can make it to the top of the fortune 500 with your only source of revenue being selling user data and telemetry then that's the way that other companies are going to conduct their business. I wouldn't be surprised if you would find the equivalent terms mentioned in the EULA in various fruit or robot associated brands of mobile technology either.

    The question is. If surveillance sells who's buying?

    1. Re:It's a fad! by arth1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      IMHO this shouldn't be more of an outrage than all of the tracking companies involved in collecting user data on various websites,

      Well, yes, it should. A web site only tracks users who visit it, using web browsers that cooperate.
      A router sees all traffic to and from all addresses for all users.

      The collected data from a router would also be of great help to anyone trying to penetrate the network.

  7. Hence my new pet name for them... by Svartalf · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Notgear.

    --
    I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas