What the FCC router ban means for FOSS

The FCC has banned the sale of all new home router models not manufactured in the U.S., citing national security concerns. The Software Freedom Conservancy analyzes the implications for FOSS, noting that the OpenWrt One already has FCC approval and is unaffected. Importantly, the FCC ban does not restrict users from installing their own firmware on already-purchased routers, preserving the right to run OpenWrt and other community firmware. The FCC also hints at restricting manufacturer software updates to existing hardware after March 2027, but user-initiated updates appear unaffected. SFC is accelerating efforts to demonstrate OpenWrt's compliance with NIST IR 8425A security standards and advocates for security regulations that focus on software properties rather than country of manufacture.