Homeowners with Wi-Fi routers face a dilemma: their devices are outdated and vulnerable, yet regulatory hurdles are making replacements challenging.
In March, the FCC prohibited the approval of consumer Wi-Fi routers produced or engineered abroad, severely disrupting the industry since nearly all such devices originate from international sources, including overseas firms and manufacturing partners.
These measures are now active, preventing the certification of new models for U.S. sales without directly halting transactions for existing stock—an indirect prohibition with significant impact. The rules also ensure firmware updates for current routers until March 2027, after which their availability remains uncertain. This effectively limits the introduction of fresh designs and could disrupt the distribution of previously approved units as well.
Research from Ookla, creator of the Speedtest tool, provides further insight: leading users of the service in the U.S.—serving as a gauge for market dominance—rely on routers fabricated outside the country, many of which require modernization.
The analysis highlights a related concern: many prominent brands are obscure in consumer channels, suggesting they function as generic components. Notably, some appear in equipment from major providers such as Comcast and Charter, meaning these ISPs may be unable to provide hardware refreshes or even software enhancements under the updated guidelines.
This creates substantial challenges, as approximately 35% of evaluated routers operate on the 2009 Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) or 2013 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) protocols, now outdated compared to the 2023 Wi-Fi 7 standard and the forthcoming Wi-Fi 8. Key advancements in these generations enhance data speeds and connection stability while bolstering internal safeguards for user information. Switching to newer hardware, alongside regular firmware maintenance, addresses these vulnerabilities effectively.
Among Speedtest participants, Amazon's Eero leads as the most common brand, with no public details on its production location. As Ookla points out, analyst Avi Greengart from Techsponential stated, 'It is not possible to build a consumer router based entirely on U.S. components; that part of the supply chain doesn’t exist in the United States.'
Companies like Asustek and Arcadyan, based in Taiwan, would likely face swift exclusion from future U.S. offerings.
Most Eero units support Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 6, representing cutting-edge technology. In contrast, Google devices show about 66% of users limited to Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 4.
Ookla's roster features various unbranded suppliers: Arcadyan, primary provider for Verizon hardware; Arris, leading supplier of Comcast-labeled gateways; and Askey plus Sagemcom, key sources for Charter's router needs.
The core issue lies not in current ownership but in securing successors. Experts indicate that Starlink's routers are among the few potentially fully U.S.-designed and assembled, though the firm did not reply to inquiries. Still, this option suits only select users.
Ultimately, stakeholders in the sector and regulators must negotiate compromises. Absent that, the approach may involve stockpiling current advanced models before supplies dwindle permanently.
Mark has contributed to PCWorld for the past 10 years, drawing on three decades in tech journalism. He has penned more than 3,500 pieces for the outlet, focusing on areas like PC processors, accessories, and Windows software. His work has appeared in outlets such as PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science, and Electronic Buyers' News, earning a Jesse H. Neal Award for news coverage. Lately, he donated a assortment of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs due to space constraints in his workspace.