US Implements Ban on Foreign-Made Consumer Internet Routers

Tue Mar 24 2026 05:45:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The FCC has enacted a ban on the importation of new foreign-made consumer internet routers to protect national security, responding to concerns regarding cybersecurity threats.

In response to security concerns, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned new foreign-made consumer internet routers in the US. The ban highlights the risks posed by foreign equipment, linking it to cybersecurity attacks that may disrupt infrastructure and facilitate espionage. Existing routers can still be used, but new models will require FCC approval, which includes a thorough review of foreign investment and a domestic manufacturing plan.

The US has banned new foreign-made consumer internet routers over national security concerns.

In an update on Monday to a list of equipment seen as not secure enough for use, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added all consumer-grade routers made outside the US.

This move puts routers, widely used in homes and businesses to connect devices to the internet, on par with foreign-made drones, which were banned at the end of last year.

According to the FCC, Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft.

While people can still use foreign-made routers they already own, the ban applies to all new device models. This decision stems from growing concerns that routers are an easy access point for malicious actors.

Brands like TP-Link, a popular router maker based in China, have prompted significant US political anxiety after a series of cyberattacks last year.

Any new router made outside the US will require FCC approval before it can be imported or sold. This approval process will necessitate the disclosure of foreign investors' influence and an operational plan to manufacture routers domestically.

Some routers may be exempted if deemed suitable by the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security; however, no specific models have yet been approved.

The FCC's decision aligns with findings from a national security review that labeled overseas-made internet routers as posing unacceptable risks to the US, citing potential impacts on the supply chain and cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure.

According to FCC reports, unauthorized access to routers has been linked to cyberattacks against US infrastructure, specifically instances like Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon between 2024 and 2025, with officials attributing these activities to individuals or groups connected to the Chinese government.

Most internet routers available in the market today are assembled or manufactured abroad, predominantly in Taiwan or China.

The FCC's ban also extends to routers designed in the US but manufactured overseas. Popular brands such as Netgear produce all of their products abroad, while one exception is the Starlink WiFi router by SpaceX, manufactured in Texas.