I still use my TP-Link router, even though it may be banned in the US

The humble Wi-Fi router doesn’t make headlines every day, but TP-Link has been in the spotlight over the past year.

The company is under federal investigation over its alleged ties to Chinese cyberattacks and possible predatory pricing. More than a half-dozen US government departments and agencies support a proposal to ban routers. According to a report by the Washington Post Released last week.

Despite the negative press, I didn’t buy new Wi-Fi router yet.

I’ve been covering the online world for over six years. For the past two years, I have used a TP-Link router. I’ve never had a problem with it – minimal buffering, consistent bandwidth, and no interruptions (which can be blamed on the router, anyway).

In our latest round of Wi-Fi router testing, the TP-Link performed admirably, earning our Editors’ Choice award for best budget router.

It was a thorny issue for me personally and for readers. Can I honestly recommend a company facing a possible ban in the US? Is my private data at risk? Do I need to replace my router?

These questions started running through my head in December of 2024, when… The Wall Street Journal reported That the US government was considering a ban on TP-Link routers due to the company’s ties to several high-profile Chinese cyberattacks. Three months later, Rep. Raja Krishnamurthy, a Democrat from Illinois, said, TP-Link router stuck In Congress he said: “Don’t use this.”

Chinese corporate records and government announcements show that the company It still employs about 11,000 people in China. But TP-Link representatives adamantly denied to me that the company has any ties to the Chinese government.

When the news broke last year, I asked four cybersecurity experts Whether they will continue to use the TP-Link router. One gave a strong “no,” another said there was a “risk to the consumer,” and two refused to answer the question directly.

Spend any time shopping for Wi-Fi routers and you’ll notice that TP-Link routers are often cheaper than competitors. Of the 32 routers we tested for our review, TP-Link represented eight of the nine cheapest models.

The Justice Department is investigating whether these lower prices violate federal law, which prohibits companies from selling products for less than they cost to manufacture, according to a report. Recent Bloomberg report.

“To date, TP-Link Systems Inc. has not received any inquiry from the Department of Justice regarding these matters,” a TP-Link representative said in a statement. “We never sell products below cost and maintain transparency in our business practices, ensuring fair prices to our valued customers.”

I didn’t factor pending investigations into our testing, and felt it was important to evaluate the TP-Link on its own merits. After all, they accounted for about 65% of router sales last year, according to the magazine’s report.

In the end, I decided to include the TP-Link Deco X55 Pro as our choice for a budget router. It was the only router with above-average performance for under $100, and I thought it was important to offer readers a cheap option that gets the job done.

After all, I use a TP-Link router Myself, and I have no plans to replace it. Privacy and security are important to me, but I don’t care about the TP-Link issue.

Knowing that I follow some basics Network security best practices It gives me some peace of mind, but it’s also a matter of risk tolerance.

Itai Cohen was one of the authors of the 2023 report that Determined the firmware transplant process In TP-Link routers linked to a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group. He told me In a previous interview Similar implants have been found in device manufacturers around the world.

“I don’t think there’s enough public evidence to support directly avoiding routers from China,” Cohen said. “The vulnerabilities and risks associated with routers are largely systemic and apply to a wide range of brands, including those manufactured in the United States.”

That risk is greater with TP-Link, in my opinion — when the smoke is three separate federal investigations, there’s probably a fire somewhere — but that doesn’t necessarily pose a greater risk to you individually.

The TP-Link-related hacks used compromised routers to target think tanks, government organizations, NGOs, and Department of Defense suppliers.

The cybersecurity experts I spoke with recommended following a few basic steps, regardless of the type of router you use: Make sure your firmware is up to date, use strong login credentials and consider using VPN service.

I will continue to update our Wi-Fi router recommendations as I learn new information about TP-Link’s investigations. For now, I still feel comfortable recommending them.