Trump FCC prohibits import and sale of new Wi-Fi routers made outside US
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
At least the way it’s phrased now, the default is that the only new routers allowed going forward without special permission are ones fully designed, developed, and built in the USA, basically on-shoring production from the drawing board to the product leaving the factory. Nice idea, but expensive and difficult to achieve.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
The government’s taking control of CBS was a freaking nuke shot over the bow of american journalism. The message was glaringly clear…Do as we say or face the consequences.
CBS is in a death spiral now, as viewers walk away from FoxNewsLite. The administration doesn’t care, as long as their message is broadcast.
Upvote
20
(21
/
-1)
But also like, how is the government going to enforce that? I checked Asus' site and the firmware for an RT-BE86U (just picking one) router has the same SHA256 hash regardless of whether it's coming from the UK or the US version of the website. So what would the US government expect Asus to do, globally stop all updates to their product? I doubt that's going to happen. It may come as a shock to this administration but the US is not the only country where products are sold.
Upvote
17
(17
/
0)
This is basically all routers, isn't it? Like, all of them. I don't think I've ever heard of a router being manufactured in the United States as far back as I've cared about/known about them, circa the early aughts.
Upvote
24
(24
/
0)
As usual the big players cheer regulation that raises barriers to entry for new competitors and disproportionate costs for existing smaller competitors.
Upvote
6
(6
/
0)
Comcast: umm hold up... all of our cable modems are basically routers, does Mr Trump need another donation?
Upvote
12
(12
/
0)
As soon as I can get one that’s reasonably priced, I’d be happy to pick one up
Upvote
0
(1
/
-1)
FTFY
Upvote
12
(13
/
-1)
Someone please tell Congress that we have far bigger problems then the CCP finding out what porn sites I visit.
Upvote
6
(7
/
-1)
The thing about this is that the security problems lay in the software, which isn't affected by this order. You can make a modem in the US and hire Chinese programmers to make and update the OS, and that's fine. The FCC doesn't certify the OS, it only certifies that it complies with US spectrum and power regulations, so it only goes as far as an SDR.
My Ubiquiti router may have been assembled in Vietnam, but the silicon was designed by Broadcom and the software written in the US.
My Ubiquiti router may have been assembled in Vietnam, but the silicon was designed by Broadcom and the software written in the US.
Upvote
18
(18
/
0)
I am not aware of any consumer grade routers manufactured in USA except for the Startlink routers. Situation with business routers is not much better either. Are we going to see a run on the available router stock?
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
udr7 is nice but the wifi range isn't as good as a stand alone ap like u7 pro.
Depends how large an area you need to cover and what your internal walls are made of.
Could add another ap to the udr7
I ended up going with a cloud gateway fiber , a u7 pro , a ux7 express as an ap for living room and backup router and a couple of flex 2.5 Gb switches. All internal walls are double brick.
Can add a ssd to the cloud gateway fiber if you are using cameras with it.
The newer u7 xgs and xgs pro ap's run cooler than u7 pro and have 10 Gbps instead of 2.5 Gb.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
One has to love the logic of banning consumer equipment while simultaneously eliminating any requirement that telecom providers secure their networks. And of omitting the enterprise grade devices that will be involved in any significant infrastructure attack. (The last time I checked, my home network, no matter how compromised, was not in a position to disrupt the power grid, but heaven forfend we inconvenience the shining moral exemplar that is the telecommunications industry in any way.)
When it comes to equipment that doesn't spy on me, I trust the Chinese more than I do America's current crypto-fascist regime. In the current climate, bringing anything under U.S. control means giving it to the dissonant fart-powered bagpipe and his thugs, and I doubt the Chinese can be bothered to keep a list of Americans who hate their own government like cancer.
We have the corruption we deserve: the worst we'll tolerate. Ultimately, this is my fault, for sitting here typing away, imagining that ranting is any kind of action. My fault and yours.
When it comes to equipment that doesn't spy on me, I trust the Chinese more than I do America's current crypto-fascist regime. In the current climate, bringing anything under U.S. control means giving it to the dissonant fart-powered bagpipe and his thugs, and I doubt the Chinese can be bothered to keep a list of Americans who hate their own government like cancer.
We have the corruption we deserve: the worst we'll tolerate. Ultimately, this is my fault, for sitting here typing away, imagining that ranting is any kind of action. My fault and yours.
Upvote
31
(31
/
0)
YetAnotherAnonymousAppellation
Ars Praefectus
As a Canadian, I can safely say that under the current circumstances, a US-made router is the last thing I would consider buying for at least 2 reasons:
- Boycotting all US-made items due to Trump financial idiocy
- Probability that they will now include a backdoor to meet this new requirement
Upvote
41
(42
/
-1)
Internal nerd - turning a Rasberry Pi into a wifi router running OpenWRT is a fabulous Saturday afternoon project.
Internal conspirist - Limiting wifi router selection is just the first step in requiring a goverment chip on every box so they can sniff every packet to keep you "safe".
Internal conspirist - Limiting wifi router selection is just the first step in requiring a goverment chip on every box so they can sniff every packet to keep you "safe".
