US company, but DSL hardware ages faster and receives less frequent security updates than fiber or cable equipment.
- DSL era hardware - slow update cadence: DSL gateways are updated less frequently. CenturyLink's patching for older DSL hardware is minimal.
- Default credentials unchanged by most users: Default passwords are printed on the device and rarely changed.
- ISP remote access: Standard ISP gateway management.
FCC & Ban Risk
49
/100
C
Supply chain · FCC status · CVEs · Patch support
Security Capabilities
6
/100
F
Zero-Trust · VPN · Segmentation · Monitoring
🏭 Manufacturer
Lumen Technologies (US)
Lumen Technologies (formerly CenturyLink), Monroe, LA · hardware by Greenwave Systems
Manufactured in: China (Greenwave Systems)
🏛️ FCC Status
FCC authorized
Not in scope
🛡️ Patch Support
Managed by CenturyLink
Whether security vulnerabilities are actively being patched
⚠️ Key Finding
medium
DSL era hardware - slow update cadence
Router Security Updates
Get notified if new vulnerabilities are discovered for your CenturyLink C4000BG. Free, no spam.
🔒
Security capabilities comparison
We benchmark your router against Rio Router across 8 dimensions so you can see exactly what gaps exist - and what a fully-covered setup looks like.
CENTURYLINK
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
Partial
Available
Active Threat Monitoring
DNS filtering, firewall, activity logs, and ongoing security patch support
Locked
Available
We use Rio Router as the benchmark because it’s the only consumer router built to score 8/8 on this framework - it shows you what a fully-covered setup looks like, not just what’s typical.
See Rio →
See all CenturyLink models: CenturyLink brand overview →
What you should do
1
Change admin and Wi-Fi passwords from defaults
2
Upgrade to fiber service if available in your area
3
Consider a separate router for better security layers
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 →
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 →