FCC clears Netgear while the foreign-made router ban stays in place

Netgear has become the first clear exception to the FCC’s foreign-made router ban, giving it room to keep launching new consumer routers in the US even though its hardware is built overseas. The policy has already started to cloud the outlook for several router brands, especially those still waiting to learn how the FCC will handle future approvals.

The approval runs through October 1, 2027 and covers a broad range of Netgear gear, including Nighthawk and Orbi models, plus some cable gateways and modems. The FCC said the Defense Department reviewed Netgear’s request and found the products did not pose a national security risk, but the agency didn’t explain what specifically set Netgear apart.

Netgear still doesn’t get a free pass. Each product has to clear the FCC’s normal equipment authorization process before it can stay on sale in the US for the long haul.

The exemption helps, but only for now

The value here is time. Netgear now has an 18-month window to move future routers through the usual certification path, and any model that gets approved in that stretch can remain on sale after the exemption period ends.

That gives the company a real advantage, but it stops well short of permanent blanket approval.

There is still an important blind spot. The FCC has not explained the standard it used to clear Netgear, which makes it harder to judge how other brands might qualify for the same treatment.

Rivals face a tougher road

The rest of the market is still exposed though. TP-Link as the biggest unresolved case, while Asus and Amazon’s Eero can still sell existing router models in the US for now. At the same time, the FCC has set a March 1, 2027 deadline for software updates on foreign-made consumer routers, raising the pressure beyond just new launches.

Netgear also has a cleaner story to tell. Its FAQ says it makes consumer routers in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand, and no longer sources internet-connected components from manufacturers in China or Chinese-controlled entities.

What to watch next

The next question is whether this becomes a pattern or stays a one-off. Officials are weighing factors such as company leadership, foreign ownership ties, and plans to move manufacturing to the US. Adtran has also received conditional approval, but Netgear is the first retail consumer router brand to do so.

For now, Netgear looks better positioned than most to keep launching and supporting routers in the US through 2027, while rival brands are still trying to read a rulebook the FCC hasn’t fully spelled out.