What You Need to Know About the Foreign-Made Router Ban in the US | WIREDSkip to main contentMenuSECURITYPOLITICSTHE BIG STORYBUSINESSSCIENCECULTUREREVIEWSMenuAccountAccountNewslettersBest LaptopsApple MacBook NeoHome Security CamerasBest Coffee Subscriptions Best Camera BagsDeals DeliveredSecurityPoliticsThe Big StoryBusinessScienceCultureReviewsChevronMoreExpandThe Big InterviewMagazineEventsWIRED InsiderWIRED ConsultingNewslettersPodcastsVideoLivestreamsMerchSearchSearchSimon HillGearMar 24, 2026 2:59 PMEverything You Need to Know About the Foreign-Made Router Ban in the USThe FCC just banned the sale of new consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers manufactured outside the US. Here’s what it means for you.Photograph: Future Publishing/Getty ImagesCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyThe Federal Communications Commission has banned new consumer internet routers manufactured outside the US, citing national security concerns. The ban doesn’t affect any routers already in American homes or currently on sale in the US, but all new routers aimed at the consumer market will need to be approved.While the headline is that foreign-made consumer routers are banned, manufacturers can apply for exemptions. There's no need to throw out your router, and you'll still find plenty of mesh systems on the store shelves. But what does this mean for you?Why Are Foreign-Made Routers Banned?“Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft,” the FCC wrote. “Foreign-made routers were also involved in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks targeting vital US infrastructure.”Foreign-made consumer routers were added to the Covered List, which details equipment and services “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.”Bogdan Botezatu, director of Threat Research at cybersecurity firm Bitdefender, says this ban is a step to harden the cybersecurity readiness of US households, given ongoing geopolitical tensions.“Consumer routers sit at the edge of every home network, which makes them an attractive target and a strategic risk if compromised at scale,” he says. Asked whether he thinks the risk is real, Botezatu says yes, though there’s no easy way to prove intent. “[Internet of Things] devices, including routers, are a weak point across the internet.”Which Routers Are Banned?The ban only affects the sale of new Wi-Fi routers aimed at consumer households. The ban does not apply to existing FCC-approved routers on sale in the US. Previously purchased routers already in use in homes across the country are also fine and are not part of the ban, according to the FCC’s FAQ. These routers can continue to be sold, used, and updated with new firmware.Any new router manufactured outside the US now requires FCC approval before it can be imported, marketed, or sold in the US. This includes routers from US companies that are manufactured overseas, which is the vast majority of the market right now.What Does Foreign-Made Mean?This is decidedly murky. The ban is concerned with “consumer-grade” routers and could include any that are designed or manufactured outside the US or manufactured by companies that are not completely US-owned and operated. All the major players in the market, including Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Amazon’s Eero, Google’s Nest, Synology, Linksys, and Ubiquiti, fall under the definition. As do most, if not all, of the routers supplied by internet service providers in the US.Just like the recent federal drone ban, the router ban only applies only to new routers, but manufacturers can apply for Conditional Approval from the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. Applications must include details about ownership, board membership, and country of origin for components, IP ownership, design, assembly, and firmware, among other things. The final section requests details of the applicant’s US manufacturing and onshoring plan, so there’s a clear push to persuade companies to commit to making their routers in the US.“No routers or manufacturers have been granted a Conditional Approval so far, but as the process gets underway, we expect approvals to be granted in a timely manner,” an FCC spokesperson tells WIRED.What About Foreign-Made Components?Well, the FCC provides some clarification in its FAQ (“covered” here means banned):“Non-'covered' devices do not become ‘covered’ simply because they contain a 'covered' component part, unless the 'covered' component part is a modular transmitter under the FCC’s rules,” it says. “Therefore, a router produced in the United States is not considered ‘covered’ equipment solely because it contains one or more foreign-made components.”Manufacturers importing components from China but assembling them in the US will presumably be OK, though it’s far from clear. “Applicants will need to be able to have sufficient evidence that the routers were not produced in a foreign country to make this certification, but there is no specific documentation or evidence required,” according to the FCC.Let's look at the big three US router brands and see how they're affected.Will TP-Link Be Banned?Since all of its routers are made overseas, TP-Link will have to apply for Conditional Approval or spin up manufacturing in the US to sell any new routers. Estimates vary, but TP-Link’s US consumer router market share is somewhere around 35 percent, with Netgear and Asus accounting for another 25 percent or so.The US Commerce, Defense, and Justice departments have reportedly been investigating and considering a ban on TP-Link routers for more than a year over concerns about the company’s links to China. No ban has been enacted until now, but Texas attorney general Ken Paxton sued TP-Link in February, claiming the company allows the Chinese Communist Party to access American consumers’ devices. Detractors have also criticized perceived predatory pricing, claiming TP-Link flooded the US market with a wide range of affordable routers to establish dominance.TP-Link has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claims it has divested from its Chinese roots and is now headquartered in the US with the bulk of manufacturing in Vietnam. TP-Link’s cofounder and CEO, Jeffrey Chao, recently applied for permanent US residency through President Trump’s Gold Card program, according to the Times of India.“Virtually all routers are made outside the United States, including those produced by US-based companies like TP-Link, which manufactures its products in Vietnam,” a spokesperson from TP-Link tells WIRED. “It appears that the entire router industry will be impacted by the FCC’s announcement concerning new devices not previously authorized by the FCC.”TP-Link is a privately owned company and not publicly listed on any stock exchange. Chao and his wife, Hillary, are listed as the company's sole owners.Will Netgear Be Banned?While it is a US-founded and headquartered company, Netgear’s routers are manufactured abroad, mostly in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan, so it will have to apply for Conditional Approval. The company has moved away from China in recent years. Netgear has been lobbying the government on “cybersecurity and strategic competition with China.”“We commend the administration and the FCC for their action toward a safer digital future for Americans,” a Netgear spokesperson tells WIRED. “Home routers and mesh systems are critical to national security and consumer protection, and today’s decision is a step forward.”Netgear is a publicly traded company on the Nasdaq, mostly owned by institutional investors, including BlackRock and Vanguard. The company’s stock rose on news of the ban, suggesting that many investors believe it won’t be hit too hard.Will Asus Be Banned?Asus primarily makes its routers in Taiwan, though it has production facilities in China and works with several third-party manufacturers. Recent tariff pressures led the company to branch out to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico, and the Czech Republic, but the bulk of its routers still come from Taiwan or China. Asus will have to apply for Conditional Approval to sell new routers. The company did not respond to WIRED's request for comment.Asus is listed on the Taiwanese Stock Exchange and is mostly owned by public shareholders. The ban doesn’t appear to have impacted its stock price.Are Any Routers Manufactured in the US?The only routers I know of that are manufactured in the US are some Starlink Wi-Fi routers, which are primarily made in Texas. Starlink is part of Elon Musk's SpaceX company, but many of the components in these routers come from East Asia.Botezatu says what matters more than geography is the security model behind the product. Companies that invest in “long-term firmware support, vulnerabilitgy management, and built-in protection layers” offer stronger security.How Will the Router Ban Impact Ordinary Folks?It’s not entirely clear, but it probably won’t have a huge immediate impact. There is already a wide range of Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems on the market that will continue to be sold—they enable speeds well in excess of what most people need at home. Whether companies spin up manufacturing in the US or find other ways to satisfy government agencies that their wares are not a security risk, the result is likely to be higher prices for consumers."This ruling has the potential to significantly disrupt the US consumer router market," Brandon Butler, a research manager of Network Infrastructure and Services at IDC tells WIRED. “In the near term, much will depend on how quickly conditional waivers are processed. Most vendors are likely to pursue them, but any delays could constrain supply and create upward pressure on pricing.”If you haven't upgraded to the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, now might be a good time to do it. But it's worth keeping in mind what you're buying. Botezatu says consumers should “stick with reputable manufacturers that have a track record of issuing updates and maintaining their devices. Check that your router is still supported and runing the latest firmware.”Unanswered QuestionsThe ban does leave several unanswered questions. Why is it being applied only to consumer routers? Which routers or manufacturers will be granted a Conditional Approval? Why are the foreign-made routers currently on sale and in our homes deemed safe? The FCC did not address these questions.CommentsBack to topTriangleYou Might Also LikeIn your inbox: Upgrade your life with WIRED-tested gearNvidia plans to launch an open-source AI agent platformBig Story: He built the Epstein database—it consumed his lifeShould you leave your phone charging overnight?Watch: How right wing influencers infiltrated the governmentSimon Hill is a senior writer for WIRED and has been testing and writing about technology for around 20 years. 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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently implemented a ban on the sale of new consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers manufactured outside the United States, a move driven by national security concerns. This action doesn't affect existing routers already in use within American homes, nor does it impact routers currently available for sale in the US. However, all new routers intended for consumer use now require FCC approval before they can be imported, marketed, or sold. This signifies a significant shift in the tech landscape, placing a spotlight on potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities associated with foreign-made equipment.

