South Korean networking company Davolink's viral Minions-shaped Wi-Fi 6E routers, Kevin and Bob, face FCC restrictions similar to TP-Link's ban. The routers went viral after X posts praised Kevin as one of the best Wi-Fi 6E routers available. Amazon sold out the $62.99 router within a day.
The FCC banned all new foreign-made network routers from US sales since March unless manufacturers have exemptions. ASUS, Eero and Netgear have exemptions, but Davolink does not. While existing Minions routers remain legal, no Wi-Fi 7 versions will reach US markets, and firmware updates are guaranteed only through end of 2028.
Kevin, a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router (AXE5400), outperforms TP-Link's Archer AXE75 in speed and range but has fewer LAN ports. The ban stems from a national security determination, with the FCC interpreting 'produced' to cover design and development stages regardless of company nationality.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing