US Prohibits Acquisition of New Foreign-Made Consumer Internet Routers

Tue Mar 24 2026 05:29:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Federal Communications Commission has implemented a ban on new foreign-made consumer internet routers due to national security concerns, categorizing them alongside certain foreign drones. Existing routers held by consumers will not be affected by this new regulation.

In response to rising cybersecurity threats, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a ban on the import and sale of new foreign-made consumer internet routers in the United States. Citing security risks from foreign manufacturers, particularly those implicated in cyberattacks against US infrastructure, the FCC aims to safeguard networks from potential espionage and infrastructure disruption. Existing routers owned by consumers are exempt from this ban, but new models will require FCC approval and transparency regarding foreign investment. The regulations come amidst escalating anxieties surrounding cybersecurity and foreign influence in technology.

US Prohibits Acquisition of New Foreign-Made Consumer Internet Routers

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. It puts routers - which are 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.

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

While people will still be able to use foreign-made routers they already own, the ban applies to all new device models. The ban stems from growing concern over the last year that routers were a point of easy access for malicious actors. TP-Link, a router brand made in China that is a best-seller on Amazon, became the subject of some US political anxiety last year after a spate of cyberattacks.

Any new router made outside the US will now need to be approved by the FCC before it can be imported, marketed, or sold in the country. To obtain this approval, companies manufacturing routers outside the US must apply for conditional approval, disclosing their foreign investors or influences and demonstrating a plan to bring manufacturing of the routers to the US.

FCC's move follows a decision that internet routers made overseas posed unacceptable risks to the US, including potential far-reaching impacts to the American supply chain and the risk of cyberattacks disrupting infrastructure. The FCC noted that foreign routers were implicated in several cyberattacks against US infrastructure between 2024 and 2025, with US investigations linking these breaches to foreign actors.

The vast majority of internet routers are manufactured outside of the US, commonly in Taiwan or China. The ban includes routers designed in the US but built abroad. An exception exists for the newer Starlink WiFi router, made in Texas, which is part of Elon Musk's SpaceX. This new regulation reflects looming security concerns over reliance on foreign technology.