The rationale behind this ban, as articulated by the FCC, centers around the exploitation of security gaps in foreign routers, leading to network attacks, espionage, and intellectual property theft. Specifically, these routers were implicated in cyberattacks like Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon, which targeted crucial US infrastructure. The inclusion of consumer routers on the “Covered List,” detailing equipment deemed unacceptable for national security, underscores the heightened awareness of these risks. Bogdan Botezatu, director of Threat Research at Bitdefender, highlighted the importance of this step, emphasizing the strategic vulnerability presented by consumer routers at the edge of home networks.

Determining precisely which routers are subject to this ban is nuanced. The definition of “foreign-made” is ambiguous, encompassing any router designed or manufactured outside the US, or produced by companies not wholly owned and operated in the US. This broadly impacts major players like Netgear, TP-Link, Asus, Eero, Nest, Synology, Linksys, and Ubiquiti, among others. The FCC’s Conditional Approval process allows manufacturers to apply for exemptions, potentially mitigating the immediate impact. This application process demands detailed information concerning ownership, board membership, country of origin for components, IP ownership, design, assembly, firmware, and, crucially, a US manufacturing and onshoring plan.

The process of obtaining a Conditional Approval seems designed to encourage companies to establish production facilities within the United States, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing capabilities. So far, no approvals have been granted, but the FCC anticipates a timely review process. The ambiguity surrounding “covered” versus “non-covered” devices adds to the complexity—a router produced in the US containing foreign components is not automatically deemed “covered.” This nuanced approach leaves room for interpretation and could lead to ongoing legal challenges.

The impact on consumers is currently uncertain, but analysts predict a potential rise in router prices due to increased compliance costs and supply chain adjustments. Concerns around potential disruptions to the market are being managed, and companies are adapting with plans to seek conditional approval.

The decision has prompted immediate reactions within the industry. TP-Link, a major router manufacturer, is facing scrutiny over its foreign manufacturing operations and has been subject to lawsuits alleging connections to the Chinese Communist Party. Netgear and Asus, similarly reliant on overseas production, are navigating this new regulatory landscape while continuing to lobby for government support.

Ultimately, this ban represents a proactive effort by the FCC to enhance the cybersecurity resilience of American households and critical infrastructure. It is a significant development that will undoubtedly reshape the global technology supply chain and elevate security considerations in the design and manufacture of consumer electronics.