The FCC bans all routers made outside the U.S.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has declared all consumer WiFi routers manufactured outside the country a national security risk, banning their importation or sale. This doesn’t mean you should throw away the router you’re currently using. However, you may encounter difficulties when replacing it.

Announced Tuesday, the FCC added all foreign-made consumer routers to its covered list. This list identifies communications equipment and services that the U.S. government determines pose an “unacceptable risk” to national security. Products on the Covered List cannot receive FCC Equipment Authorization, which is required for most electronic devices imported and sold in the country.

As such, this update means that routers manufactured outside of the United States can no longer be imported or sold in the country. This includes the vast majority of routers, including those from highly reputable brands such as TP-Link, ASUS and American company Netgear. The ban also covers routers designed in the United States but manufactured elsewhere, or vice versa.

“Recently, malicious cyber attackers, both state-sponsored and not, have increasingly exploited vulnerabilities in foreign-produced small office and home office routers to conduct direct attacks against U.S. civilians in their homes,” reads the four-page national security determination cited by the FCC. Written by an unnamed government interagency body, it specifically highlights the 2024 Salt Typhoon hack, stating that routers were “directly involved” in the attack. “From disrupting network connectivity to spying on local networks and stealing intellectual property, foreign-produced routers pose unacceptable risks to Americans.”

Of course, since the overwhelming majority of routers are manufactured outside the United States, it’s possible that this is a matter of correlation rather than causation.

Fortunately, the FCC’s new mandate does not revoke the authorization of routers that have already received it, regardless of where they were manufactured. These router models can continue to be sold and imported into the United States without adverse consequences. However, since no new router can obtain FCC authorization, US users’ options will significantly diminish. Routers play an instrumental role in connecting multiple devices to a modem, which provides access to the Internet. They can impact upload and download speed, as well as coverage range.

Companies can request exemptions for their routers, with the Department of War (DOW) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authorized to evaluate and approve those they do not consider to pose a national security risk. None have been listed so far.

Mashable has contacted TP-Link, ASUS and Netgear for comment.

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