FCC Bans New Foreign-Made Consumer Routers in US
Original: What You Need to Know About the Foreign-Made Router Ban in the US
Why This Matters
Represents significant shift in US cybersecurity policy affecting major router market
The Federal Communications Commission banned new consumer Wi-Fi routers manufactured outside the US citing national security concerns. The ban affects future sales but not existing routers already in homes or stores.
The FCC added foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List, citing exploitation by malicious actors for attacks, espionage, and intellectual property theft. The agency referenced involvement in Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks on US infrastructure. The ban only applies to new router sales - existing FCC-approved routers can continue being sold and used. New foreign-manufactured routers require FCC approval before import or sale. This affects major brands including Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Amazon's Eero, Google's Nest, and most ISP-supplied routers. Manufacturers can apply for Conditional Approval from the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, providing ownership and origin details.