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Surfshark is the best VPN for school Wi-Fi overall. It packs a ton of value into a budget-friendly package (as long as you choose the yearly plan) and allows for unlimited simultaneous connections, which is great for students with multiple devices or those who want to share it with roommates and friends.  ExpressVPN is a bit pricey, but it's a user-friendly, top-notch VPN for any use case and is great for streaming. With servers in all 50 states of the United States, ExpressVPN is a solid option for accessing regional content, like streaming NFL games or WNBA matches. NordVPN is an excellent V

You can still use your existing router, but there is one big caveat hidden in the FCC’s Public Notice: “All routers authorized for use in the United States may continue to receive software and firmware updates that mitigate harm to US consumers at least until March 1, 2027.” On May 8, that deadline was pushed back to "at least Jan. 1, 2029," and it's possible that it will be eliminated entirely. Firmware updates are essential to both your router’s performance and security. Most router companies issue automatic firmware updates to fix security vulnerabilities as they pop up, and you may not eve

Representatives for the FCC couldn’t tell me which specific router companies will be subject to the ban, but nearly every Wi-Fi router available in the US has some stage of “manufacturing, assembly, design and development” occurring outside the country. Untangling each router’s supply chain will be a complicated process, and router companies are already lobbying the FCC for “Conditional Approval.”  “Every single one of these devices, even if the final assembly happens in California, for example, they're all going to come with components that are manufactured in China, as an example,” Sonu Shan

Nearly 70% of Americans rent their routers from their internet service provider. The FCC’s ban will impact them, too, as they also rely on foreign-made parts for their Wi-Fi equipment.  The analytics site, Ookla, looked at speed tests from 2026 and found the top three Wi-Fi router vendors for four of the largest ISPs. None of them are manufactured entirely in the US. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) If you rent equipment from your ISP, you can take some comfort in knowing that it’s on them to be compliant with the FCC and keep your network secure. Do