Advice on selling Pineapple Wifi from my store

[Smerk]

Shortly I'm going to be setting up an online store selling a range of gadgets and gizmos. I am planning on selling modified AP121Us with the Pineapple firmware installed as I have noticed there are no suppliers of the Pineapple Wifi router in europe - meaning that anyone in the EU has to pay an extortionate fee (50$) to have one sent over. I believe that it would be a good idea to add them to my store so people don't have to pay such a high postage fee - I would sell it for the same price as on the Hak5 store however the postage would be dramatically cheaper.

Therefore I'm asking for some advice on the legality of selling the modified AP121Us and whether I will have to pay a royalty to the Jasager Dev team for using their firmware or not.

Thanks.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Smerk

[telot]

Its opensource, so I don't believe you have to. Be mindful though that hak5 stays afloat via sales through its store. We choose to buy from them (and pay a bit more) in order to support them so they can keep doing what they're doing for the community. I'd contact the hakshop and see if you can work out a deal maybe? I agree, no one should have to pay $50 extra to get a pineapple just because of the live in Europe Shannon want to setup a distributorship in the EU? Hak5 goes international! Woo!

telot

[digip]

I don't know the license on the pineapple, but if its all open source licensed, its pretty much up to you on what you do with it. Most things like the GNU license, allow you to do pretty much whatever you want, with stipulations generally one 1, attribution, 2, sending in your modified source code to the original authors, and 3, providing a copy of the source code when you re-purpose it and you keep the same license. I'd say email the crew though before doing anything, since I don't know what their license is, or if they have anything they might add to what I posted, or what restrictions are. Also, in EU, the laws in general are different, so the Pineapple may not even be legal in some parts of EU, so that kind of goes without saying, check your own local laws ahead of time. Not to put a downer on it, but some things like encryption and export laws, restrict use of some things in certain countries, and I'm not a lawyer, so do your research from that end.

[Mr-Protocol]

Let me start off by saying making 3 threads of the same topic will only aggravate people, including myself. I have merged the topics and I have PMd the OP that he will get a response shortly on the forums. The crew has seen the post and they will respond when appropriate.

[Darren Kitchen]

I understand where your heart is and I want you to know we're doing everything in our power to keep the WiFi Pineapple affordable. From day one that has been our goal - to make affordable hacking devices and enable us to continue to make more fun hacking projects. For perspective, the Mark I was $160 bespoke when it first came out. Since then the WiFi Pineapple has only decreased in price while increased in value (software, included fixings like the color manual, cables, etc)

For international orders, we're excited about three things.

First, since November 15 there is no longer a restriction on lithium battery packs by USPS. This means that WiFi Pineapples with Pineapple Juice packs can ship anywhere in the world for as little as $13.

Second, our rates with UPS are about to be adjusted (we're told sometime in December) to be more comparable to that of USPS. That means quick shipping that clears customs without hassle will be affordable.

Third, and most importantly, we're close to opening a distribution center in London. That will enable affordable and fast shipping throughout Europe.

With all of that let's be clear that Jasager - the phenomenal firmware run by the WiFi Pineapple - is open source software and from my understanding of the license there's nothing preventing you from flashing it to an AP121U and seslling it.

*However* "WiFi Pineapple" is a registered trademark of Hak5, LLC and so selling it as a pineapple would be in violation. The concern is that if someone sold a "WiFi Pineapple" and did a crappy job of it (not saying you would) then in the customers mind the WiFi Pineapple, and thus Hak5, is crappy. So in essence I'd like to protect the brand we've spent years building.

As others have pointed out and I'll reiterate, the WiFi Pineapple is nearly the primary reason Hak5 exists in its current form. It has only been through the support of this great community that we've been able to grow the show -- a service we feel strengthens the community -- and grow the WiFi Pineapple as a platform.

We took some amazing leaps forward with the WiFi Pineapple early this year, and with you're help we will continue to do so in the year to come :). We'll make a bigger announcement when the London distribution center goes online. Cheers!

[hfam]

<snip>

As others have pointed out and I'll reiterate, the WiFi Pineapple is nearly the primary reason Hak5 exists in its current form. It has only been through the support of this great community that we've been able to grow the show -- a service we feel strengthens the community -- and grow the WiFi Pineapple as a platform.

<snip>

I love you, man. You keep hacking all the things, I'll keep buying all the gadgets, and we'll both keep drinking all the booze. :)

[Pwnd2Pwnr]

What would be the possibility of an Hak5 "franchise". If the product was sold for 20 dollars more and you, Darren Kitchen, sold me 1,000 units... would that be a possibility? Hypothetical... sure... but I would love to be a sales rep. for Hak5... even if the pay was negligible... but that is just me.

Big fan, now and forever... but I would love to see Pineapples readily available; just don't want to see Hak5 gone.