Is TP-Link Being Banned in the US? 2026 Status
What the FCC rule actually means for TP-Link, what is only proposed or alleged, and what to do about the one you own.
No. As of October 8, 2026, no federal order bans TP-Link routers, and you can keep using the one you have. But a March 2026 FCC rule blocks approval of new router models made abroad unless they hold a Conditional Approval, and TP-Link holds none. Already approved TP-Link models can still be sold and can keep getting firmware updates.
What did the FCC do in March 2026?
On March 23, 2026, the FCC added "routers produced in a foreign country" to its Covered List. The only exception is a router granted a Conditional Approval by the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security.
The entry is based on where a router is produced, not on who owns the brand. The FCC says production includes any major stage, including manufacturing, assembly, design and development.
Covered equipment cannot get new FCC equipment authorization. Without it, new models cannot be imported or sold in the US.
The FCC’s fact sheet said foreign-made routers were involved in the Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon cyberattacks on US infrastructure.
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Does the rule apply to TP-Link?
Yes, for new models. TP-Link says it has made products for the US market in its own factory in Vietnam since 2018. Vietnam is a foreign country, so new TP-Link router models need a Conditional Approval.
The FCC’s Conditional Approvals table, updated October 2, 2026, includes NETGEAR, eero, ASUS, Starlink and others. TP-Link is not on it.
The Covered List does not name TP-Link. The router entry covers foreign-produced routers from any company. The FCC says this equipment is identified by place of production, not by entity.
Can you still buy and use a TP-Link router?
- Use: yes. The FCC says the rule does not affect routers consumers already bought.
- Buy: yes, for models already approved. The FCC says foreign routers with earlier authorization, shown by the FCC ID on the device, can still be imported, sold and used.
- Updates: yes. The FCC allows software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to consumers until at least January 1, 2029.
What is not established?
Several claims about TP-Link circulate online. Here is what we could and could not confirm from the sources below.
- No TP-Link ban order. We found no final federal order or rule that names TP-Link.
- A reported proposal. In October 2025, Engadget, citing The Washington Post, reported that several agencies backed a proposed Commerce Department ban. We found no final Commerce action.
- Lawsuits are allegations. Texas sued TP-Link in February 2026, alleging deceptive marketing. TP-Link says it is also facing suits from Florida, Montana, Iowa and Nebraska, and calls them baseless. A lawsuit is not a ban or a court finding.
- TP-Link’s position. TP-Link says it is a US company based in Irvine, California, split from China’s TP-LINK Technologies, and that its US devices are made in Vietnam.
Should you replace your TP-Link router?
Base it on your model, not the headlines. The questions that matter are whether it still gets security updates and whether it has unpatched flaws.
Read Is TP-Link safe? for model grades and the FCC router ban explained for the full timeline. Then check your router’s grade.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. As of October 8, 2026, no federal order bans TP-Link. A March 2026 FCC rule blocks new foreign-made router models without a Conditional Approval, and TP-Link holds none, but approved models can still be sold and used.
No. The FCC says the rule does not affect routers consumers already own. It also allows firmware updates that mitigate harm to consumers until at least January 1, 2029.
Not by name. The list covers routers produced in any foreign country unless they hold a Conditional Approval. TP-Link makes its US products in Vietnam and was not on the FCC’s Conditional Approvals list as of October 2, 2026.
Yes, for models the FCC authorized before the rule. The FCC fact sheet says retailers can keep selling, importing and marketing previously approved models.
A ban was reported as proposed in October 2025. We found no final Commerce Department action as of October 8, 2026. This could change, so check the date on any report you read.
Sources
Dates show when each source was published or when we checked it.
- FCC Public Notice DA 26-278: Addition of Routers Produced in Foreign Countries to FCC Covered List (March 23, 2026)
- FCC Fact Sheet: FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Made Consumer Routers, Prohibiting Approval of New Models (March 23, 2026)
- FCC: FAQs on Recent Updates to FCC Covered List Regarding Routers Produced in Foreign Countries (updated May 12, 2026)
- FCC Public Notice DA 26-454: OET extends and expands software and firmware update waivers for covered routers and UAS (May 8, 2026)
- FCC: List of Equipment and Services Covered By Section 2 of The Secure Networks Act (Covered List and Conditional Approvals) (Conditional Approvals updated October 2, 2026)
- TP-Link Systems, Inc. Fact Sheet (checked October 8, 2026)
- TP-Link Systems Inc. Issues Statement in Response to Attorney General Lawsuits (October 6, 2026)
- Texas Attorney General: Attorney General Paxton Sues TP Link for Allowing the CCP to Access Americans’ Devices (February 17, 2026)
- Engadget: US government is getting closer to banning TP-Link routers (citing The Washington Post) (October 30, 2025)
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