The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has extended its regulatory crackdown by prohibiting the import of new foreign-made consumer networking equipment, following a similar restriction on drones announced in December. The move is based on concerns over national security and the safety of U.S. citizens, with the agency citing “an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.”

Existing devices will not be affected. Consumers can continue using their current routers, and companies that have already secured FCC authorization for specific foreign-manufactured products may continue importing those approved models. However, since most consumer routers are produced outside the United States, the decision effectively blocks the majority of future devices from entering the market.

By adding foreign-made consumer routers to its Covered List, the FCC has signaled that it will no longer approve radio authorizations for such equipment, which in practice prevents new products from being sold in the country.

Manufacturers now face two primary choices: obtain “conditional approval” that allows continued product clearance while transitioning manufacturing to the U.S., or withdraw from the American market altogether—similar to the decision taken by drone company DJI.

The FCC justified its decision through a National Security Determination, stating that "Allowing routers produced abroad to dominate the U.S. market creates unacceptable economic, national security, and cybersecurity risks," and further noting 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." Another statement emphasized, "Given the criticality of routers to the successful functioning of our nation's economy and defense, the United States can no longer depend on foreign nations for router manufacturing."

While routers have long been a common target for cyberattacks due to recurring vulnerabilities, questions remain about whether domestic manufacturing alone would significantly improve security. In the Volt Typhoon incident, for example, hackers primarily exploited routers from U.S.-based companies Cisco and Netgear. According to the Department of Justice, those devices were compromised because they no longer received security updates after being discontinued.

The scope of the ban is also more specific than it may initially appear. It applies specifically to “consumer-grade routers,” as defined by NIST guidelines—devices intended for residential use and typically installed by end users.

The policy could have widespread implications for the industry. "Virtually all routers are made outside the United States, including those produced by U.S.-based companies like TP-Link, which manufactures its products in Vietnam," reads part of a statement from TP-Link via third-party spokesperson Ricca Silverio. "It appears that the entire router industry will be impacted by the FCC's announcement concerning new devices not previously authorized by the FCC."