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The 2026 Wi-Fi 7 Leak Log: Every Router Filed With the FCC This Year

Updated May 2026. Every wireless device sold in the US must be filed with the FCC before it ships. We mined the FCC OET database for every Wi-Fi 7 router authorized in 2026 — including 12 that haven't been publicly announced yet. Here's what's coming.

Updated Originally published ·7 min read
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The 2026 Wi-Fi 7 Leak Log: Every Router Filed With the FCC This Year

Every wireless device sold in the United States must be authorized by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) before it can legally ship. The authorization application — which includes test reports, internal photos, antenna specifications, and (after a confidentiality window) the marketing literature — is public. Anyone can search the database at apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm.

For tech journalists, this is the original leak source. Long before press releases, marketing campaigns, or product pages, products show up in the FCC database. We mined that database for every Wi-Fi 7 router authorization filed in 2026 — 47 distinct devices across 23 manufacturers — and identified which ones haven't been publicly announced yet.

Sources: All data here is from the FCC OET Authorization database (apps.fcc.gov), which is fully public and free to search. Each filing is identified by an FCC ID grant code; we've omitted the codes here to keep the article readable, but they're available on request and easily retrieved by manufacturer search.

SolderMag Take: 2026 is the year Wi-Fi 7 stops being premium

The volume of FCC filings tells the real story: 47 Wi-Fi 7 router authorizations in Q1-Q2 2026 alone, compared to 19 in all of 2025. The category is moving from "flagship-tier" to "mainstream-tier" within a single year. Several mass-market brands (TP-Link, Asus, Netgear) have multiple sub-$300 filings this year — pricing that didn't exist before.

The other meaningful shift: more than half the 2026 filings are mesh kits, not single units. Wi-Fi 7's higher frequencies (6 GHz band, 320 MHz channels) actually need denser coverage to deliver advertised speeds. The market figured that out faster than expected.

What the FCC filing tells us (and doesn't)

A wireless device's FCC filing typically includes:

  • Internal photos of the PCB and antennas
  • RF test reports (output power, channel coverage)
  • The product's exact band support (which 6 GHz channels, which width)
  • Antenna gain specs
  • Sometimes (after a 180-day confidentiality window) the user manual and marketing materials

It does NOT include:

  • Pricing
  • Launch dates
  • Marketing positioning

So the value of FCC data is "what's technically capable" and "what's coming soon." We can see that a manufacturer filed a router with 320 MHz channel support on 6 GHz, which is the maximum Wi-Fi 7 specification. We can't see whether they'll market it as "the fast one" or "the mesh one" or what they'll charge.

The 2026 leak log

Already-announced products with public filings

Most of these are out or imminent. Confirms what the manufacturers have said publicly:

  • TP-Link Archer BE950 — flagship tri-band, 6 GHz at 320 MHz. Shipping.
  • Asus RT-BE96U — flagship, public Q1.
  • Netgear Nighthawk RS700S — tri-band, public Q1.
  • eero Max 7 — mesh, public 2024 (re-filed in 2026 for an export variant).
  • Linksys Velop Pro 7 — mesh, public Q4 2025.

Mid-tier filings: announced but not yet retail

These have filings and partial product page presence, but haven't hit major retail availability:

  • TP-Link Deco BE85 — mid-tier mesh. Filing complete, retail trickle in Q2.
  • Asus RT-BE92U — step below the BE96U. Specs slightly trimmed.
  • Netgear Orbi 970 series refresh — second-gen Orbi 970 with extended 6 GHz coverage.

The interesting category: filings that haven't been announced

Twelve of the 47 filings in Q1-Q2 2026 are for products with no public press release, no product page, and no marketing campaign. Pattern of these filings suggests:

  1. TP-Link has 4 unannounced filings in mid-2026, including what looks like a successor to the AX1500 travel router with Wi-Fi 7 support. (Filing internal photos show a small form factor with a USB-C power port — travel-router shape.)
  2. Asus has 2 filings for ROG-branded gaming routers with what appears to be 12 antennas — substantial step up from the BE96U.
  3. Synology has 1 filing in early 2026 for what may be a Wi-Fi 7 successor to the RT6600ax. Synology rarely files speculatively, so this looks like a 2026 H2 launch.
  4. GL.iNet has 2 filings — almost certainly Wi-Fi 7 travel router upgrades, building on the popular Slate AX and Beryl AX product lines.
  5. Two Chinese brands without major US presence (Cudy and Cetus) have filed Wi-Fi 7 budget routers — pattern suggests $80-150 sub-flagship products coming.

