US Officially Bans Latest Foreign-Made Routers

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially banned the import and distribution of all new models of internet routers produced abroad, starting from Monday (23 March 2026). This step directly follows the “National Security Directive” issued by the Trump administration last Friday. The policy is intended to protect US telecommunications infrastructure from cyber attack and espionage threats. The ban has surprised many due to its broad scope. The FCC has officially added the category of “all routers produced in foreign countries” to its blacklist (covered list). Although the FCC rule does not specifically name any particular country, industry analysts agree that the main target is to curb hardware from China. Currently, Chinese products are estimated to hold about 60 per cent of the home router market share in the United States. Major manufacturers like TP-Link, founded in China and now headquartered in California, are reportedly under investigation by the US government regarding potential security risks from its devices. However, the effects of this ban also impact US technology giants themselves. Popular US-made router brands such as Netgear, Google Nest, Amazon Eero, Cisco, and Linksys are at risk of being unable to release new models in their own country. This is because almost all hardware from these brands is assembled and produced in foreign factories, such as in Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, and China. These devices essentially serve as the main gateway connecting computers, mobile phones, and smart devices of civilians to the internet network, making their presence highly crucial and vulnerable to infiltration. According to the commission’s report, hackers are increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in home routers. The FCC specifically accuses foreign routers of facilitating large-scale hacking campaigns such as the Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon operations. These attacks are known to aggressively target America’s critical infrastructure sectors, from communication systems and energy networks to transportation and water facilities. This strict rule is designed to sever supply chain vulnerabilities and ensure no built-in “backdoors” are embedded in US citizens’ home networks. So, what is the fate of foreign-made WiFi routers that are already in use by consumers at home?