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The FCC has added all foreign-made consumer routers to its covered list, effectively banning new imports.
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Existing routers remain unaffected, but the vast majority of future devices cannot get radio authorization.
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The ban cites national security risks linked to cyberattacks, though experts question if domestic production would actually solve the vulnerabilities.
The US government just dropped a bombshell on your next Wi-Fi upgrade. Starting now, most new consumer routers can’t enter the country.
The Federal Communications Commission says foreign-made networking gear poses an unacceptable risk. If you already have a router, you’re fine. But, in a way, the ban complicates the future of home networking.
A Repeat of the Drone Ban Strategy
Remember when the FCC banned foreign drones back in December? They’re doing the exact same thing with routers now. The agency added all foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List. That means they won’t authorize the radios inside these devices anymore. No radio authorization equals no legal import.
The vast majority of routers come from outside the US. To be precise, nearly every brand you can name is not indigenous to the United States. So this isn’t exactly a small change; it’s a very big one, actually.
Router makers now have two choices. Option A: they can secure “conditional approval” while promising to move manufacturing stateside. Option B: They skip selling future products in America altogether. Drone company DJI already took option B.
Why the FCC Says This is Necessary
The agency released a National Security Determination justifying the move. They claim foreign-made routers dominating the US market create unacceptable economic and cybersecurity risks.
They specifically linked these devices to the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. Those attacks targeted critical American infrastructure, communications, energy, transportation, and water systems.
“Given the criticality of routers to the successful functioning of our nation’s economy and defense, the United States can no longer depend on foreign nations for router manufacturing,” the determination reads.
The TP-Link Factor and Unanswered Questions
TP-Link dominates the US consumer router market. The China-founded company has been trying to distance itself from its roots. They split from the Chinese entity and set up global headquarters in California. They even sued Netgear last year for suggesting Chinese government infiltration.
But here’s the awkward part. Moving production to the US might not actually make routers safer. The Volt Typhoon hack —carried out by Chinese state-backed hackers, mostly targeted Cisco and Netgear routers.
Those are made in US routers. The vulnerability came from something else entirely. This highlights the complexity of cyber threats; state-sponsored attacks on infrastructure exist alongside a thriving criminal underground, where cases like the Empire Market operator’s guilty plea show that the dark web remains a fertile ground for illicit activity, from drugs to stolen data. The companies had stopped providing security updates for those specific, discontinued models.
What the FCC Actually Banned and What They Didn’t
The FCC’s language sounds like a total ban on all foreign-produced routers. But it’s a bit narrower. They’re specifically targeting “consumer-grade routers” as elucidated in NIST Internal Report 8425A. That means routers intended for residential use that customers install themselves.
TP-Link spokesperson Ricca Silverio summed up the industry’s position. According to him, virtually all routers aren’t manufactured in the United States, including products of US-based companies like TP-Link, which makes its products in Vietnam. “It appears that the entire router industry will be impacted,” Ricca added.
If you are considering an upgrade to your home networking, perhaps you should consider that suggestion. Future options could become very limited, very fast.
