A Netgear router orange light is generally hard to ignore and brush under the rug, as it is usually indicative of a burning issue concerning your Netgear router.
Different light colors on your Netgear Nighthawk router can point to problems with your modem, router, or internet connection. In the case of an orange modem light, there are also several possibilities you should look into, which will require some detailed troubleshooting.
Keep on reading to learn not only how to troubleshoot your WiFi router but also how to fix it permanently.
Why is your Netgear router internet light orange?
Let’s start off by saying that not every light indicator will point toward an issue. Most light hands will convey a message about the overall functioning of your device.
Also, keep in mind that not all Netgear wireless router models are the same. That being said, the lights on your WiFi device may have a different meaning than the ones you found in the user manual.
Generally, a solid green or white light will signify that the router is turned on and ready to establish a connection.
A solid amber power LED light will usually mean that the device is currently powering on, while a blinking white light commonly stands for an issue with the outdated firmware. What’s more, a combination of a blinking white and orange light on your modem router indicates that the device is in AP mode, but only if you own an R8000 model.
But what is it that is triggering an orange internet light on your Netgear router? Let’s review some of the most common issues you could encounter; orange router light could indicate that.
Ethernet cable issue
One of the most frequent scenarios is that the Ethernet cable hasn’t been adequately connected or is damaged. Even if the Ethernet cable seems damage-free, it could still be loose, causing connectivity issues.
The Ethernet cable, also known as the network cable, is essentially the most crucial element regarding a fast and reliable internet connection.
Firmware update pending
Regardless of the device, it is necessary to keep the system up to date and never allow it to run on outdated firmware.
The orange internet light on your Netgear router could indicate that there are some pending updates to be installed. It could also point to corrupted firmware, especially if you didn’t download the software from the official website.
Outdated firmware can cause numerous issues, such as delays in internet connection and bugs compromising the connectivity.
Internet provider issue
Often, the orange light issue doesn’t concern your particular device in the first place. Connectivity issues may arise as a consequence of local power surges, signal issues in the area, and especially internet provider issues.
This kind of problem has nothing to do with your specific device, but it will definitely affect your internet connection, which is the message the orange light is trying to convey.
Problem in the Netgear router setup
In case the Netgear router hasn’t been set up correctly in the first place, this could be causing all kinds of connectivity issues and disruption in your WiFi connection.
The orange light on your router may also signal that the system hasn’t been set up through the correct web address or that the network hasn’t been identified.
A system that hasn’t been properly installed can also cause connectivity issues between your Netgear router and modem.
How to fix orange internet light on Netgear router
Luckily, all of the mentioned Netgear router issues are pretty easy to tackle, and in most cases, you will require no professional assistance in fixing your router and getting rid of the annoying orange light.
1. Check the Ethernet cable
As we already mentioned, the Ethernet cable is more than just a cable; it is a vital component in a stable, secure internet connection. If the Ethernet isn’t correctly connected, or the link is loose, you could be experiencing internet issues triggering the orange light on your router.
Make sure to reconnect the cable according to the user manual, and ensure that the connection is tight. If you notice any damage, the Ethernet cable should be replaced.
Remember that any loose or damaged cable, wire, or any other component could lead to connectivity issues. While troubleshooting the Ethernet cable, keep an eye out for any other damaged components and replace them.
2. Update firmware
If the internet light is orange, all of those pending system updates you’ve been avoiding require your immediate attention.
Running on outdated firmware is one of the biggest obstacles of your system that could result in significant system bugs, slow data transfer, and an inability to connect to internet.
In case you’ve stopped or paused the updates, or they haven’t started automatically, you can update the system manually. Log into your account using your admin credentials on your Nighthawk app or their official websites.
Navigate to the Advanced tab, and locate the Firmware Upgrade option in the menu. Click on this button, and allow the system to update and reboot automatically once the updates have been installed.
3. Contact customer support
Any information concerning service outages or power surges in your area should be available on the Netgear app or their official website. If you can’t find the information you want to learn more about the current situation, you can always contact customer support and share your inquiry.
4. Check the router setup
The easiest way to ensure that you’ve correctly set up your router and plugged in all the wires and cables is to unplug everything, remove all the connections, and start over.
Of course, make sure to follow the user manual as a guide in this process to avoid any mistakes. Double check all the connections, wires, cables, and ports, and ensure they’re correctly connected and plugged in.
5. Reboot the device
Finally, if you’ve been unsuccessful in localizing the core issue or none of the mentioned methods seem to work in your case, you could try rebooting the device.
A soft restart would be to simply unplug both the router and the modem from the power source, wait for a few minutes, and plug them back in, which is a trick that is quite effective in removing minor bugs.
A hard restart, on the other hand, requires deleting all your preferences and custom settings from the system, but it is also far more effective in eliminating major bugs and solving bigger issues.
This kind of reboot can be performed by pressing and holding the restart button on the Netgear router for a few minutes, and then allowing the system to boot back up.
Of course, we recommend backing up your data before performing a hard restart, since all of your data will be deleted in this process so you can have a clean slate.
Another method of starting a factory reset is through the official Netgear (Nighthawk) app, which allows you to restart the system quickly and offers the data backup option.
