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I’m thinking of buying new Wi-Fi router? You may like it bodice.
Pointing to “unacceptable risks” to national security Federal Communications Commission It says it will ban all new foreign products Wi-Fi routers Go ahead.
The ban does not apply to any existing routers that the FCC has already permitted, but it will affect any new models “produced in foreign countries.” Router manufacturers can apply for an exemption, but so far none have been granted “conditional approval” for Federal Communications Commission website.
This is a huge development for the Wi-Fi router market in the United States. With the exception of the newer Starlink routers, almost every router available for purchase in this country is manufactured at least partially outside the United States, including TP-Link, Asus and We change. He appreciates 60% of routers In the United States they are manufactured in China.
according to List of frequently asked questions Published by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a router will be considered foreign-made if “any major phase of the process by which the device is manufactured, including manufacturing, assembly, design, and development” occurs outside the United States.
“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue to do its part in making sure America’s cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and supply chains are safe and secure,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. In a statement.
When CNET reached out to the FCC to get more clarity on the request, we were referred to the commission’s “covered list.” Frequently asked questions page.
the The FCC says That routers produced abroad were “directly involved” in the Volt and Linen crimes Salt hurricane Cyber attacks. The Salt Typhoon attack specifically exploited Cisco routers to access the networks of U.S. internet providers such as AT&T, Verizon, and Lumen, which owns CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber.
“This uses a very sharp instrument and will affect many harmless products in order to eliminate the real problem.” William Boddingtona technologist at the digital rights nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, told CNET. “This is happening in the context of stopping crowdfunding for cyber defense initiatives. There is a lack of a good federal testing lab for consumer routers due to budget cuts.”
This doesn’t mean you have to replace your existing router. The FCC has clarified that the ban does not apply to previously purchased routers, but you will not be able to purchase new routers that the FCC did not already allow before the ban.
TP-Link specifically has been in the US government’s crosshairs for more than a year, due to its ties to China, with more than half a dozen US departments and agencies. He reportedly supports the ban At the end of 2025.
But the FCC’s action this week goes far beyond TP-Link and will affect nearly every router company operating in the United States.
Is it still possible to use your router?
You can still use your existing router, but there’s a big caveat hidden in the FCC. Public notice: “All routers licensed for use in the United States may continue to receive software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to US consumers through at least March 1, 2027.”
Firmware updates Essential for both your router’s performance and security. Most router companies release automatic firmware updates to fix vulnerabilities when they appear, and you may not even be aware when they happen.
If a router cannot update its firmware after March 1st of next year, it is generally unsafe to continue use, as is the case with your router. The Wi-Fi network may become weak to malware or other cybersecurity threats without regular firmware updates.
“The risk is very real,” he said. Rick Fergusonvice president of security intelligence at cybersecurity company Forescout. “If you find yourself in a situation where the update pipeline has been turned off, you should definitely consider whether you want to continue using that device.”
“The risk persists over time, because there will likely be new vulnerabilities discovered that you cannot patch,” he added. Daniel Dos SantosVice President of Research at Forescout.
To be sure, router companies are scrambling behind the scenes right now to be added to the FCC’s “conditional approval” list, which would allow them to sell new models and continue releasing software and firmware updates for routers that have already been approved.
There’s some wiggle room there. The FCC notice specifically mentions “at least” March 1, so it’s possible the deadline will be pushed back.
But if your router isn’t added to the exemption list by this time next year, I recommend replacing it with an FCC-approved model to continue receiving firmware updates.
“I don’t think it will change the manufacturing landscape, because moving manufacturing operations is expensive and device manufacturers will likely have to wait until the ban is lifted. So I don’t think it will have the intended effect,” Buddington said.
Should you wait or rush into buying a new router?
The FCC’s ban on foreign-made routers only applies to devices that haven’t already been approved. This means that any router currently on sale will remain on the shelves, and you can continue to use your current router for as long as you want.
Since any router available now has already been FCC licensed, there is no need to rush out and buy a new router. In fact, I would recommend the opposite: hold off on purchasing a new router until some of the dust settles on the FCC order. This advice was echoed by the six cybersecurity experts surveyed for this story.
“I recommend waiting at least a few weeks or a month to see what the real effects of this are.” Sergey ShekevichThe director of threat intelligence at Check Point Research told me.
If you buy a new router today, there’s a risk that the FCC won’t exempt it, and you’ll stop getting software and firmware updates after March 1 of next year.
