federal communications The commission has banned new consumer internet routers manufactured outside the US, citing national security concerns. The ban does not affect any routers already in American homes or currently on sale in the US, but all new routers targeted for 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 away your router, and you’ll still find plenty of mesh systems on store shelves. But what does it mean for you?
Why are foreign made routers banned?
“Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American homes, 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 that targeted critical U.S. infrastructure.”
Foreign-made consumer routers were added to the covered list, which details devices and services “deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States.”
Which routers are restricted?
The ban only affects sales of new Wi-Fi routers for consumer homes. This restriction does not apply to existing FCC-approved routers on sale in the US. According to the FCC’s FAQ, pre-purchased routers that are in use in homes across the country are also fine and not part of the ban. These routers can be sold, used, and updated with new firmware.
Any new router manufactured outside the US now requires FCC approval before being imported, marketed or sold in the US. This includes routers from American companies that are manufactured overseas, which currently make up the bulk of the market.
What does foreign made mean?
This is definitely suspicious. The ban relates to “consumer-grade” routers and could include any that are designed or manufactured outside the US or manufactured by companies that are not wholly 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 this definition. As do most, if not all, routers supplied by Internet service providers in the US.
Like the recent federal drone ban, the rule only applies to new routers, but manufacturers can apply for conditional approval from the Department of Defense and Homeland Security. The application must include details regarding ownership, board membership and country of origin of 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 is a clear emphasis on persuading companies to commit to making their routers in the US.
“No routers or manufacturers have been given conditional approval yet, but as the process gets underway, we are hopeful that approval will be granted in a timely manner,” an FCC spokesperson told WIRED.
What about foreign made components?
Well, the FCC provides some clarification in its FAQ (here “covered” means restricted):
It states, “Non-‘covered’ devices do not become ‘covered’ merely because they contain a ‘covered’ component part, unless the ‘covered’ component part is a modular transmitter under the FCC’s rules.” “Therefore, a router produced in the United States is not considered a ‘covered’ device merely because it contains one or more foreign-made components.”
Manufacturers are importing components from China but assembling them in the US would probably be OK, though it’s not clear. According to the FCC, “Applicants will be required to have substantial evidence that the router was not manufactured in a foreign country, but this does not require any specific documentation or evidence.”
Let’s take a look at the three big US router brands and see how they’ve been affected.
Will TP-Link be banned?
Since all of its routers are made overseas, TP-Link must apply for conditional approval to sell any new routers or begin manufacturing in the US. Estimates vary, but TP-Link’s U.S. consumer router market share is about 35 percent, with Netgear and Asus accounting for about 25 percent each.
The US Departments of Commerce, Defense and Justice have reportedly been investigating and considering banning TP-Link routers for more than a year over concerns about the company’s ties to China. No sanctions have been imposed so far, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued TP-Link in February, claiming the company allows the Chinese Communist Party to access the devices of US consumers. Opponents have also criticized alleged predatory pricing, claiming that TP-Link has introduced a wide range of affordable routers into the US market to establish dominance.
TP-Link has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and claims it has distanced itself from its Chinese roots and is now headquartered in the US with most manufacturing in Vietnam. According to The Times of India, Jeffrey Chao, co-founder and CEO of TP-Link, recently applied for permanent US residency through President Trump’s Gold Card program.
“Virtually all routers are made outside the United States, including routers produced by US-based companies like TP-Link, which manufactures its products in Vietnam,” a TP-Link spokesperson told WIRED. “It appears that the entire router industry will be affected by the FCC’s announcement regarding new devices not previously authorized by the FCC.”
TP-Link is a privately owned company and is not publicly listed on any stock exchange. Chao and his wife Hillary are listed as the company’s sole owners.
Will Netgear be banned?
Although it is a company founded and headquartered in the US, Netgear’s routers are manufactured overseas, mostly in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan, so it must apply for conditional approval. The company has moved away from China in recent years. Netgear is lobbying the government on “cybersecurity and strategic competition with China”.
“We applaud the Administration and the FCC for taking action toward a secure digital future for Americans,” a Netgear spokesperson told 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, owned mostly by institutional investors, including BlackRock and Vanguard. The company’s shares rose on news of the ban, which suggests that many investors believe it will not have much of an impact.
Will Asus be banned?
Asus primarily makes its routers in Taiwan, although it has production facilities in China and works with several third-party manufacturers. Recent tariff pressures have caused the company to open branches in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mexico and the Czech Republic, but the majority of its routers still come from Taiwan or China. Asus will have to apply for conditional approval to sell the new routers. The company did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
The company is listed on the Taiwanese Stock Exchange and is mostly owned by public shareholders. The ban does not appear to have had any impact on its stock price.
Are any routers made in America?
The only routers I know of that are made in the US are some Starlink Wi-Fi routers, which are made primarily in Texas. Starlink is part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, but many of the components in these routers come from East Asia.
What impact will the router ban have on common people?
It’s not entirely clear, but it probably won’t have a big impact in the short term. There are already a wide range of Wi-Fi 7 routers and mesh systems on the market that will continue to be sold – they provide speeds far beyond what most people need at home. Long term, whether companies begin manufacturing in the US or find other ways to satisfy government agencies that their goods are not a safety risk, the result is likely to be higher prices for consumers. If you haven’t upgraded to the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard, now might be a good time to do so.
unanswered questions
The ban leaves many unanswered questions. Why is this only being implemented on consumer routers? Which routers or manufacturers will be given conditional approval? Why are foreign-made routers currently on sale and in our homes considered safe? The FCC did not address these questions.
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