Why Is My Router Light Orange? (Sky Router, CenturyLink, TP-Link & Netgear)
What To Know
- An orange or amber light on routers like TP-Link and Netgear often indicates a lost or unstable Internet connection. This can be due to faulty ethernet cables, problems with the ISP, or incorrect configuration settings.
- For CenturyLink modem, a solid orange power light suggests a software test, while an orange Internet light indicates the modem needs activation. Sky Routers shows an orange light during the Internet connection initialization process.
The lights on a router can sometimes turn orange or amber. These variations hold different meanings depending on the specific router model.
While the Wi-Fi light may remain green or white, the Internet light may switch to orange or amber.
To establish an Internet connection, it is necessary to connect your router to the modem using an ethernet cable by plugging it into the WAN port of the router and the LAN port of the modem.
Quick Navigation
The table below provides a comprehensive guide to what orange or amber lights signify and how to troubleshoot any issues that arise.
| Router | Light and Meaning |
| TP-Link | WAN port → solid orange or amber: Lost Internet connection. |
| Netgear | Power LED → solid amber: the router is powering on.
Power LED → blinking amber: firmware is updating or the reset button was pressed. Power LED → blinking white and amber: for the R8000 router, the router is in access point mode. Internet LED → solid amber: the router detected an ethernet connection to the modem. Ethernet LED → solid white or green: indicates the speed (1 Gbps) of connections. Ethernet LED → solid amber: indicates the speed (100 Mbps or 10 Mbps) of connections. |
| CenturyLink | Power light → solid orange or blinking green/orange: the modem is testing its own software (if it remains amber or blinking for over 30 seconds, there is a problem).
Internet light → solid orange: your modem needs to be activated. Wi-Fi light → solid orange: the Wi-Fi is temporarily turned off according to the wireless schedule. WPS button → blinking orange: WPS is connecting to a device. |
| Sky Router | Internet light → flashing amber: an Internet connection has been detected and is in the process of starting up. |
| Sky Hub | Power light → flashing amber: the hub is in recovery mode.
Internet light → flashing amber: the Internet connection is having problems. |
If you want to understand more about why your router’s internet LED or WAN port might display an amber light, and how to troubleshoot the issue regardless of brand, read on.
TP-Link Router
If you have a TP-Link router and notice an amber light on the internet LED or WAN port, it usually means that the router is not connected to the Internet.
This can be caused by several factors:
- Faulty ethernet cable that connects the router and modem
- Issues with your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- Incorrect configuration for MAC Clone
To troubleshoot the issue, you need to identify the root cause of the amber light and take appropriate action to resolve it.
Faulty Ethernet and ISP Issues
If you suspect a faulty ethernet cable, try replacing the cable with a new one that meets the TP-Link router’s required specifications.
In most cases, a CAT5 cable is sufficient for a stable ethernet connection.
However, if replacing the cable does not solve the problem, the issue may be on your ISP’s end.
It’s possible that your Internet service is experiencing downtime or other technical difficulties.
You can contact your ISP to inquire about any known issues or outages that may be affecting your service.
In addition to the issues with faulty ethernet cables and ISP outages, another possible cause of an orange light on your router is an incorrect MAC Clone configuration.
MAC Clone Causes Orange Light
If your PC or laptop is able to connect to the Internet via an ethernet connection to the modem, but your TP-Link router cannot, then it is possible that the MAC address needs to be configured on the router.
Follow the steps below for more details.
- Connect your TP-Link router to the modem using an ethernet cable (preferably a CAT5 cable). Insert one end of the cable into the modem and the other end into the WAN port on your router.
- Connect your PC or laptop to the LAN port of the router.
- To configure the MAC address on the TP-Link router, log in to the router’s admin interface page. If you’re unsure how to do this, you can refer to TP-Link for detailed instructions.
- From the router’s admin page, head to Advance → Network → Internet → Use Current MAC Address → Click Save to finish the process.
For more detailed information, please refer to the instructions provided by TP-Link.
If you’re still experiencing issues with your TP-Link router, you may need to troubleshoot further or consider contacting technical support. Alternatively, if you’re using a different router such as a Netgear, please continue reading for more information.
Netgear Router
Netgear routers use a different color scheme compared to TP-Link routers to indicate connectivity status.
Netgear users may encounter a flashing orange or other color Power LED, which can be concerning.
Typically, these issues are related to firmware updates performed via the admin web interface.
The Firmware Fails To Update
In the event of a firmware update failure or an error during the update process, you can still update your router by using a TFTP client on your computer to upload the firmware directly to your router.
However, this method requires more advanced computer knowledge than updating via the admin web interface.
Netgear provides detailed instructions for the TFTP firmware uploading process. To get started, select one of the links below based on your computer’s operating system:
Let’s shift our focus to CenturyLink Modem troubleshooting and explore some common issues that users may encounter.
CenturyLink Modem: Orange/Amber Light Symptoms and How to Fix Them
Power Light Blinking Green and Orange
The power light of a CenturyLink modem is typically green when the modem is functioning correctly.
However, if the power light changes to solid orange or starts blinking green and orange, it indicates that the modem is undergoing a software test.
These symptoms should last for about 30 seconds. If they persist for longer than 30 seconds, a modem reset may be necessary.
Internet LED Shows Orange Light
When the Internet light stays orange, it indicates that your modem has not been activated yet.
To activate it, connect your laptop or computer directly to the CenturyLink modem and open your web browser. This action will automatically redirect you to the CenturyLink activation page.
If you receive an error message such as “Page cannot be displayed,” it is advisable to contact CenturyLink’s technical support for assistance.
The Wi-Fi Indicator Displays an Orange Light
When the Wi-Fi light on the modem appears orange, the Wi-Fi function is temporarily disabled based on the schedule you have set.
To ensure uninterrupted Wi-Fi access, you have the option to disable this feature through the admin interface site. Here’s how:
- Connect your laptop or computer to the Internet via Wi-Fi or an ethernet cable to your CenturyLink modem.
- Open your web browser and navigate to http://192.168.0.1
- Log in to the admin interface using your username and password.
- Select the Wireless Setup option.
- On the left sidebar, scroll down until you see the Wireless Schedule option and select it.
- Choose to disable the Wireless Schedule feature.
Next up, we will explore the features and troubleshooting tips for the Sky Router and Sky Hub, two routers offered by Sky for their broadband services.
Sky Router and Sky Hub
When the Internet light on your Sky Router or Sky Hub starts flashing orange or amber, it indicates that the device has detected an Internet connection and is currently initializing.
During the initialization phase, the flashing amber light will change to a solid amber light.
For the Sky Router, it will eventually transition to a solid green light, while for the Sky Hub, it will change to a solid white light.
The Internet LED Doesn’t Change to Green or White
When the light stays orange or amber without transitioning to green or white, it indicates a potential issue with your established Internet connection.
To troubleshoot and resolve any broadband problems, Sky provides a helpful link that you can follow for assistance.
The Power LED Flashing Amber on Sky Hub
A flashing amber power light on the Sky Hub signifies that the hub is in recovery mode, often following a software update.
To address this, you can easily resolve the situation by pressing the reset button located at the back of the Sky Hub.
In the event that the reset doesn’t resolve the issue, you can explore alternative options such as downloading the Sky router recovery tool from their website for further troubleshooting.
Tai “Ty” Luu, an Electronics Engineering graduate from Sheridan College, is a passionate technical editor with a deep love for technology and gaming. He constantly seeks new challenges to expand his expertise in the tech and gaming fields.