- FCC rules block new foreign routers, while old, vulnerable ones stay in homes longer
- ISP customers unable to update routers even as security risks become widely known
- Router approvals now rely on waivers that may delay nationwide replacements
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued new rules aimed at addressing security risks posed by routers manufactured outside the United States.
Several recent incidents have shown that foreign routers are vulnerable to cyber attacks, with campaigns such as Flax, Volt and Salt Typhoon making headlines around the world.
New FCC rules require all new router models not produced in the US to obtain an exemption before they can be sold to US consumers.
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Waiver requirement adds pressure
However, this creates a direct problem for the 71% of American households who receive their routers from Internet service providers instead of purchasing their own equipment.
Those consumers can’t just go into a store and buy a compatible router when the rules change, because the hardware in their homes belongs to the ISP.
Internet service providers operate on tight margins and typically replace customers’ routers only when necessary, especially for small business router needs amid rising costs.
“As far as we know, consumer Wi-Fi routers available in the US are almost exclusively manufactured in China, Taiwan and Vietnam,” said Claus Hetting, CEO of Wi-Fi NOW.
“Foreign manufacturing cannot be easily relocated as it is typically based on long-term contracts with foreign manufacturing entities. Those contracts will be costly to terminate.”
Under new FCC rules, ISPs must obtain compatible hardware for their millions of subscribers, but the supply chain for U.S.-made Wi-Fi routers does not currently exist.
Without compatible hardware to purchase, ISPs have little incentive to remove routers already installed in customers’ homes.
“You can’t build a consumer router based solely on US components; that part of the supply chain doesn’t exist in the US,” added Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart.
Ookla’s figures claim that about 28% of Speedtest results in the US came from devices connected via Wi-Fi 5, while about 7% used Wi-Fi 4 or earlier.
These older standards typically lack the advanced security protocols of new generations of Wi-Fi, leaving them more exposed to the same threats the FCC aims to address, particularly for high-demand gaming router configurations.
Paradoxically, the rules could slow the adoption of newer technologies like Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, because ISPs facing compliance issues may simply delay all router upgrades instead of navigating the exemption process for foreign-made equipment.
The FCC’s intention to protect American networks is clear, but the practical effect on many homes could be the opposite of what it intends to do.
Until the waiver process proves viable or domestic manufacturing materializes, these households may remain stuck with the same outdated and potentially insecure routers.
The rules assume that restricting foreign-made equipment will improve safety, but leaving old hardware in place longer may actually increase the high risk the FCC is trying to eliminate.
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