There Isn't A Single Consumer Wi-Fi Router That Is 100% American-Made

A $60B Vote of Confidence

The Trump administration has been critical of America's technological sector for its dependence on international partners. In its 2025 National Security Strategy, the administration named securing independent supply chains a pillar of its economic and national security policies, warning that the US 'must never be dependent on any outside power for core components.'

The home router market has been a particular concern, with the White House putting considerable energy into untethering America's Wi-Fi networks from foreign manufacturers. In March 2026, the FCC banned all international home internet routers, citing how 'malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft.'

Citing recent cyberattacks like Salt Typhoon, Volt and Flax, the FCC's National Security Determination argues that companies manufacturing routers can inject backdoors into their products, giving foreign intelligence agencies and hackers unfettered access to American networks.

Why Cursor?

The ban has hit several roadblocks, as the FCC looks to implement a ruling that many critics warned was unrealistic. In May, the FCC issued a public notice that routers can 'continue to receive software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to U.S. consumers' until at least January 1, 2029. The move comes after the National Consumer Technology Association pushed the FCC to relax its stringent ruling, citing supply chain shortages 'in critical substrate material and memory modules' that could cause 'disruptions to millions of Americans' broadband services.'

Critics pointed to the revision as an indication of the contradictions inherent in the restrictions, noting that banning software updates could cause more security problems than it solves.

The Road Ahead

The future of the American router market remains murky. As it stands, the FCC's regulations bar any company from selling new foreign-produced routers that haven't previously received approval from the United States government. With that said, firms can sell routers already on the market. This uncertain regulatory framework, when paired with the FCC's willingness to extend deadlines and grant conditional approvals, further muddies the market's opaque waters.

To date, at least 11 companies have received waivers to sell their routers in the United States through 2027. For instance, the FCC granted popular American router company Netgear a waiver to sell its consumer mesh, mobile, and standalone routers. The approval extends to both the company's Nighthawk and Orbi lines, as well as its cable CAX and Cable CM systems.