GoKawiilIn a bombshell announcement, the Federal Communications Commission will be banning all foreign-made Wi-Fi routers, saying they pose "unacceptable risks" to national security.
The ban doesn't apply to any existing routers that the FCC has already authorized, but will impact any new models “produced in foreign countries.” Router manufacturers can apply for an exemption, but so far, none have been granted Conditional Approval on the FCC’s website.
This is a monumental development for the US Wi-Fi router market. With the exception of newer Starlink routers, nearly every router available for purchase in this country is at least partially manufactured outside the US, including TP-Link, Asus and Netgear. An estimated 60% of routers in the US are manufactured in China.
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According to a list of FAQs published by the FCC, a router will be considered foreign-made if “any major stage of the process through which the device is made, including manufacturing, assembly, design and development” occurs outside the US.
“Following President Trump’s leadership, the FCC will continue do our part in making sure that US cyberspace, critical infrastructure and supply chains are safe and secure,” said FCC Chair Brendan Carr in a statement.
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When CNET reached out to the FCC for more clarity on the order, we were referred to the commission's "Covered List" FAQ page.
The FCC says that routers produced abroad were “directly implicated” in the Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks. The Salt Typhoon attack specifically exploited Cisco routers to gain access to the networks of US internet providers like AT&T, Verizon and Lumen, which owns CenturyLink and Quantum Fiber.
This doesn’t mean you have to replace your existing router. The FCC clarified that the ban doesn’t apply to previously-purchased routers, but you won’t be able to buy new routers that the FCC hadn’t already authorized before the ban.
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