#cnet

You can still use your existing router, but there is one big caveat hidden in the FCC’s Public Notice: “All routers authorized for use in the United States may continue to receive software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to US consumers at least until March 1, 2027.”

Firmware updates are essential to both your router’s performance and security. Most router companies issue automatic firmware updates to fix security vulnerabilities as they pop up, and you may not even be aware when they happen.

If a router can’t update its firmware after March 1 of next year, it’s generally considered unsafe, as your Wi-Fi network could become vulnerable to malware or other cybersecurity threats without regular firmware updates.

Router companies are surely scrambling behind the scenes right now to get added to the FCC’s “Conditional Approval” list, which would allow them to sell new models and continue issuing software and firmware updates to routers that have already been approved. 

There is some wiggle room in there. The FCC notice specifically says “at least” March 1, so it’s possible the deadline will be pushed back.

But if your router hasn’t been added to the exemption list by this time next year, I’d recommend swapping it out for a model that has FCC approval to continue receiving firmware updates. 

“I don’t think it’s going to change the manufacturing landscape, because manufacturing processes are expensive to move and device manufacturers are probably going to just wait it out until the ban is lifted. So I don’t think it’s going to have the intended effect,” Budington said. 

Should I wait or rush to buy a new router? 

The FCC’s ban on foreign-made routers only applies to devices that haven’t already been approved. That means any router that’s currently for sale will still remain on the shelves, and you can continue to use your existing router as long as you’d like.

Because any router that’s available now has already gotten FCC authorization, there’s no need to rush out and buy a new router. In fact, I would recommend the opposite: holding off on buying a new router until some of the dust settles on the FCC order. 

If you buy a new router today, there’s a risk that the FCC won’t exempt it, and it will stop getting software and firmware updates after March 1 of next year.

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