Originally published at: The Verge Explains the US Government’s Router Ban - TidBITS
In a news article on 23 March 2026, The Verge’s Sean Hollister wrote:
In December, the Federal Communications Commission banned all future drones made in foreign countries from being imported into the United States, unless or until their maker gets an exemption. Now, the FCC has done the exact same for consumer networking gear, citing “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.”
If you already have a Wi-Fi or wired router, you can keep on using it — and companies that have already gotten FCC radio authorization for a specific foreign-made product can continue to import that product.
But since the vast majority — if not all — consumer routers are manufactured outside the United States, the vast majority of future consumer routers are now banned. By adding all foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List, the FCC is saying it will no longer authorize their radios, which de facto bans new devices from import into the country.
For those who found themselves stuttering “But what about…” questions as I did, Hollister is back with a lively Q&A format explanation of the ban, based on a close reading of the FCC’s rather incoherent filing and FAQ.
Notably, the government isn’t recalling existing routers, preventing the sale of previously authorized routers, or proposing security audits of new devices. All it’s doing is banning the sale of future routers that haven’t yet been created, if they’re to be manufactured in another country.
My guess is that this will play out in one of two ways, depending on the company:
- Some firms will focus on selling their currently authorized routers in the US market in the hope that the ban will either not be enforced or be overturned after an administration change. Routers typically remain functional and fast enough for many years, and few people buying a router today would feel the need to replace it before the early 2030s.
- Others will see the associated lack of competition as an opportunity, establish a US manufacturing base, and sell new routers at premium prices.
Neither option seems likely to improve router security, suggesting that the ban has nothing to do with security and everything to do with revitalizing US manufacturing. That’s a fine goal, but using a poorly supported stick rather than a carrot of any sort seems likely to reduce choice and raise prices for US consumers.