Upvote
18
(18
/
0)
From the article: "...yesterday’s FCC action only affects consumer-grade routers mainly used in homes. In November 2025, the Carr FCC rescinded a Biden-era ruling that required telecom providers to secure their networks, alleging that the previous administration’s action was illegal and did not effectively address the threat."
Do I understand this correctly: Trump/Carr opened the back door to the barn, while closing the front door?
Do I understand this correctly: Trump/Carr opened the back door to the barn, while closing the front door?
Upvote
32
(32
/
0)
Upvote
9
(9
/
0)
I am guessing if this comes into force various entrepreneurial Mexican businessmen will be setting up retail outlets just south of the border selling consumer grade routers for 20% of the price of US made routers. I am sure absolutely no US citizen will be picking one up when doing their regular trip to Mexico
Upvote
10
(10
/
0)
Well, yes. It is the same legal arbitrage tactic used in manufacturing everywhere.
Being a cyclist...my favorite example of legal arbitrage and "MADE IN" origin labeling is the bicycle maker Colnago. For a long while after going to carbon fiber, they claimed to be "made in Italy". Which all the CF expertise in bicycle manufacture is in Taiwan and China. How could they claim to be "made in Italy" when the drive train is either from Romania (Campagnolo) or Japan (Shimano), NVM all the other bits?
Well to meet the "made in" origin labeling requirement--a majority of the final-value of the product had to be added in ______.
So...their claim was based on that because the frames were molded in Taiwan, and painted in Italy, and all the parts were bolted on in Italy...it was therefore "made in Italy".
Upvote
15
(15
/
0)
Yup. When I got FTTH at 2Gbps last fall, I had to find something that could actually handle that kind of bandwidth. BPI-R4 + OpenWRT has been excellent, although I did add a fan and a couple heatsinks to deal with the fact that SFP+ 10G RJ45 adapters run bloody hot. Didn't put on the optional (and apparently problematic) wifi card - it's just a straight router/firewall.
I saw the FCC announcement come out yesterday just as I was getting ready to junk some older router/AP hardware. Decided maybe not quite yet and put it back in the closet.
Upvote
15
(15
/
0)
That’s exactly what I am talking about with Firewalla. It’s a dedicated firewall, similar class as UniFi stuff. They sell their own WAPs, but also can support other brands, such as Ubiquiti.
My boss loves them. Only reason I hadn’t pulled the trigger yet was it’s a bit of a cost jump up once you go all in.
At this point though, probably worth it.
https://firewalla.com/
Last edited:
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
Due to our condo layout and lack of in wall Ethernet, I’m more looking any free standing WAPs than mounted ones.
Can’t remember if Ubiquiti makes free standing or not, but Firewalla just launched the recently and they check all the boxes. For me, other than a tad pricey once you include cost of the Firewalla itself.
https://firewalla.com/collections/firewalla-ap7/products/firewalla-ap7
Upvote
1
(2
/
-1)
Been tempted, but my wife works from home and it’s got to be something that is mostly set it and forget it, so I don’t have to fiddle too much.
Firewalla has a nice app, and technically is remotely manageable, but I am always very leery of enabling that on any edge hardware.
Upvote
4
(5
/
-1)
1. TACO.
2. There are going to be some very unhappy cable Internet providers. See 1.
2. There are going to be some very unhappy cable Internet providers. See 1.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
So where's the ban on foreign-made oil? Oh right, the administration is committing treason by giving 14 billion to Iran for oil. Screw our military in the Middle East apparently.
Upvote
13
(14
/
-1)
They could region block access to the download site to us IP addresses, but that would be messy if the site has non-router related content. Technical people could use a non-US vpn to get illicit security patches. It’s incredibly stupid to limit updates when the FCC should be requiring routers to have 10 years of security updates.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
Aside from being another obvious shakedown, I have a feeling the only true security threat in play here is coming from inside the house.
And if they are pushing for back door access as part of any deal to get a waiver, you can bet that the major ISPs will be the first ones to cave (if they haven’t already), followed by any American company that wants to sell a router in the US.
And if they are pushing for back door access as part of any deal to get a waiver, you can bet that the major ISPs will be the first ones to cave (if they haven’t already), followed by any American company that wants to sell a router in the US.
Upvote
20
(20
/
0)
You'll have to smuggle them in from Canada
Edit :
But wouldn't they qualify as 'Enterprise' ?
Stuff like RB5009 or CCR probably would be considered enterprise, but I somehow doubt the new hAP be3 will given that it is explicitly marketed at home users.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
There is not a single software defined product without "back doors" if that's the definition of being able to get around it....
Man... from my limited exposure to the "easy" set up consumer mesh routers, TP link (Chinese company that's US based for their US products) has far better software updates than american companies... still getting occasional updates on the now 9 year old Deco M5s I got... sure they're limited to periphery connections of the house, but still works.
Last edited:
Upvote
10
(10
/
0)
In what way is it a "Nice idea"?
That this only targets "consumer routers" is a such an illogical and blatantly flawed concept in the context of "National Security" that it's difficult to see it as anything on than a first step toward government controlled firmware.
Upvote
19
(19
/
0)
SOHO routers are pretty notorious for being full of vulnerabilities, rarely getting updates/losing support long before they're taken out of service, and by their nature they're pretty much always sitting right on the internet. They are legitimately a security nightmare.
Upvote
10
(10
/
0)
