the government sent me a traffic sniffer

In plain words

This device is a network traffic sniffer deployed by the FCC to measure broadband performance across the country. Shaped like a wireless router, it bridges between an existing modem and wired devices, capturing both wired and wireless network data without requiring configuration. Participants in the FCC research project simply plug in the device, and it automatically reports performance metrics back to the agency, requiring no changes to existing home networks.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

In the maker’s words, at launch

Is anyone else on HN participating in this FCC research project to measure broadband performance? [1] I signed up for more information when the project was announced, some time ago, but a few days ago the device arrived. Technically, it is quite an interesting little box. It's a generic consumer device, shaped like a…

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