“A lot of these routers will turn into pumpkins within a year unless they extend this waiver.” Alan ButlerA senior advisor at the Electronic Privacy Information Center told me.
Recently tested and reviewed by CNET More than 30 Wi-Fi routersWhile we stand by all of our picks, I recommend holding off on your purchase until we get more information about the FCC ban.
Which routers are affected by the ban?
FCC representatives couldn’t tell me which specific router companies would be subject to the ban, but nearly every Wi-Fi router available in the United States has some stage of “manufacturing, assembly, design, and development” happening outside the country. (Starlink appears to be the only exception; the company says its newer routers are manufactured in Texas, According to the BBC.)
Untangling the supply chain for each router will be a complex process, and router companies will likely already be lobbying the FCC for “conditional approval.”
“Every one of these devices, even if the final assembly is done in California, for example, they will all come with components that are manufactured in China, for example,” Sonu Shankar, chief product officer at Phosphorus Cybersecurity, told CNET.
CNET has reached out to 10 of the top router manufacturers for comment. So far, the companies appear to be taking a generally friendly approach to the FCC, even when they are clearly subject to the ban. For example, Netgear highlights its US headquarters, even though its routers are manufactured in the US. Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan.
| Router company | Status after announcement |
|---|---|
| Asus | It is headquartered in Taiwan, and is subject to the embargo. |
| cisco | It does not sell new routers to consumers and is not subject to the ban. |
| D-Link | It is headquartered in Taiwan, and is subject to the embargo. |
| Ero | Manufacturing in Asia is subject to embargo. |
| linksys | It is owned by Foxconn, a Taiwanese multinational corporation. Subject to embargo. |
| nest | Manufacturing in Taiwan and Malaysia is subject to ban. |
| We change | It publicly supports the ban, but has manufacturing in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan. |
| Starlink | The routers are made in Texas and are not subject to the ban. |
| Scanner | Dual headquarters in California and Singapore are likely to be subject to the ban. |
| Synology | It is headquartered in Taiwan, and is subject to the embargo. |
| TP-Link | The company, which plans to establish a factory based in the United States, said the move was a “positive step.” Currently subject to ban. |
A Netgear representative told CNET in an email that the company applauds the Trump administration and the FCC for working toward a more secure digital future. “As a US-founded and headquartered company with a legacy of American innovation, Netgear has long invested in security-first design, transparent practices, and adherence to government regulations, and we will continue to do so,” the representative said.
TP-Link Systems Inc. also praised it. By order. “Putting all manufacturers and their supply chains under the same scrutiny is a positive step in the direction of making the router industry more secure,” a TP-Link Systems representative told CNET in an email. According to the representative, the company was already planning to establish a factory in the United States. TP-Link he says on his website It has manufactured all products sold in the United States in Vietnam since 2018.
CNET has also reached out to Asus, D-Link, Eero, Linksys, Nest, Razer and Synology, but has not yet received responses.
How to protect yourself if you have a foreign-made router
Router manufacturers aren’t always transparent about their supply chains, but unless you use a Starlink router, some components of your router’s manufacturing will likely take place outside of the United States.
“Vulnerabilities have no bias toward national origin,” Shankar told me. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a Chinese-made router or an American-made router if the user doesn’t change the default password.”
No matter where it comes from, your router will be more secure if you follow some basic best practices. Here’s what experts recommend:
- Keep your firmware updatedOne of the most common ways malicious actors gain access to your network is through outdated firmware. You can ensure that your router has the latest firmware by enabling automatic updates in your router settings or downloading updates manually in the app or web portal.
- Boost your credentials: If you’ve never changed the default login credentials on your router, now is a good time to do so. Weak passwords are the cause of many common attacks. “Devices that use default or weak passwords are easy targets,” Itai Cohen, a security researcher at Palo Alto Networks, told me. In a previous interview. “Default or simple passwords can easily be forced or guessed.” Most routers have an app that lets you update your login credentials from there, but you can also type your router’s IP address into the URL. These credentials are different from your Wi-Fi network name and password, which should also be changed every 6 months or so. The longer and more random your password is, the better.
- Consider using a VPN: For an extra layer of protection, a VPN encrypts all of your internet traffic and prevents your internet provider (or anyone else) from tracking the websites or apps you use. Find CNET’s picks for The best VPN services are here.