Asus won’t say how it escaped the US router ban

You can buy Asus routers again, despite a ban that was never about security or manufacturing.

The United States imposed a ban on foreign-made consumer routers in spring, requiring manufacturers to prove they pose no national security threat and to submit plans for expanding US-based manufacturing. Asus has received an exemption from this ban, effective September 9th, allowing their new Wi-Fi 8 routers to be sold in the US. However, the company has not publicly disclosed any US manufacturing plans and declined to clarify to The Verge whether such a plan was submitted. The FCC grants exemptions without security assessments, focusing instead on manufacturing location. Both Asus and Netgear have marketing campaigns around their exemptions, claiming "trusted" status. This exemption for Asus is valid through March 2028, and a similar exemption was granted to Netgear in April.

The US router ban's criteria, focusing on manufacturing location over security, suggests a protectionist trade policy rather than a genuine cybersecurity initiative. The FCC's process, which grants broad exemptions without detailed security vetting, indicates that the ban's true purpose might be to incentivize or pressure foreign companies to shift production to the US or allied nations, impacting global supply chains for consumer electronics. Companies like Asus are leveraging these exemptions for marketing, creating an illusion of government endorsement that may influence consumer perception and purchasing decisions.

This situation signals a shift in how US regulators may approach technology manufacturing and trade, potentially creating new compliance hurdles and market access challenges for foreign tech companies. Competitors that can adapt to these manufacturing requirements or already have US-based operations may gain a significant advantage. Consumers, meanwhile, might be influenced by marketing claims of "trusted" status, which are derived from regulatory processes that prioritize manufacturing origin over verified security protocols, potentially impacting their understanding of product safety.