The Federal Communications Commission has accused TP-Link of submitting inaccurate certification paperwork and exceeding legal broadcast power limits on several Wi-Fi 7 routers, creating a new regulatory obstacle as the company seeks approval to sell Wi-Fi 8 hardware in the United States.
According to Bloomberg and Tom's Hardware, the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sent two letters dated October 15, 2026, questioning TP-Link's equipment authorization filings. In the correspondence, the agency alleged that TP-Link "included false or incorrect information in its applications" for four router models. Regulator testing also found that three of those devices operated above permitted radio-frequency output thresholds.
Dong Knows Tech reported that the compliance inquiry covers the TP-Link Archer GE800, the Archer BE670, the Deco BE67 mesh system, and the BE3600 TL-WR3602BE travel router. In agency lab evaluations, the Archer BE670 exceeded maximum allowed broadcast power on the 6 GHz band by 2.2 dB, while the Deco BE67 surpassed the 6 GHz ceiling by 4.11 dB. The portable TL-WR3602BE exceeded permitted output on the 5 GHz band by 2.61 dB. The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology ordered TP-Link to provide a detailed explanation and supporting technical documentation by October 30, 2026.
In a statement provided to Tom's Hardware on October 28, 2026, TP-Link said it would cooperate with federal engineers to resolve the findings:
"TP-Link Systems fully supports the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology and its role of ensuring that all manufacturers adhere to prescribed specifications for their certified products. We remain fully committed to working collaboratively with the FCC to resolve any technical questions that arise — and if necessary, address any confirmed technical issues as swiftly as possible."
Covered List restrictions block Wi-Fi 8 rollout
The technical compliance dispute compounds TP-Link's broader struggle to bring its next-generation wireless hardware to the US market. On March 23, 2026, the FCC added foreign-manufactured consumer routers to its Covered List, blocking equipment authorizations for new models unless the vendor secures a Conditional Approval from the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security. While competitors such as Asus and Netgear have received conditional exemptions — allowing hardware like the Asus ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro to clear federal review — TP-Link's Wi-Fi 8 lineup remains locked out of US retail channels.
To win federal clearance for the TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra router and Deco 8 Ultra mesh system, the California-based company signed a letter of intent in October 2026 for a $1 billion domestic manufacturing partnership with Key Tronic. That proposal already faces opposition from a coalition of 21 state attorneys general, alongside separate consumer-protection lawsuits filed in Texas, Florida, Montana, Iowa, and Nebraska. Even if TP-Link lowers radio transmit power on existing Wi-Fi 7 hardware through firmware updates, unresolved questions over its certification practices threaten to delay US authorization for the TP-Link Archer 8 Ultra well into 2027.
