How Often Should You Replace Your Router?
There is no magic number of years. What matters is whether the maker still fixes security flaws.
Replace your router when it stops getting security updates, not after a set number of years. Once a router reaches end of life, new flaws in it are never fixed. The NSA says to replace routers when support ends, and the FBI says routers dated 2010 or earlier likely no longer get updates.
Is there a set router lifespan?
No. Support periods vary by maker and model, and a router keeps working long after updates stop. A working router is not the same as a safe one.
In the UK, makers of consumer connectable products have had to publish a minimum security update period since April 29, 2024.
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Why end of support matters
Attackers go after routers nobody patches. In 2024, the Justice Department said the vast majority of routers in the Volt Typhoon KV botnet were end-of-life Cisco and NetGear models.
In 2025, the FBI warned that criminals were turning end-of-life routers into proxies with TheMoon malware. Its first recommendation was to replace them with updated models.
More in our end-of-life guide and Volt Typhoon explainer.
Signs it is time to replace it
- The maker lists it as end of life, or it has had no firmware update in a long time.
- It only offers WEP or WPA. The FTC calls these outdated and not secure.
- It cannot do WPA3. The NSA says your router should support it.
- It cannot separate guest and smart devices, as the NSA recommends.
- It dates from 2010 or earlier. The FBI says these likely no longer get updates.
Newer is not automatically safe. The FBI and NSA said many devices in a 2024 botnet of 260,000 were likely still supported by their makers. A supported router still needs its updates installed.
Check if it is still supported
- Find the exact model number on the router’s label.
- Look it up on the maker’s support site for an end-of-life notice and the latest firmware date.
- Log in and check for updates. Our firmware guide shows where to look.
- Or skip the research. You can check your router’s grade to see support status and known flaws in one place.
What to look for in a new router
- Automatic updates, which the NSA prefers.
- A published support period, so you know when updates end.
- WPA3 support, as the NSA and FTC recommend.
- Network separation for guests and smart devices.
- A firewall with NAT, plus IPv6 firewall support if your provider uses IPv6, per the NSA.
- No shared default password, as CISA urges makers.
Our top 10 secure routers list grades current models.
What to do with the old one
Factory reset it before you recycle, sell or give it away. Do not keep an end-of-life router running as a spare access point, since it still cannot be patched.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. What matters is whether the maker still releases security updates for that model. Check the maker’s support site or look it up on ismyroutersafe.com.
It will keep working, but its security flaws will never be fixed. The FBI and NSA both recommend replacing end-of-life routers.
Policies differ. The FTC suggests asking whether your provider sends automatic updates to its router. If it is old and no longer updated, ask about a replacement.
Check the maker’s support or end-of-life pages for your exact model. In the UK, makers of consumer connectable products have had to publish a minimum support period since April 29, 2024.
It removes a compromised router. Also change your Wi-Fi and account passwords and update your other devices, as the FBI recommends.
Sources
Dates show when each source was published or when we checked it.
- NSA Cybersecurity Information Sheet: Best Practices for Securing Your Home Network (February 22, 2023)
- FBI IC3 PSA I-050725-PSA: Cyber Criminal Proxy Services Exploiting End of Life Routers (May 7, 2025)
- U.S. Department of Justice: U.S. Government Disrupts Botnet People’s Republic of China Used to Conceal Hacking of Critical Infrastructure (KV Botnet) (January 31, 2024)
- FBI, CNMF and NSA: People’s Republic of China-Linked Actors Compromise Routers and IoT Devices for Botnet Operations (JCSA-20240918-001) (September 18, 2024)
- GOV.UK: Regulations: consumer connectable product security (in effect April 29, 2024, checked October 7, 2026)
- FTC Consumer Advice: How To Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network (December 2022, checked October 7, 2026)
- CISA Secure by Design Alert: How Manufacturers Can Protect Customers by Eliminating Default Passwords (December 15, 2023)
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