Was TP-Link banned? What happened after the 2024 investigation
Updated October 8, 2026. First published December 2024.
No. The TP-Link ban we wrote about in December 2024 never happened. A proposed sales ban was put on hold in February 2026. Instead, in March 2026 the FCC stopped approving new foreign-made consumer router models from any brand, while routers already approved stay legal to own, use and sell.
- Your TP-Link router is legal to keep using.
- The FCC rule covers new models made abroad, not just TP-Link.
- Approved routers can keep getting security updates until at least 2029.
- The real question is whether your router still gets updates.
What was reported in December 2024?
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Commerce, Defense and Justice departments were investigating TP-Link, and that a ban could follow.1 Our original post called the ban "imminent." It wasn't.
That version also made claims about Rio that were wrong. Rio is designed in the USA and manufactured in Taiwan. It is not American-made.
What actually happened since?
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | Commerce proposed banning new TP-Link sales in the US, per The Washington Post.2 |
| Feb 2026 | The White House put the proposed ban on hold amid a US-China trade truce, Reuters reported.3 |
| Mar 23, 2026 | The FCC added consumer routers produced abroad to its Covered List. New models need a Conditional Approval to be authorized.4 |
| May 8, 2026 | The FCC let already-approved routers keep getting software and security updates until at least Jan 1, 2029.5 |
For the full picture, including which brands have Conditional Approvals, read our current guide to the TP-Link ban.
Should I replace my TP-Link router?
Not because of a ban. Replace any router, from any brand, once its maker stops sending security updates for your model. Check the support page for your exact model and the date of its last firmware update. Our guide to switching routers covers what to look for next.
The headlines are about brands. The risk is a router that stopped getting fixes.
Rio replaces it with a router that holds every new device until you approve it.
See how to replace your routerFrequently asked questions
Is TP-Link banned in the US?
No. As of October 2026 you can legally own, use and buy TP-Link routers that the FCC approved before March 23, 2026. A proposed Commerce Department sales ban was put on hold in February 2026. The FCC's March rule blocks approval of new foreign-made models without a Conditional Approval, from any brand.
Will my TP-Link router stop getting updates?
Not because of the FCC. A May 2026 FCC waiver lets routers approved before the rule keep getting software and security updates until at least January 1, 2029. Whether yours actually gets them depends on TP-Link and on whether your model is still supported.
Does the FCC rule only affect Chinese brands?
No. It covers consumer routers produced in any foreign country, which includes most routers sold in the US. That means design, manufacturing or assembly done abroad. Rio is manufactured in Taiwan, and its current model was authorized before the rule took effect.
Sources
- Fortune, on The Wall Street Journal's report of a possible TP-Link ban, December 18, 2024. fortune.com
- Engadget, on The Washington Post's report of a proposed TP-Link sales ban, October 30, 2025. engadget.com
- Reuters, US-China trade detente fuels mothballing of key China tech curbs, February 12, 2026. reuters.com via tradingview.com
- FCC, Fact Sheet: FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Made Consumer Routers, March 23, 2026. fcc.gov (PDF)
- FCC, Order DA 26-454 extending update waivers, May 8, 2026. fcc.gov (PDF)
