The US government just banned all foreign-made Wi-Fi routers

The FCC has officially added foreign-made routers to its Covered List, a list of equipment deemed a national security threat to the United States. This means no new foreign-produced routers can be sold in America, unless they are granted a special exemption.

If you are wondering what that means for your current router sitting in your living room, don’t panic yet. For now, the ban only affects new router approvals.

Why is the US government worried about your router?

According to the National Security Determination issued on March 20, 2026, routers have become the target for hackers and state-sponsored cyber attackers. In the public notice the FCC released today, it said, “From disrupting network connectivity to enabling local networking espionage and intellectual property theft, foreign-produced routers present unacceptable risks to Americans.”

The notice points to a series of high-profile attacks as evidence, stating that “routers produced abroad were directly implicated in the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks which targeted critical American communications, energy, transportation, and water infrastructure.” 

The conclusion from national security agencies is blunt. Foreign routers are giving bad actors a “built-in backdoor to American homes, businesses, critical infrastructure, and emergency services.”

Does this mean you need to replace your router?

Not immediately. The notice does not address routers already in use by the public. It only talks about the routers’ sales going forward.

Foreign routers that have FCC authorization can still be sold. Router manufacturers that produce their devices abroad can apply for the Conditional Approval, which buys them time while they develop a plan to move manufacturing to the US. 

You can find the names of brands under the Covered List and those that received Conditional Approval on the FCC’s website. Popular brands like TP-Link, which were already under investigation by the US government, will need to either relocate manufacturing or apply for these exemptions to continue selling new models in the US.

This is a significant move that will reshape the router market. Whether it will translate into better security for everyday users remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the era of affordable, foreign-made routers dominating American homes could soon be coming to an end.