Netgear router internet light orange – What it means and how to resolve

Netgear routers guarantee you reliable internet connection throughout. However, I’m sure you have occasionally noticed slow internet speeds especially when the internet light blinks in orange.

Netgear routers come with LED lights that turn on and keep on blinking once you switch on the router and it connects to the internet. Well, to be honest I never really gave much attention to these LED lights until one day when I experienced slow internet speeds with mine. Usually green LED lights mean that everything is working properly and you’ll most probably enjoy fast throughput speeds when you connect your devices to the internet. However, there is the notorious orange light that may blink occasionally which will hinder you from solid internet connection,but this shouldn’t be a reason to cause panic in your home.

When the orange light on your router starts blinking it basically means that the router is suffering from a connectivity problem. Therefore, you shouldn’t be worried when you see this as most of the time, the problem lies with your internet service provider and not the router itself. However, there are occasions where it may be an issue of outdated firmware.  In the event that you experience an orange light you are supposed to reboot your modem and router. If this doesn’t solve it, then you should check the internet connection between the router and modem. Lastly if it is a case of outdated firmware, you should simply update the firmware of your router and the router will continue to operate normally.

How to resolve Netgear Router internet orange light

Check Ethernet cable and restart router

The orange light may turn on because you have probably not connected the Ethernet cable properly to the router. Therefore, what you should do is check whether the Ethernet cable has been properly connected to the router. A loosely connected Ethernet cable is pretty normal and happens from time to time especially when you have kids in the house who are always playing in the living room. Once you plug in the Ethernet cable properly, you should then restart the router and see if the orange light will still be blinking.

If this was the issue, you will see the green light turn on once the router and modem have both gone on. This will be an indication that the router is operating normally and you can finally connect your devices to the internet once again. However, you should get a new Ethernet cable if yours keeps on getting loose even when you connect it properly to the router.

Reboot the modem and router

Restart the router

If the above process doesn’t work then you could do a power cycle on both devices. This basically means to reboot the modem and the router. So, you should unplug the power cords of the modem and router from their power sources, wait for a few seconds and then plug them back in. Most of the time this helps to fix slow internet connection therefore it may help trouble shoot the blinking internet orange light which usually signals a problem with internet connectivity.

If this still doesn’t work, then you can connect your computer directly to the modem using the Ethernet cable. You should then check whether your laptop has connected to the internet, and if it has then it may be an indication that your router is the problem and not the modem. If you laptop fails to connect to the internet after you use the Ethernet cable then it means the problem lies with your internet service provider and not the router. In this scenario, you should just call your internet service provider and report the issue to them so that they can send a technician to fix your network connection.

Updating Firmware

Nighthawk AX8 Troubleshooting

Sometimes the reason as to why the orange light on your router is blinking is probably because it has outdated firmware that is no longer compatible with the modem. This is because whenever an update comes out your internet service provider will update your modem for you from their side. Therefore, you can manually update the firmware of your router by logging in to your router’s admin page and click on the “advanced tab” option. Once you have done this, you should look for “Firmware Upgrade” on your screen and click on that option.

After these two processes you then look if there is any latest update released and download it then install the updated firmware. Your router will reboot itself once you have updated its software and the internet light will start blinking green which will be an indication that it’s back to normal operations.You will be able to enjoy stable internet connection once the light starts to blink green o your Netgear router.

A summary of the problems that may be at hand and how to troubleshoot them.

Problem
Solution
Loose Ethernet cable
You should plug it in the router properly and reset it. However, you should replace the cable as soon as possible if it is faulty.
Outdated firmware
Update the firmware through the Router admin page.
Poor or No Network connection
Contact your internet service provider for help.

Conclusion

As you have seen, the blinking orange light on your Netgear basically means that your router is struggling with network connectivity. However, it is normal and happens to a number of users. If you experience this, you should simply follow the steps that I have taken you through in order to troubleshoot the problem.

FAQs

Should I reboot my modem every day?

No. It is not necessary to reboot your modem daily however, you should at least reboot it after every couple of months.

How do I reset the Netgear router?

Netgear routers come with a reset button on the back of the router which you simply press for about seven seconds and then release. You should also ensure that the router is on in order to successfully reset it.

You’ll Also Love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *