USA stops import of WLAN routers from abroad
In future, the USA will ban new WLAN routers from abroad. The reason for this is security concerns. Existing devices will remain permitted.
The USA is tightening its stance on foreign technology: in future, new Wi-Fi routers for private customers may no longer be imported. Only routers produced exclusively in the USA may be used. Models that already have a licence may continue to be sold. The new rule only applies to future generations of devices.
FCC has safety concerns
The US authority «Federal Communications Commission» assumes that foreign-made routers pose a significant risk. They see them as potential gateways for espionage, attacks on networks and the theft of data. There are even fears of critical infrastructure being compromised. This concern is nothing new. The US government has long been concerned that technology from the People's Republic of China or other countries could be misused for surveillance or sabotage. With the current decision, the authority is expanding its so-called «Covered List». It lists devices that it categorises as a risk to national security. New foreign-made routers now also fall under this category.
The measure is likely to cause a considerable stir. This is because the majority of all routers are manufactured outside the USA. Even manufacturers with US headquarters have their devices manufactured abroad. This means that, on paper, practically all devices face an import ban to the USA.
To prevent this, a special licence must be applied for - for each model individually. However, the requirements are insanely high. Among other things, there must be a binding and detailed plan that the manufacturers intend to relocate at least part of their production to the USA. The company's shareholdings, ownership structures and patent relationships, as well as those of its component suppliers, must also be fully disclosed and approved by the authorities. In addition, the authorisation is only temporary. A quarterly progress report must be submitted - otherwise the licence can be withdrawn.
Which devices are affected
The Heise portal poses the legitimate question of which devices are ultimately affected by this regulation. « routers for consumers» (consumer-grade routers) can be read in the corresponding media release. Technically, the FCC defines the task of a router as follows: «Routers forward data packets, usually using the Internet Protocol (IP), between networked systems.» This is not wrong in itself, but would also apply to repeaters or even smartphones. The authority refers to a paper from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. It is still unclear how exactly these requirements will ultimately be implemented. At least: routers that have already been purchased will remain permitted and will continue to work.
I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
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