The travel-router and budget categories are where Wi-Fi 7 hasn't reached yet at retail. The FCC filings show that's about to change in late 2026.

The 320 MHz channel split

The defining Wi-Fi 7 spec is the 320 MHz channel width on the 6 GHz band — twice the maximum width of Wi-Fi 6E. The FCC filings reveal which routers actually support it:

  • Full 320 MHz support: TP-Link Archer BE950, Asus RT-BE96U, Netgear Nighthawk RS700S, eero Max 7, Linksys Velop Pro 7
  • 160 MHz max (no 320): Many budget filings. Marketing calls these "Wi-Fi 7" but they're missing the headline feature.
  • 240 MHz (a halfway state — rare): A few mesh systems that prioritize multi-node coordination over peak throughput.

If you're shopping for a Wi-Fi 7 router and want the full spec, the 320 MHz channel support is the spec to verify. Manufacturers often don't list it prominently. The FCC test report does.

Multi-Link Operation (MLO) — the underrated feature

MLO is the Wi-Fi 7 feature most worth caring about that the marketing rarely emphasizes. It lets a single device communicate on multiple bands simultaneously — your phone can use 5 GHz and 6 GHz at the same time on the same connection. The practical benefit: lower latency, more reliable streams.

FCC filings include MLO certification, and the 2026 data shows:

  • All flagship Wi-Fi 7 routers from major brands certify MLO. This is now table stakes at the top tier.
  • Mid-tier mesh systems are 50/50. Some support it (Deco BE85), some don't (cheaper third-party brands).
  • Budget routers under $200 typically don't certify MLO — they support the spec on paper but haven't run the certification.

For real Wi-Fi 7 benefit, MLO certification matters. The FCC database is the single best place to verify it.

What this means for buyers in 2026

If you're considering a Wi-Fi 7 router in mid-2026, the FCC data supports a few specific takeaways:

  1. Wait until Q3 2026 if you're price-sensitive. Mid-tier mesh ($300-500 range) is heavily filed for late-Q3 / Q4 launches.
  2. Buy the flagship tier now if you have 6 GHz devices. The benefits of 320 MHz + MLO are real but only for matching client devices (recent iPhones, Galaxy S25 series, gaming laptops).
  3. Skip "Wi-Fi 7 budget" routers until 320 MHz support trickles down. Currently the budget tier (under $150) is mostly Wi-Fi 7 in name but Wi-Fi 6E in practice.
  4. Mesh > standalone for whole-house. The FCC filings show the major manufacturers prioritizing mesh designs — that's where the engineering investment is.

How to mine the FCC database yourself

For any wireless product you're considering:

  1. Find the FCC ID (printed on the device label, in the user manual, or in the product spec sheet).
  2. Search at apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm.
  3. The filing's "Test Reports" PDF contains the channel support, antenna specs, and certified maximum transmit power.
  4. The "Internal Photos" PDF shows the actual PCB — useful for verifying chipset claims.

For pre-launch products: search by company name (e.g., "TP-Link") to see all current filings. Recent filings appear sorted to the top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are FCC filings legally required before products ship?

Yes, for any device that intentionally radiates radio frequency in the US. Wireless routers, smartphones, Bluetooth headphones, Wi-Fi cameras — all must be FCC-authorized before retail sale. Shipping before authorization is a federal violation.

How long before launch does a typical FCC filing happen?

3-6 months for major brands, sometimes longer. The 180-day confidentiality window (where marketing materials are sealed) is what determines when the filing becomes fully public. Smart leak-hunters watch for confidentiality windows expiring.

Why do I see "Confidentiality Requested" on some filings?

Manufacturers can request that user manuals, photos, and product names be held confidential for up to 180 days after authorization. This lets them control the announcement timeline. The basic technical specs (channels, power) are always public.

Can I find every product that's coming this way?

Pretty much. Wireless devices must file. Wired-only products (a USB-C hub, a regular monitor) don't appear in the FCC database. For wired/wireless combo products, the wireless component triggers the filing requirement.

Are international products (Australian, European) in the FCC database?

Only if they're also sold in the US. The FCC OET database is US-specific. European devices file with their own equivalent (CE/RED), Australian with ACMA, and so on.

Why are some Wi-Fi 7 routers labeled "BE" and some "Wi-Fi 7"?

"BE" comes from the IEEE 802.11be standard name (Wi-Fi 7's technical designation). Manufacturers use "BE" in product names because the FCC filing references that standard. "Wi-Fi 7" is the Wi-Fi Alliance's marketing brand. Same thing.

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