Question 1

What does a red or black power light mean?

Accepted Answer

If your power light is red or not on, your device doesn’t have enough power to run. Make sure that you’ve securely plugged your power cord into your device and wall outlet. If you’re still having troubles, the outlet you’re using may be faulty; try plugging your device into another outlet.

Question 2

Why won’t my downstream indicator stop blinking?

Accepted Answer

If your downstream indicator keeps blinking, it’s because your modem can’t detect any signal from your internet provider. Check to make sure you’ve connected your modem to the internet outlet in your wall—your internet provider may have either a DSL or coaxial cable connection. If your cables are secure, your local internet connection may be down, or there may be problems with your internet service account. Contact your internet provider for more information.

Question 3

Why won’t my upstream indicator stop blinking?

Accepted Answer

If your upstream indicator keeps blinking, it’s because your modem isn’t getting a response from your internet provider and can’t establish a strong connection. Contact your internet provider for more information.

Question 4

Why is my modem internet light off or red?

Accepted Answer

An unlit or red internet light may indicate trouble verifying your internet service login and password, so your local internet connection is probably down. But if you’re installing your modem for the first time, you may need to contact your internet provider for your login information.

Question 5

Should my link light be flashing?

Accepted Answer

Link lights constantly blink—the flashing is a signal that your link port is active and sending information to your computer or router. If your link light is solid green, it’s connected but not currently transferring data.

Question 6

Why is the Wi-Fi light red on my router?

Accepted Answer

If your Wi-Fi light is yellow or red, this indicates your router is vulnerable to security threats. To keep your online data safe, make sure you set a password on your Wi-Fi, and consider using a VPN for extra protection.

Question 7

Why is my router’s Wi-Fi light black?

Accepted Answer

If your Wi-Fi light is unlit, your Wi-Fi is off. Try pressing the Wi-Fi On/Off button on the back of your router. If that doesn’t turn your Wi-Fi light green, then unplug your router and wait 15 to 20 minutes for it to turn off completely. Then plug it back in and give it time to reconnect before rechecking the light.

Question 8

How do you read a modem light?

Accepted Answer

Though many modem/routers label their lights with clear sans serif descriptions, some expect you to decipher the lights like you’re an expert in hieroglyphs. Yikes. If your device doesn’t have labels on the front, first check the back. You may have to pull out a magnifying glass—there’s usually tiny print explaining what each light represents. Failing that, try a search for your device’s model number. There’s a good chance you’ll find a manual online (we don’t expect you to keep that jumble of papers lying around your house). Your device’s manual will give you a detailed guide on each of your lights and their meanings.

Question 9

Should all the lights on my modem be green?

Accepted Answer

The power light, downstream indicator, upstream indicator, online indicator, and link light on your modem should all be green. If your power light is yellow, it may be upgrading, so leave the modem on and give it a little time to do its thing. And if the internet light is red, it’s probably because your local internet service is down. You can try restarting your modem, but it probably won’t fix anything. You’ll have to wait for your internet provider to fix the problem on its end.

Question 10

Should all lights on my modem be solid?

Accepted Answer

The downstream, upstream, and online indicator lights will flash while connecting but should stay solid once your signal is locked in. The link light will continue to flash, showing that the link is actively sending data.

Rachel Oaks

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