Originally published on ColdCaseTech.
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Then vs. Now (News report): Then: Wired reports that the FCC announced a foreign-made router ban in March that may stop companies without a Conditional Approval from selling new routers in the US. Now: Wired reports in its November 2026 update that Netgear, Eero and Asus, among others, have secured Conditional Approval, while TP-Link has so far been unsuccessful and availability of its Archer 8 Ultra is limited.
Wired reported on 2026-11-07 that Netgear, Eero and Asus, among others, have secured a Conditional Approval from the FCC under the regulator's foreign-made router ban, announced in March (Wired). TP-Link has so far been unsuccessful in its attempts to win the same approval in the US (Wired).
Routers already on the market can continue to be sold (Wired).
Key Facts
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | FCC foreign-made router ban announced in March | Wired |
| Exemption | Conditional Approval, secured so far by Netgear, Eero and Asus among others | Wired |
| Existing routers | Can continue to be sold and can get new firmware until at least January 1, 2029 | Wired |
| TP-Link | So far unsuccessful in winning Conditional Approval | Wired |
| TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra | Availability limited in the US right now | Wired |
Timeline
- 2026-11-05: Tom's Hardware reported the TP-Link Archer BE3600 at $79.98, a 33% saving on its list price (Tom's Hardware).
- 2026-11-07: Wired updated its router guide, adding the Asus ROG Rapture BN98 Pro as its best Wi-Fi 8 router and the TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra to its list of other routers it tested and liked (Wired).
- 2029-01-01: Existing routers can be updated with new firmware at least until this date (Wired).
Details (as Reported)
Wired described the Archer 8 Ultra as a tri-band Wi-Fi 8 tower priced at £900 and tested in the UK, where it was a very solid performer offering stable and expansive Wi-Fi (Wired). The reviewer found the Asus ROG Rapture BN98 Pro, listed at $900, better and cheaper than the TP-Link model (Wired). Wired also noted that the TP-Link model needs subscriptions to unlock full parental controls and security features (Wired).
Wired named the Asus RT-BE58U its best router for most people, with an MSRP of $145 (Wired). Its best budget pick is the TP-Link Archer BE230, listed at $120 (Wired).
Tom's Hardware reported that the TP-Link Archer BE3600, also known as the BE230, fell to $79.98, the lowest price it saw over Amazon's sales event last month (Tom's Hardware). The outlet noted that the router lacks the 6 GHz band and so does not support the full Wi-Fi 7 spec (Tom's Hardware). It lists one 2.5 Gbps WAN port, one extra 2.5 Gbps port and three 1 Gbps ports (Tom's Hardware).
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What Is Not Yet Confirmed
- Whether TP-Link will win a Conditional Approval from the FCC; Wired reports it has so far been unsuccessful (Wired).
- Which other companies hold a Conditional Approval beyond Netgear, Eero and Asus; Wired refers to a full list and says "among others" (Wired).
- How long routers can receive new firmware after January 1, 2029; Wired says updates are allowed at least until that date (Wired).
Sources
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