TP-Link Archer C7
Security Analysis Report

TP-Link Archer C7

Last reviewed: March 2026 · ismyroutersafe.com

TP-Link Made in China
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F
HIGH RISK
The Verdict

Known security flaws in this router are documented publicly and will never be fixed. TP-Link stopped releasing security updates. Anyone scanning for known vulnerabilities can find your work laptop, your phone, your Ring doorbell, and every other device on this Wi-Fi.

When this router launched, it was a reasonable choice. It’s still functional — the lights still come on, devices still connect. What changed is that TP-Link has moved on, and any flaw researchers find from now on stays exploitable forever. The risk is invisible until something goes wrong.

  • Anyone scanning for known flaws in this router can find them — and there will never be another patch

    Anyone scanning for known flaws in this router model can find them in your network. Your work laptop, your phone, your Ring doorbell, and every smart device on your Wi-Fi all route through this router. A flaw in it is a way into all of them.

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    This router will never receive another security fix. Period.: TP-Link stopped issuing security updates in 2022. This is permanent. Every future vulnerability found is forever exploitable.

  • Step-by-step instructions for exploiting this router are publicly documented

    The specific attack steps for these flaws are publicly documented. Your work laptop, your banking app, and every smart device on this network all pass through this router. Someone who knows these flaws has a roadmap straight into your home network.

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    Newly discovered flaws will never be fixed: Multiple vulnerabilities were found after support ended. None will ever be patched.

  • A US ban could cut off firmware updates with little warning, leaving this router permanently exposed

    A US government ban or forced sale could cut off firmware updates with little warning. Once that happens, this router is permanently unprotected.

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    This router is made by a company under active US government investigation: End-of-life hardware from a manufacturer under federal investigation.

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

An A-rated alternative is shown below.

FCC & Ban Risk
0 /100 F
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 →
3.1M US homes use this router How we estimated this ↗
Device context
Manufacturer Chinese-owned — TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
Country of origin Built in China
US gov status Authorized (legacy) — New models blocked ↗
Security patches End of security support
📋 What to do. Start here.
1
Replace this router - this is urgent
2
It will not get safer with time
3
Even a basic replacement in active support is a major security upgrade
4
We built Rio to score 8/8 on this framework. It’s the only router we track that does — and we’d tell you if another one did
We make Rio. We rate it A. Here’s why.
Rio scores 8/8. This router doesn’t come close — and we’d tell you if it did.
✓No Chinese jurisdiction, no investigation, zero CVEs. We built Rio to score 8/8. It’s the only router we track that does.
✓Every device protected automatically — Ring camera, smart lock, work laptop, baby monitor. No app required.
✓Trusted by PCMatic and Sony VAIO. Purpose-built for security from day one.
✓Set up in under 10 minutes. Same cables, same internet provider — no tech skills needed.
Free US shipping · 30-day money-back · Any internet provider
Rio Router
🔒 Security capabilities comparison
Here's how your router compares to Rio across the 8 dimensions we built our framework around. (Yes, we made Rio.)
TP-LINK
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
Not available
Available
Network Segmentation (VLANs)
Devices on your network are isolated from each other, so a hacked smart TV can't reach your laptop
Not available
Available
Router-Level VPN for All Devices
All traffic - including smart devices that can't run VPN apps - is encrypted before leaving your home
Not available
Available
Domain Allowlisting
Block everything except approved sites; more effective than trying to blacklist billions of harmful URLs
Not available
Available
Granular Password Control
Separate passwords per network zone - changing one doesn't affect others
Not available
Available
Guest Auto-Expiry
Guest devices are automatically removed when they leave; neighbors can't reconnect without re-approval
Not available
Available
Clean Supply Chain
Manufactured outside Chinese legal jurisdiction - not subject to China's National Intelligence Law
Not available
Available
Active Threat Monitoring
Real-time detection of suspicious device behavior, unusual traffic patterns, and known attack signatures on your network
Not available
Available
Rio scores 8/8 — we built it to hit every dimension on this framework. Know a router that does? Tell us and we’ll add it. Get Rio →
See all TP-Link models: TP-Link brand overview →
You’ve seen the comparison. Rio covers every gap above.
Free US shipping · 30-day money-back · Works with any internet provider
Replace it with Rio ↗
Want to also check your current network in real time? BETA

The report above is based on your router’s model record. This optional check runs live probes against your current network to detect DNS hijacking and admin interface exposure — things static analysis can’t catch.

🔍
DNS HIJACK CHECK
Detects if your DNS has been silently rerouted to intercept your traffic
🌐
WAN EXPOSURE
Tests if your router admin panel is reachable from outside your home
No data stored · Runs entirely in your browser · ~5 seconds
This router will never get another security update.
See our replacement guide for currently authorized alternatives.
Replace it with Rio ↗
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
Known CVEs - TP-Link brand history
From the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Your specific model may or may not be affected.
CVE-2023-1389 High · CVSS 8.8 Archer AX21
Command injection via country form parameter. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) listed April 2023. Actively exploited in the wild.
CVE-2022-4499 High · CVSS 7.5 TL-WR940N, TL-WR841N
Side-channel timing attack allows remote recovery of admin credentials - no authentication required.
CVE-2022-42402 Medium · CVSS 6.5 Multiple models
Authenticated remote command execution via crafted HTTP request.
See all TP-Link CVEs: NIST NVD search →
Other TP-Link models
Archer AX21FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX55FActive
Archer AX73FActive
Deco XE75FActive
Archer BE800FActive
Deco M5FLimited
Deco W7200FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Deco XE200FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Deco BE85FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX6000FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX11000FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX3000FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AXE75FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Deco X20FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Deco X55FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Deco W3600FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX1500FActive (parent co. under investigation)
OmadaFActive (parent co. under investigation)
ER605FActive (parent co. under investigation)
Archer AX1800FActive (parent co. under investigation)
See all TP-Link models: TP-Link brand overview →
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.
  1. TP-Link EOL notice · 2022 ↗
  2. CVE-2021-45382, CVE-2020-9374 · NVD ↗
  3. DOJ/FCC Investigation · 2024 ↗
  4. FCC Equipment Authorization Database ↗
  5. FCC Covered List · National Security Designation ↗
Full data source documentation: Scoring Methodology & Citations →
🦾 This router has documented security risks. Rio is the only A-rated replacement — free shipping, 30-day guarantee.