# TP-Link

TP-Link is a Chinese company that manufactures network equipment and smart home products. The company was established in 1996 in Shenzhen. TP-Link's main headquarters is located in Nanshan, Shenzhen; there is a smaller headquarters in Irvine, California. It has subsidiaries operating globally and owns several brands, including Deco, Tapo, Omada, Omada Pro, VIGI, Aginet, Kasa Smart, and Mercusys. The company has been investigated by the governments of India and the United States for national security risks.

## History

TP-Link was founded in 1996 by two brothers, Zhao Jianjun (赵建军 Zhào Jiànjūn) and Zhao Jiaxing (赵佳兴 Zhào Jiāxīng). Zhao Jianjun runs the company's California operations. The company name was based on the concept of "twisted pair link" invented by Alexander Graham Bell, a kind of cabling that reduces electromagnetic interference.
TP-Link began its first international expansion in 2005. In 2007, the company moved into a new 100,000-square-meter headquarters and facilities at Shenzhen's Hi-Tech Industry Park. TP-Link USA was established in 2008. In 2022, TP-Link Corporation began to separate from TP-LINK Technologies Co., Ltd. (TP-LINK) in China. After the separation, TP-Link Corporation became a standalone entity in all shareholdings and all operational aspects, such as workforce, research and development, production, marketing, and customer service.
In a 2023 patent dispute lawsuit, a U.S. federal judge rejected the company's argument that there was no link between its U.S. and China businesses.
In May 2024, the government of India issued a warning saying that TP-Link routers present a security risk.
In May 2024, TP-Link announced the completion of corporate restructuring, with secondary headquarters in the United States and Singapore.
In August 2024, the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party asked the United States Department of Commerce to investigate TP-Link and its affiliates for potential national security risks. The U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ), Commerce, and Defense opened investigations into the company, with the DOJ probing whether TP-Link sells its routers below cost. A spokesperson from TP-Link's United States subsidiary responded via The Wall Street Journal that they are welcome to engage with the government of the United States to demonstrate the security of their products, and the commitment to address national security risks. A spokesperson from China's Ministry of Commerce, He Yongqian, responded to this matter in a press conference, saying that relevant investigations from the United States should be objective and rational.

## Products

TP-Link products include high speed cable modems, mobile phones, ADSL, range extenders, routers, switches, IP cameras, power-line adapters, print servers, media converters, wireless adapters, power banks, USB hubs, smart home devices, and home robots. TP-Link also manufactured the OnHub router for Google. TP-Link manufactures smart home devices under their Kasa Smart and Tapo product lines. The company also participates in several research and development projects with the Chinese government.

## Manufacturing

TP-Link manufactures its products in-house, as opposed to outsourcing to original design manufacturers (ODMs).