By now, you might have learned that TP-Link’s latest Wi-Fi 8 router, the Archer BN800, is not available in the US, leaving ASUS’s GT-BN98 Pro to be the very first router of the latest Wi-Fi standard.
As it turns out, this should also have happened to the company’s existing Wi-Fi 7 routers, at least some of them. According to the FCC, they seem to have failed to stay within their allowed broadcast power limits, a serious compliance breach.
Dong’s note: This story has been updated to include TP-Link’s response.
FCC: Broadcast power limit breaches found in TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 routers
In a couple of letters dated October 15, 2026, sent to TP-Link, the FCC stated that the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) has “tentatively determined that TP-Link included false or incorrect information in its applications for these equipment authorizations; and these devices do not operate consistently with the parameters power levels submitted in the certification applications.”
The OET revealed that these findings came from samples it obtained through retail channels (presumably not samples submitted by TP-Link for the original applications).
For example, the Archer GE800, which is a flagship gaming router, “exceeded the FCC PSD EIRP limit of 5 dBm/MHz by 3.28 dB. The measured value also exceeded the certification PSD EIRP value of 4.89 dBm/MHz by 3.39 dB – approximately 2.18x the certified power level.”
dBm is the power measurement for wireless broadcast power. In Wi-Fi, the dBm value determines how strong the outgoing signals a Wi-Fi access point can emit—the higher the value, the stronger the signals. Broadcast power is regulated differently around the world, and varies by band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz). Generally, the allowed limit in the US is the most generous—it’s the highest.
The Archer GE800 wasn’t the only one. The OET said that it found similar breaches in a few other models, too, including:
- Archer BE670: exceeded by 2.2 dB on the 6GHz band.
- Deco BE67: exceeded by 4.11 dB on the 6GHz band.
- BE3600 TL-WR3602BE: 2.61 dB on the 5GHz band.
Having higher broadcast power generally means better performance, which has been the case in many TP-Link routers in my experience. And performance is something consumers gravitate to when getting Wi-Fi equipment. Who wouldn’t want a fast Wi-Fi router with extended range?
Getting caught red-handed?
The most damming notion in these letters is the fact these breaches happened in TP-Link’s existing Wi-Fi 7 routers—popular in the US market. It suggested that TP-Link either cheated in the application process or made changes to its hardware after being approved.
It’s unclear how many TP-Link models OET has obtained for this compliance testing, or if these are the only ones they’ve decided to check at random. The answer will offer a clearer picture of the scale of this alleged compliance breach.
In any case, these are new findings that land TP-Link again in hot water, unrelated to the FCC’s previous national security claims or its subsequent decision to ban all foreign-made routers. At the very least, it sure means TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 8 routers will have to undergo more scrutiny before they can enter the US market.
It’s worth noting that the wording of the letters is not definitive. We have to wait to hear from TP-Link to find out what really happened.
TP-Link’s response
In response to my requests for comments, TP-Link Systems Inc.’s spokesperson offered this statement:
“U.S.-based TP-Link Systems Inc. is committed to regulatory compliance and maintains the highest standards across all of its products. Routine spot checks have been a standard FCC practice across the consumer electronics industry for many years.
TP-Link Systems fully supports the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology and its role in 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, addressing any confirmed technical issues as swiftly as possible.”
It’s unclear how the company plans to resolve the issues (if confirmed). Maybe it can make the said hardware comply with the broadcast power limit by lowering their threshold (and the performance) via firmware updates, or maybe it’ll offer hardware exchange. In any case, if found noncompliant, TP-Link will face stiff fines and even an FCC ban on all of its equipment.
An ongoing matter
Keep in mind that using wireless equipment that functions outside of the regulated parameters, while not necessarily harmful to health, can cause serious problems with other equipment allowed to operate in the same frequency. It’s a public safety issue among other things.
In the letters, the OET asked TP-Link to provide “a detailed response with supporting documentation by October 30, 2026” for each device in question. Clearly, this is an ongoing story, and we’ll find out how this saga is going to end.
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