ALERT The FCC Just Banned the Sale of New Wi-Fi Router Models Made Outside US

[KNERD]

The FCC Just Banned the Sale of New Wi-Fi Router Models Made Outside US

The surprising order means any new Wi-Fi router models sold in the country must be US-made, or receive an exemption from the Pentagon or Homeland Security Department.

www.pcmag.com

 

[wardmundy]

So... these foreign-made routers all pose a "national security" threat except for the millions of them that are already in use in the United States. And those are all OK. And it's permissible to load firmware updates on all of them, too. Makes perfect sense.

 

[atsak]

Yes, it's important to lock everyone into only using the carrier provided routers that allow them to specify how you use them so they can justify cost increases /s

I am absolutely rage baiting as the kids say but you guys could use some more freedom. We'll see about sharing some, in exchange for lower tariffs (again, totally joking, don't come for me).

 

[wardmundy]

From the Google machine:

While there is no evidence that FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has "adopted the Nazi playbook" in any literal or official capacity, his recent regulatory actions have drawn sharp comparisons to authoritarian tactics from historical regimes, including the Third Reich.
Rolling Stone
These comparisons have primarily surfaced from critics and legal experts following several high-profile incidents during his tenure:

• Pressure on Comedians: After Carr suggested the FCC could take action against ABC over comments made by Jimmy Kimmel, leading to the show's indefinite suspension in September 2025, former Trump White House lawyer Ty Cobb described the move as "evocative" of the Nazis removing comedians from the airwaves in 1939.
• Media Oversight and "Public Interest": Carr has increasingly used the "public interest" standard to threaten broadcast license revocations for networks over their news coverage, such as reporting on the conflict in Iran. Critics, including some Senate Republicans, have characterized these threats as "heavy-handed government" overreach and a "textbook case of authoritarianism".
• State-Sanctioned Content: Carr has suggested that TV stations feature specific "pro-America content," such as starting the day with the national anthem, to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. Some commentators have likened these suggestions to "state media" directives seen in repressive regimes.
• Targeting Critics: Critics allege that Carr is following an "authoritarian playbook" by weaponizing the FCC's "Equal Time" rule to pressure shows critical of the administration, such as The View and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
  Facebook +7

While some analysts argue these comparisons are "hyperbolic" or "hysterical," others maintain that the systematic squeezing of independent media and threats against dissent are characteristic of "media capture"—a strategy used by authoritarian leaders to bend information systems toward themselves.

 

[ostridge]

The FCC Just Banned the Sale of New Wi-Fi Router Models Made Outside US

The surprising order means any new Wi-Fi router models sold in the country must be US-made, or receive an exemption from the Pentagon or Homeland Security Department.

www.pcmag.com

Those router prices will be going for a premium - no the old existing ones.

 

[wardmundy]

Does This Affect Wi-Fi Extenders and Mesh Systems?​

Yes, the FCC is classifying routers as devices that “forward data packets, most commonly Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between networked systems," so range extenders and mesh devices would be included.

This presumably will include any cellphone that provides Hotspot functionality.

According to the geniuses at the FCC:

“Routers” is defined by National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Internal Report 8425A to mean consumer-grade networking devices that are primarily intended for residential use and can be installed by the customer. Routers forward data packets, most commonly Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between networked systems.

 

[wardmundy]

https://www.reddit.com/r/pwnhub/comments/1s2thgj/the_fcc_router_ban_following_up_on_a_post_here

 

[mbellot]

Yes, the FCC is classifying routers as devices that “forward data packets, most commonly Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between networked systems,"

So then switches would also be "routers", right?

It's a good thing Cheeto Jesus surrounds himself with geniuses... Until they disagree with him, then they are the stupidest person on earth. I still think the alternative would have been worse, but the difference shrinks every day.

God help the rest of the universe if we ever get off this rock in any meaningful way. Fortunately for them we have guys like P.T. Musk working on it.

 

[chris_c_]

This is because of the Chinese Communist Party's use of hackable home/office routers to commit attacks on US and steal information/IP & other atacks, such as Volt Typhoon, etc. More info.....

Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-backed hacking groups have systematically exploited vulnerabilities in small office/home office (SOHO) routers located inside the United States to create botnets, allowing them to disguise malicious cyber activities as domestic U.S. traffic
. These compromised routers, often outdated or using insecure firmware, serve as a proxy to launch attacks on critical infrastructure, government agencies, and private companies while evading detection.
Key Tactics and Operations

• Volt Typhoon: This state-sponsored group has targeted U.S. critical infrastructure (including electric grids and water supplies) by hijacking hundreds of privately-owned SOHO routers to form the "KV Botnet".
• "Living-off-the-Land" Techniques: Attackers utilize built-in, legitimate network tools on routers rather than installing custom malware, making their activities difficult to distinguish from authorized administrative tasks.
• Flax Typhoon & Salt Typhoon: Other Chinese-backed entities known for using large-scale router botnets (targeting over 126,000 devices in one instance) and exploiting vulnerabilities in high-end network hardware (Cisco) for espionage.
• Targeting Infrastructure: Attackers use the compromised routers to move laterally into sensitive, high-value networks.

