Access TP-Link’s complaint here: [ PDF ]
Wi-Fi router companies TP-Link and Netgear are battling in federal court in Delaware over Lanham Act violations, a US law that governs trademarks, service marks, and unfair competition. After TP-Link filed suit in November 2025, Netgear filed counterclaims in June 2026, with both sides now accusing the other of false and misleading statements regarding business operations.
TP-Link dismisses Netgear’s China-affiliation allegations; claims it’s a US company: “TP- Link brings this action to address an unlawful smear campaign by Netgear to falsely cast TP-Link and its products as infiltrated by the Chinese government. The accusation is baseless. TP-Link is a US- based company incorporated and headquartered in California that has no ties with the Chinese government,” read its complaint filed with the District Court of Delaware in November 2025.
Why has the company’s country of origin become a central issue? In March 2026, citing national security reasons, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added foreign-made consumer-grade routers to its “Covered List,” which prohibits new models from entering the US market.
Later, on June 8, the US Department of Defense released the new list of “Entities Identified as Chinese Military Companies Operating in the United States.” These include: TP Link, Baidu, Tencent, BYD and many more. It said that these companies are ” Access the full list here: [ PDF ]
On its separation from the Chinese parent company: “Although TP-Link’s predecessor company was founded in China in 1996, the company split after its founding into two distinct and separate entities, which today are TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd. and Plaintiff TP-Link Systems Inc. TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd. is a Chinese company that sells its products in mainland China, and is not a party to this case.”
On Chinese government ties: “TP-Link is a U.S.-based company incorporated and headquartered in California that has no ties with the Chinese government,” it claimed.
Netgear’s central position, as quoted in the filing: “TP-Link remains, at its core, a Chinese company selling Chinese-made products.”
TP-Link alleges Netgear launched a smear campaign against it: “On information and belief, Netgear has fed false and misleading information to third parties such as media personnel, operatives, consultants, and other businesses to act as mouthpieces for Netgear’s smear campaign.”
According to Tom’s Hardware’s review of the June 11, 2026, filing, Netgear’s counterclaim not only denies the smear allegation but also shifts to offense. It also argued that TP‑Link misleads consumers by falsely presenting itself as a fully independent American company rather than as an entity still tied to China‑based TP‑Link Technologies, particularly by continuing to run R&D operations in China.
On Netgear’s lobbying: “Netgear has spent at least hundreds of thousands of dollars over at least the last year lobbying both chambers of Congress, the United States Department of Commerce, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Communications Commission.”
TP-Link claims that Netgear’s comments cost over a billion dollars in sales: “Netgear’s misconduct has injured and threatens injury to well over a billion dollars in sales, for which it will be held accountable.“
Both companies differ on TP-Link’s footprint in the US: According to Tom’s Hardware’s review of Netgear’s counter filing, TP-Link’s share of the US router market is about 65%. Whereas, TP-Link claims that its “share of router sales in the United States is less than 10%.”
Follow this case using these details: Case No. 1:25-cv-01396-MN, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
Background: In 2024, India’s cybersecurity agency, CERT-IN, said it found a severe security vulnerability in TP-Link routers that could be exploited to “execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.” Read MediaNama’s coverage here.
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