ASUS received conditional U.S. approval for a broad range of consumer routers, but the approval is not an unconditional exemption—and ASUS has not publicly disclosed where it plans to manufacture them in the United States or on what schedule. The FCC says approval remains effective while ASUS complies with the onshoring plan it submitted and its products remain subject to updated vetting.
What the FCC action means for ASUS routers
On March 23, 2026, the FCC added consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries to its Covered List. The agency described an exception for routers that receive conditional approval from the Department of War or Department of Homeland Security after a finding that they do not pose unacceptable risks. The FCC also said its action did not prevent the continued sale, import, or marketing of router models already approved through the equipment-authorization process. FCC announcement, March 23, 2026
ASUS later received conditional approval under that framework. This is not a permanent, unconditional blanket exemption: the FCC notice says approval remains effective as long as ASUS abides by the onshoring plan submitted with its application, and the products remain subject to updated vetting. FCC notice DA 26-957
Which ASUS product families are covered?
The FCC notice lists the following ASUS consumer and small-business product families:
#1 Best Overall
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
- RT Router Series
- ROG GT Series
- ROG Strix GS Series
- TUF Gaming Series
- ExpertWiFi Series
- ZenWiFi Mesh Series
- 5G MiFi Series
- Repeaters and wireless access points
The notice does not establish that every individual ASUS model, including any future product, has identical status. Its named coverage is for the listed families within the conditional-approval framework. FCC notice DA 26-957
What ASUS has said about U.S. manufacturing
ASUS said on September 14 that it had secured approval across its consumer router portfolio. The company described its manufacturing and logistics footprint as international and diversified, but that announcement did not identify U.S. factories, investments, domestic-production targets, or a schedule for moving production. These are ASUS’s own characterizations, not independently verified manufacturing details. ASUS announcement, September 14, 2026
Rank #2
- Ultrafast WiFi 7 – WiFi 7 (802.11be) dual-band extendable router boosts speed up to 6500 Mbps, with 4096-QAM increasing a single frequency band’s transmission speed by 1.2 times
- Five 2.5GbE Ports – 2.5GbE ports prioritize traffic, optimizing wired internet connectivity for maximum performance
- Hassle-free AiMesh Extendable Network – AiMesh extendable routers enable whole home seamless roaming with rich, advanced features
- Multi-link Operation – Link to multiple bands at the same time to ensure stable internet connections and efficient data transfers
- Commercial-Grade Network Security – AiProtection Pro powered by Trend Micro, plus a one-tap security scan and Safe Browsing
On September 30, ASUS spokesperson JJ Guerrero told The Verge: “ASUS has submitted the required plan to the FCC and is working with trusted manufacturing partners to support our future networking product portfolio in the U.S.” The public statement confirms that ASUS says it filed a plan and is working with partners; it does not reveal the plan’s locations, commitments, or milestones. The Verge, September 30, 2026
What the FCC expects the plan to cover
The FCC’s conditional-approval guidance calls for applicants to describe how their routers are designed, sourced, made, and supported. Its requested information includes:
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- Beyond-fast WiFi 7 (802.11be) with new 320MHz channels in the 6 GHz band and 4096-QAM significantly increases network capacity and throughput, with speeds of up to 30 Gbps
- Multi-link Operation links to multiple bands at the same time to ensure stable internet connections and efficient data transfers
- Cutting-edge external dual-feeding antennas boost coverage by providing high efficiency and significantly enhanced signal strength
- Maximized wired connectivity and flexibility with dual 10G ports and quad 2.5G ports
- Triple-Level Game Acceleration - The GT-BE98 Pro boosts your PC gaming traffic every step of the way, from your PC gaming port all the way to the game server.
- Where components and designs originate, and which entities handle intellectual property and software updates.
- Why foreign manufacturing is used and whether alternatives exist.
- Manufacturing, final-assembly, and testing locations, as well as software and firmware origins.
- Supply-chain concentration by country, measured by value and production volume.
- Single-source suppliers and contingency plans.
- A U.S. Manufacturing and Onshoring Plan.
The guidance explains what applicants are expected to document; it does not make ASUS’s specific filed commitments public. FCC conditional-approval guidance
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can current ASUS router owners keep using their devices?
ASUS said on March 25: “This FCC action has no impact on existing ASUS router users, software updates, and customer support.” That is the company’s statement about current owners and the March action; it is not a guarantee about every future product or regulatory change. ASUS statement, March 25, 2026
Quick Recap
Best Value
- New-Gen WiFi Standard - Supporting 802.11ax WiFi standard for better efficiency and throughput.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed - RT-AX3000S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections. With a total networking speed of about 3000Mbps — 574 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 2402 Mbps on the 5GHz band.
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency - Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicating with multiple devices simultaneously
- Easy Extendable Network - Enjoy seamless roaming with rich, advanced features by adding any AiMesh-compatible router.
Rank #4
- Blazing-fast WiFi 7 tech boosts throughput up to 7200Mbps with Multi-Link Operation and 4096-QAM.
- Bolster your wired network capacity up to 34G with one cutting-edge 10G SFP+ port and one standard 10G WAN/LAN port.
- Establish always-on internet through AI WAN detection, versatile WAN configuration options, and a convenient USB port ready for 4G LTE and 5G Mobile tethering.
- Unleash demanding WiFi 7 and 10G network applications with a powerhouse quad-core 2.6GHz 64-bit CPU.
- Easily establish up to five SSIDs with Guest Network Pro for easy IoT device setup and management, instant VPN connections, and convenient parental controls.
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