D
AT RISK
This router has significant issues. Your home network is more exposed than it should be. Anyone on this Wi-Fi (phones, smart TVs, baby monitors, laptops) shares that exposure.
Arris SURFboard G36 is a ISP-supplied gateway. The ARRIS SURFboard G36 is manufactured in China.
- Foreign manufacture — FCC ban appliesThe ARRIS SURFboard G36 is manufactured in China. The FCC's March 2026 foreign manufacture ban applies to ISP-supplied cable gateways. Contact your ISP about replacement options.What this means at homeThe FCC has formally labeled this manufacturer a national security threat. Federal contractors and anyone working remotely for sensitive employers faces specific exposure.
- ISP controls all firmware and configurationWhen supplied by an ISP, ARRIS SURFboard gateways are fully managed by the provider. Firmware, remote access, and advanced security settings are all under ISP control.
- CommScope/ARRIS is US-headquartered — no Chinese government legal exposureCommScope Inc. is a US company. The concern is manufacturing origin under the FCC rule, not brand jurisdiction.
Everything on this network shares the exposure
💻 Work laptop & remote access
🏦 Online banking & passwords
📷 Security cameras & smart locks
👧 Kids' devices & school logins
📱 Every phone & tablet at home
🔊 Smart speakers & streaming
FCC & Ban Risk
54
/100
C
Supply chain · FCC status · CVEs · Patch support
Security Capabilities
0
/100
F
Zero-Trust · VPN · Segmentation · Monitoring
FCC & Ban Risk measures supply-chain exposure, government flags, and CVE history. Security Capabilities measures what the router can actually do to protect your network. How we score →
Here's what closes the gaps.
Your ISP gave you an okay router. You can still have a great network.
Rio Router goes behind your ISP gateway and handles the Wi-Fi side, where the security gaps live. Your ISP keeps your internet connection. Rio gives you a modern, secure Wi-Fi network with all 8 dimensions covered.
Steps to strengthen your home network
1
Contact your ISP to ask about FCC-compliant replacement hardware
2
Ask if a US-manufactured or Taiwan-manufactured gateway alternative is available from your provider
3
For advanced security control, install a secondary router in bridge mode behind the ARRIS gateway
4
Secure your ISP account with a strong password and 2FA
🔒
Security capabilities comparison
Here's how your router compares to Rio across the 8 dimensions we built our framework around. (Yes, we made Rio.)
ARRIS
your router
Rio Router™
full standard
Zero-Trust Device Admission
Every new device is blocked by default - admin must approve it once, even if it has the right password
Locked
Available
Network Segmentation (VLANs)
Devices on your network are isolated from each other, so a hacked smart TV can't reach your laptop
Locked
Available
Router-Level VPN for All Devices
All traffic - including smart devices that can't run VPN apps - is encrypted before leaving your home
Locked
Available
Domain Allowlisting
Block everything except approved sites; more effective than trying to blacklist billions of harmful URLs
Locked
Available
Granular Password Control
Separate passwords per network zone - changing one doesn't affect others
Locked
Available
Guest Auto-Expiry
Guest devices are automatically removed when they leave; neighbors can't reconnect without re-approval
Locked
Available
Clean Supply Chain
Manufactured outside Chinese legal jurisdiction - not subject to China's National Intelligence Law
Locked
Available
We built Rio to hit all 8 dimensions, so we use it as the benchmark. If another router hits 8/8, we’ll add it.
See Rio →
See all Arris models: Arris brand overview →
Device context
Manufacturer
US-headquartered — CommScope Inc., Hickory, NC — NASDAQ: COMM. ARRIS brand acquired by CommScope in 2019. SURFboard G36 is a DOCSIS 3.1 Wi-Fi 6 cable gateway manufactured in China.
Country of origin
Built in China
US gov status
FCC authorized — foreign manufacture rule applies — Foreign manufacture — subject to FCC March 2026 ban
Security patches
Managed by ISP
How this was scored · verified March 2026: This rating combines FCC authorization status, manufacturer legal jurisdiction, CVEs from NIST NVD, active patch support status, and CISA advisory mentions. See full methodology →
Not ready to switch yet?
We'll email you if a new vulnerability hits your Arris SURFboard G36. Free, one email per incident, no spam.
Reference Data
Sources & evidence
All findings trace to publicly verifiable primary sources - US government databases, official FCC filings, and NIST CVE records. No proprietary or anonymous sources are used.
Full data source documentation: Scoring Methodology & Citations →