TP-Link ER605
Report IMRS-TPL-ER605Method: public-record scoring
Apr 2026
Is the TP-Link ER605 safe?
No. This router leaves your home network open.
It has 0 of the 8 protections we check in full, it’s made in China by a Chinese-owned company, and it has 2 serious security findings.
$20 off for router checkers. $179.99 with code CHECKED20, applied at checkout.
What this means for you
The top 3 risks, most serious first.
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Serious
Chinese state hackers have used TP-Link routers to attack US networks
The ER605 shares TP-Link's corporate ownership and legal jurisdiction.
Do this: Replace with a router outside Chinese legal jurisdiction for business networksSource: CISA Advisory AA23-144A · 2023 ↗ -
Serious
The US government is investigating the company behind it
The DOJ and FCC opened formal investigations into TP-Link's corporate structure. A forced sale or ban is under active consideration.
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Moderate
Chinese law can force its maker to help Chinese intelligence
TP-Link is legally required to cooperate with PRC intelligence requests. Applies to all TP-Link products including the ER605 business line.
Show 1 more findingShow fewer
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Minor
The 'ER605' model number is also associated with the Ubiquiti EdgeRouter family by some users
If your router says 'Ubiquiti' on the label, see the EdgeRouter X entry, it has a different risk profile.
Protections it’s missing
Missing 5 of 8. Has 3 only partly.
We check every router for the same 8 protections. Here is how the TP-Link ER605 does.
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Blocks unknown devices from joining
MissingNew devices stay out until you approve them once, even if they have the Wi-Fi password.
Zero-Trust Device Admission -
Locks a device to approved sites
MissingA device can reach only the sites you approve. Everything else is blocked.
Domain Allowlisting -
Guest access that expires
MissingGuests are removed when they leave and need your approval to reconnect.
Guest Auto-Expiry -
Made outside China’s legal reach
MissingNot subject to China’s National Intelligence Law.
Clean Supply Chain -
Watches for attacks in real time
MissingSpots suspicious devices, traffic and known attacks as they happen.
Active Threat Monitoring -
Keeps smart gadgets away from your computers
PartlyDevices are kept apart, so a hacked smart TV can’t reach your laptop.
Network Segmentation (VLANs) -
Encrypts internet traffic for every device
PartlyTraffic leaving your home is encrypted, even from devices that can’t run a VPN app.
Router-Level VPN -
Separate Wi-Fi passwords per group
PartlyEach part of your network gets its own password.
Granular Password Control
Fix it today
- Replace with a router outside Chinese legal jurisdiction for business networksWhy: Chinese state hackers have used TP-Link routers to attack US networks.
- Review if DFARS or CMMC compliance requirements prohibit Chinese networking equipment
- Update firmware if keeping temporarily
- Disable remote management
Rio closes the gaps your ER605 leaves open.
- You approve every device. Nothing new joins your network until you say yes in the Rio app.
- US company, made in Taiwan. No government flags.
- Rio flags suspicious devices as it happens. You see it in the app.
$20 off for router checkers with code CHECKED20, applied at checkout. Regular price $199.99.
1 year of Rio VPN included, then $7.99/month or $79.99/year · 30-day returns · 1-year warranty
Rio builds this site and is graded by the same method. See the method
Get alerts for your ER605
Get an email if it shows up on the US government's list of actively exploited flaws, or loses updates. Plus the 5-step lockdown checklist now.
How we scored it70% from who makes it, FCC status and updates. 30% from the 8 protections.
1Scores
2Calculation
10 × 0.7 + 19 × 0.3 = 13/100, grade F. 85+ is an A, 65+ a B, 45+ a C, 30+ a D, below 30 an F.
3The facts behind it
- Who makes it
- Chinese-ownedTP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China - subject to China's National Intelligence Law.
- Made in
- China
- Security updates
- Active (parent co. under investigation)
- FCC approval
- Authorized - under federal review
- FCC restrictions
- New models blocked from FCC authorization ↗
- Last verified
- April 2026
4Known flaws in TP-Link routers
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.
5Sources
- CISA Advisory AA23-144A · 2023 ↗
- DOJ/FCC Investigation · 2024–present ↗
- China National Intelligence Law · 2017 ↗
- FCC Equipment Authorization Database ↗
- FCC Covered List · National Security Designation ↗
Every finding traces to public sources: FCC filings, NIST CVE records and US government advisories. Read the full method · Report an error
Other TP-Link models
See all 28 TP-Link models
See every TP-Link model: TP-Link brand overview →