The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has effectively banned imports of WiFi routers made outside of the United States. The move may eventually severely restrict the options for US buyers looking for an upgrade.

The ban involves adding all routers manufactured outside the US (including those designed by US companies) to a list of restricted items. It says the move was necessary because such devices are an "unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons." (Source: lifehacker.com)

That follows a series of cyber-attacks which targeted known weaknesses in some foreign-made routers. However, the change goes far beyond the routers involved in those attacks and instead simply involves all imports, regardless of the manufacturer or country of origin.

Stiff Requirements for Exemptions

Although imports of routers are blocked by default, manufacturers can apply for a conditional approval to be exempted. That will require meeting a series of requirements that go beyond security measures. These include listing all non-US investors, giving a "justification on why any foreign manufactured router is not currently manufactured in the United States", and making a commitment to begin or expand production in the US. (Source: fcc.gov)

The changes also allow the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DoHS) to grant exemption to specific routers - rather than to a manufacturer - though, neither has done so already.

Limited Options for Consumers

The ban does not affect any routers consumers are already using, or existing stock. However, it does affect any stock replenishment or any new models. That means it won't take long before consumers looking for an upgrade to the latest models face a severely restricted choice.

At the moment, only a small percentage of routers used in the US are manufactured in the country. Many of the best-known brands such as TP-Link are based in China, while leading US manufacturers such as Netgear have the bulk of their stock made in Asia.

Perhaps the most notable range of routers to be manufactured in the US, and thus exempt from the changes, is SpaceX's Starlink range.

What's Your Opinion?

Would you pay significantly more for a router just because it was manufactured in the USA? Do you believe these import restrictions are truly about national security or are they a form of economic protectionism? How concerned are you that your current home networking hardware might have security vulnerabilities?