Florida and Three States Sue TP-Link Over Router Security Claims and China Ties
Florida's attorney general has announced a lawsuit against TP-Link, accusing the networking equipment maker of deceiving consumers about the safety of its routers and its relationship with China. Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana have filed similar cases.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced legal action against TP-Link, alleging the company has misled residents regarding router security and connections to the Chinese Communist Party. In a video posted to X, Uthmeier stated that TP-Link's marketing claims about product safety do not hold up to scrutiny.
Today, we sued TP-Link for lying about the safety of its routers and its ties to the CCP. TP-Link sold Floridians the digital front door to their home network while misrepresenting how secure it was, how separated the company was from China, and what could happen to their data.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, October 6, 2026
According to Uthmeier's statement, state-sponsored hackers from China have successfully compromised TP-Link routers deployed in American homes. The attorney general noted that numerous models lack automatic update functionality and have been abandoned by the company in terms of ongoing support.
Uthmeier further contended that TP-Link's claims of independence from China are inaccurate. He asserted that the company told Florida consumers it had distanced itself from China and relocated manufacturing to Vietnam, but characterized this narrative as false. According to his office, research and manufacturing operations remain centered in China, with less than 1% of components used at the Vietnam facility sourcing from Vietnam. Uthmeier also highlighted that TP-Link has claimed separation from an entity with Chinese government ties that the Pentagon has identified as affiliated with China's military apparatus.
Federal authorities initiated an examination of TP-Link in 2024, with the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and Department of Justice launching separate inquiries. The Justice Department has been investigating whether the company engages in unfair trade practices and poses a national security risk. TP-Link has contested these allegations, pointing to its 2024 separation from its Chinese parent company and its shift to Vietnam-based manufacturing beginning in 2018.
Unlike Huawei, TP-Link has managed to avoid an outright prohibition in the U.S. market. The company now confronts a significant regulatory hurdle: the FCC has implemented a ban on importing new consumer routers. This restriction applies broadly to all router manufacturers, encompassing American companies like Cisco and Netgear, though these firms obtained conditional approval to circumvent the restriction. TP-Link has also sought such an exemption, though it remains unclear whether approval has been granted. Even without conditional approval, TP-Link could potentially continue distributing router models already in circulation within the United States.
Florida's action is not isolated. Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana have each initiated separate lawsuits against TP-Link based on identical concerns regarding the company's alleged Beijing connections and the security profile of its routers. Officials from these states have indicated their litigation aims to safeguard residents against threats emanating from the Chinese Communist Party.