TP-Link routers remain legal to buy in the US if they were approved before the FCC’s restrictions, but the article argues that American shoppers should consider alternatives because future product availability and long-term support have become uncertain. This matters because routers are durable, security-critical devices, and regulatory action could affect updates and replacement options even without conclusive public evidence that TP-Link products are uniquely unsafe.

The FCC has raised broad concerns about foreign-made routers and supply-chain security, while granting conditional exemptions to firms including Netgear and Amazon’s Eero but not TP-Link. The article questions the consistency of this approach: existing TP-Link devices remain on sale, affected firms may provide security updates until 2029, and no consumer Wi‑Fi router is wholly made in the US. It suggests that TP-Link’s Chinese origins may have influenced the policy, while noting that buyers outside the US have no clear reason to avoid the brand.