Targeted Hardware

• TP-Link: Texas and various U.S. authorities have highlighted concerns regarding Chinese-made TP-Link routers, citing a high degree of vulnerabilities and potential hidden backdoors used by state-sponsored actors.
• Legacy Devices: Older models from Cisco and Netgear have been specifically targeted because they are no longer eligible for security patches, leaving them vulnerable to exploits.

 

[wardmundy]

@chris_c: Only problem with what you're saying is that this new policy leaves all the "old routers" in place and still exposed. NO CURRENTLY INSTALLED LEGACY DEVICES ARE AFFECTED BY THIS NEW POLICY. In short, it won't stop another Volt Typhoon. Wouldn't it be better to block these sorts of attacks upstream rather than just blocking deployment of new, more secure routers at the end-user level?? I would hasten to add that the FCC's definition of a "router" makes clear they have no f*cking clue what they are talking about.

 

[Samot]

Yes, it's important to lock everyone into only using the carrier provided routers

Yeah except many providers use equipment not made in the US. The article also claims in the title it is *any* router made but then in the article states it is only *consumer* level routers.

 

[atsak]

Yeah except many providers use equipment not made in the US. The article also claims in the title it is *any* router made but then in the article states it is only *consumer* level routers.

Agreed, but guarantee "exemptions" will be fast and furious for those companies offering appropriate political contributions. (again, rage baiting, but sort of a bit more serious this time)

 

[kenn10]

Well, I like my TP-Link enterprise gear and its not going anywhere. My Fanvil phones are more of a security risk than my router. I've monitored the WAN side of my router and never seen any sign of illicit traffic in or out. I am constantly barraged with attempts to hack in but everything going out is clean. I have no doubt that some of the residential stuff is vulnerable but the Omada series seems bullet proof so long as you keep all the firmware current. All the Omada hardware gets at least annual upgrades and the router, controller, and access points get updates more than once per year.

I'd just like to see the FCC actually test the devices for back doors and publish results instead of unilaterally saying "Any device from X company or Y country is compromised."

 

[chris_c_]

The issue is TP Link routers are manufactured outside of US legal liability and sold into US market in huge numbers at dirt cheap prices due to CCP gov't subsidy, and have been extensively hacked by foreign threat actors mainly China, paving the way for massive botnets that steal US data and other cyber crimes, such as the famous Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon and "Living off the Land" which targeted critical US infrastructure, Quad 7 botnet of 2023-2025, Camaro Dragon Pakdoor/SoWat malware botnet of 2021, and the Ballista botnet of 2023. Not Sorry, TP Link, you and the rest are going to have to do better to regain access to the US market.

 

[Halea]

If one is truly worried about backdoors and the like then the SoC manufacturers like MediaTek, RealTek and even Qualcomm should be scrutinized, because they actually provide the bulk of the CPU+Ethernet+WiFi SoC modules to most router manufacturers.
Most "manufacturers" are actually just assembly lines. They have no capability to sneak in backdoor technology at the chip level, that includes TP-Link. And at assembly level it would increase the cost of the product and be detectable easily to trained eyes.

 

[Samot]

Let's not forget a lot of these attacks come from devices still having default access/passwords. Which is why a lot of equipment being made now has unique passwords per device on them.

 

[chris_c_]

How did the bad guys gain access to your TP-Link routers? Four main ways:
Known flaws, such as CVE-2025-9377 (parental control command injection) or other remote code execution vulnerabilities.
Attackers retrieve credentials stored in /tmp/dropbear/dropbearpwd and use them in HTTP Basic auth to gain control!
Hackers use brute-force or password-spraying attacks to break into routers with default or weak passwords.
Some TP-Link models (like the ER605v2) have been accessed using hidden "debug" commands available through SSH.
All of this caused tens of billions of dollars in damage and theft to the US. The party's over now, China. Sorry, but we're not sorry.

 

[mbellot]

I'd just like to see the FCC actually test the devices for back doors and publish results instead of unilaterally saying "Any device from X company or Y country is compromised."

This would be the same government that did such a bang-up job verifying the safety of weed killer, airplanes and vaccines?

And you would trust their findings when they can't even accurately define what a router is?

 

[kenn10]

Can you trust the government for anything? So far as I'm concerned the Fed should have the military, Border Patrol/Customs, and little else. Big government ruins anything it touches. Our government is addicted to spending and making rules to control your life. That spending addiction and control fetish is the work of the Uni-party and not specifically related to red or blue though both contribute to the ruin.

 

[dhoppy]

So I won't ever be able to get the new GL iNet Slate 7 Pro?