Router Lights
What are your router lights trying to tell you?
How many times a day does the average person think about how their home’s refrigerator works? Unless the appliance stops cooling perishables or churning out cubes of ice, the answer is probably “zero.”
The same is true for your internet router. Yes, the small device with the big job of sending data between computer networks is also important to everyday existence, but you likely won’t give it a second thought until someone in your household screeches “Help! I can’t get on the internet!”
While no two models of router are built the same, some things apply across all makes and models, such as the color of router lights and what they mean. Read on to find out what your router lights are trying to tell you—and when you should contact an expert for assistance.
Router lights leave colorful clues
Green and white router lights mean all is as it should be. If everyone in your home or business is able to connect to the internet using their various electronic devices, you’ll see a solid green (or sometimes white) router light. Much like a light at a traffic stop, a green router light means you’re good to go.
Make the switch to local, otterly reliable high speed internet.
What about router lights that blink green? While blinking router lights can indicate an issue, router lights that blink green are simply a signal that your router is doing its job. Don’t panic, that’s just your data on the move.
A blue router light is fine, too. Seeing a solid blue light on your router is a clue that your internet service provider is involved in the connection process. A solid blue router light can be treated similarly to a green light indicating that all is well. A flashing or blinking blue router light is often your router doing its own form of housekeeping—booting up, updating or trying to establish a connection.
An amber router light can signal a problem—or maybe not. If you’re having trouble connecting to the internet and see an orange/amber blinking router light, it could indicate a weak link, partial connection or that a firmware update is in progress. If your device is booting up, let it finish. If the router still isn’t connecting to your ISP, use your smartphone to find helpful advice at Lightcurve’s online support center.
Red means trouble. Unfortunately, a red solid or blinking router light means that somewhere along the line there’s been a critical connection failure and your router or modem isn’t picking up a signal. It could be a hardware error, the router overheating, a faulty cord or some other breakage in the system, but a red router light is a warning that something’s up.
If you run into a router light that isn’t a shade of green or blue and you can’t connect, before you try anything else, restart your router. If that doesn’t get those router lights back to an acceptable hue, unplug it for five minutes and try again. That will help you determine if you need support. If you’re a Lightcurve customer and you can’t resolve any issues you may come across when you see red or amber router lights, or a blinking router light that you cannot interpret, Lightcurve’s technical support team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 888-988-8508 to talk to someone about your solid or blinking router lights and we will help get you back online.