Asus Remains Silent on How It Evaded US Router Ban

This spring, the U.S. implemented a ban on all future foreign-made consumer routers, effectively halting the introduction of new models unless manufacturers could prove they posed no national security risk and provide a detailed plan to establish or expand production within the country.

As of September 9th, Asus has received an exemption from this ban, allowing it to introduce its first early Wi-Fi 8 routers to the U.S. market. However, Asus has not disclosed any intentions to set up manufacturing in the U.S. and has not confirmed whether it submitted a manufacturing plan to the government.

Initially, an Asus spokesperson stated that the company had submitted the necessary plan to the FCC and was collaborating with trusted manufacturing partners to support its networking product lineup in the U.S. Yet, when asked for clarification on whether this plan involved actual manufacturing in the U.S. or just equipment intended for the U.S. market, Asus did not respond. Over 12 days have passed without further clarification.

The router ban appears to be less about security, despite government assertions. The FCC does not inquire about security measures for companies seeking exemptions; the focus is primarily on the manufacturing location of the routers. Furthermore, the FCC has not conducted thorough testing to determine which products are secure, granting Asus a blanket exemption for all future routers until March 2028.

Manufacturing consumer products in the U.S. has become increasingly rare due to various economic factors. Even producing a simple board game like Monopoly domestically has become a challenge. It’s plausible that Asus prefers to avoid establishing factories in the U.S.

If the router ban isn’t truly about U.S. manufacturing or security, what is its real purpose? Why did the previous administration grant Asus a blanket exemption, and why did Netgear receive a similar exemption back in April?

The FCC has not commented on these inquiries, leaving questions unanswered. It may be that the government is satisfied with the fact that these companies are not manufacturing in China; both Asus and Netgear assert they are producing in countries considered U.S. allies. Netgear has also stated that it no longer sources internet-connected components from Chinese manufacturers or entities.

Both Asus and Netgear are leveraging these government exemptions for marketing purposes. In April, Netgear informed its customers that it is now a “trusted consumer router company.” Asus claims to have undergone a “rigorous cybersecurity review” and has branded itself as a “Trusted Networking Equipment Brand” and a “Trusted Consumer Router Vendor,” though these terms do not appear to have any official backing from the federal government.