Why This Matters
The FCC has granted Asus conditional approval covering its full wireless networking lineup, clearing the Taiwanese vendor to keep selling routers in the US while rival TP-Link remains shut out. The timing matters because Asus is about to roll out its first wave of Wi-Fi 8 products, and regulatory certainty determines who gets to lead that upgrade cycle. For consumers, it signals that national-security vetting is now a gating factor in which routers reach store shelves.
Key Takeaways
- Asus's entire router portfolio — RT, ROG, TUF, ExpertWiFi, ZenWiFi, 5G MiFi, repeaters and access points — received FCC conditional approval, valid for 18 months.
- The approval rests on a determination that the devices don't pose US national security risks, while TP-Link remains locked out of the market.
- Clearance protects Asus's Wi-Fi 8 roadmap, including the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro announced in June with claimed 2x real-world throughput over Wi-Fi 7.
2026 has been a trying year for router manufacturers, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has subjected leading companies to strict oversight and outright bans. As an olive branch of sorts, the FCC has handed out "conditional approvals" to be included on the Covered List to companies that have jumped through all the necessary hoops to satisfy the commission's concerns. Asus is the latest company to secure that approval, which was confirmed in an FCC notice issued this week.
According to the FCC, the following Asus networking products have been granted conditional approval:
RT Series
ROG GT Series
OG Strix GS Series
TUF Gaming Series
ExpertWiFi Series
ZenWiFi Mesh Series
5G MiFi Series
Wireless repeaters
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