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Announcements Mar 25, 2026 at 9:53 PM

FCC imposes sweeping ban on foreign-made routers, affecting all new models

Posted by brithus


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/03/trump-fcc-prohibits-import-and-sale-of-new-wi-fi-routers-made-outside-us/

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reddittorbrigade Mar 25, 2026 +28
I am more concerned about Donald Trump and Elon Musk invading our privacy than Chinese.
28
MissionCreeper Mar 25, 2026 +10
Yeah our day-to-day info is way more useful to our corrupt goverent than a foreign corrupt government.
10
Additional-Signal327 Mar 26, 2026 +1
100%. 
1
brithus Mar 25, 2026 +35
> Trump admin to decide which router makers get exemptions from FCC import ban. More pay-to-play grift? So effin corrupt.
35
Gay_Giraffe_1773 Mar 25, 2026 +17
Not only that, they will require all "allowed" routers and IT equipment to include their NSA spy backdoors and surveliennce software, increasing the control on Americans.
17
AlexZivojinovich Mar 25, 2026 +6
You could turn an old PC into a router with open source software. Problem is electricity usage. Not very efficient to use a PC as a router, but they’re great for privacy.
6
Gay_Giraffe_1773 Mar 25, 2026 +5
Yeah, but Becky shopping at Walmart for a WiFi router for her kids to watch TikTok on isn't gonna care about any of that.
5
joy-puked Mar 25, 2026
And you assume she cares about privacy
0
NoPossibility Mar 26, 2026 +2
I mean, they’re already using TikTok so, yeah they don’t care.
2
literallytwisted Mar 25, 2026 +5
Ahh there it is! At first I thought I would need to get a black-market router because no way I trust a current government approved one. But now I know it's just corruption.
5
just_too_kind Mar 25, 2026 +6
Thank God. I prefer my software vulnerabilities planted by red-blooded American manufacturers, thank you very much.
6
Creative-Package6213 Mar 25, 2026 +6
This isn't to protect anyone, this is to implement internet controls like what you see in other dictatorships around the world.
6
momalloyd Mar 25, 2026 +4
Let me guess, Trump wants every one to buy a new Intel Router? And it has nothing to do with him acquiring 10% of Intel.
4
blazesquall Mar 25, 2026 -2
1. Intel has no interest in getting into the consumer market of routers. They already sell all the internals others glue together into a consumer product.. this is probably a headache for them.  2. The US acquired a 10% stake, not Trump.
-2
Turbulent_Walk_3671 Mar 25, 2026 +3
Guess my router needs a visa now.
3
ThomasVivaldi Mar 25, 2026 +3
What router do I need to go out and buy today at Microcenter?
3
FlyingRock Mar 25, 2026 +3
Tbh you should move away from all in ones so you can just black market specific components so ubiquiti, opnsense, etc.. I'm considering doing it despite having a flint2 and really liking it.
3
ThomasVivaldi Mar 25, 2026 +2
Ye f****** gods, those prices. I'd rather run conduit and a bunch of cables for that much.
2
joy-puked Mar 25, 2026 +2
The ubiquit dream router 7 is pretty competitively priced at $279. And is much more designed for personal use.
2
FlyingRock Mar 25, 2026 +1
Ahah opnsense can be done on a budget, there's also MikroTik as well as tp-link omada, all cheaper than Ubiquiti with their pros and cons.
1
SpectacularRedditor Mar 25, 2026 +4
The only problem with this is nobody in the US makes routers.
4
VideoGameDevArtist Mar 25, 2026 +3
In other words we're about 12 hours away from the announcement of the Trump Router?
3
W031zMe Mar 26, 2026 +3
So, can we expect to see new Trump Routers showing up in one of his next grifts?
3
saiyanscaris Mar 25, 2026 +2
routers that are exempt are probably ones you have to pay the trump admin for and your every move will be tracked on
2
Miserable_Pie_8337 Mar 25, 2026 +1
Trump increasing prices for Americans yet again...
1
sugarlessdeathbear Mar 25, 2026 +1
Please note this is for consumer, at-home routers. This is not large routers for businesses or governments.
1
Miserable_Pie_8337 Mar 25, 2026 +8
Which is exactly where any true threats to national security would lie...
8
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