The Federal Communications Commission has banned the sale of new foreign-made Wi-Fi routers to mitigate national security risks, though existing devices remain authorized for continued consumer use.

Key Points

• The FCC order restricts new models manufactured, designed, or assembled outside the United States.
• Existing routers currently in use are not affected and do not require immediate replacement.
• Firmware and software updates for currently authorized routers are guaranteed only until March 1, 2027.
• Major manufacturers including Asus, Netgear, TP-Link, and Linksys are subject to the new restrictions.
• Starlink is currently the only major router provider exempt from the ban due to its Texas-based manufacturing.
• The FCC cited the role of foreign-made hardware in recent cyberattacks, such as the Salt Typhoon incident, as the primary driver for the policy.

Why it Matters

This policy creates significant uncertainty for the consumer networking market, as nearly all major router brands rely on global supply chains that may now be ineligible for future sales. Consumers are advised to delay new router purchases until manufacturers secure exemptions, as devices lacking FCC approval may lose critical security updates after March 2027.