Router Lights Flashing But No Internet (Meaning & Fixes)

When you are not able to connect to the internet, your router may be facing some issues which can be indicated by the lights on your device.

When your router lights are flashing but there is no internet connection, knowing the exact cause will help you to resolve the problem.

The lights on your router have different colors and each color has a different meaning depending on the router. The different light colors are orange, blue, white, red, green, and purple.

Some of the causes of a blinking light on your router include outdated firmware, damaged cables, faulty components, or network outages.

Restarting or resetting your router often solves these networking issues but you can also update the firmware or contact customer support.

Continue reading to learn more about what causes a lack of internet connection even when the lights on your router are blinking as well as the meanings of the different lights on routers.

Different Lights on Your Router

Routers use different symbols and lights to show several things. You need to know which light is blinking so that you can determine where the problem lies.

Generally, a blinking light shows that there is an active connection, or the router is trying to communicate with a device.

However, the specific meaning of the blinking light can change from one manufacturer to another.

Additionally, blinking lights can mean device failure, connection issues, or issues like firmware updates depending on the type of router you are using.

For example, the following are the meanings of the different lights in some routers but may change depending on your router.

• White light means normal operation.
• Blinking white means the router is booting up.
• Solid blue shows that the pairing was successful.
• Flashing blue shows that the router is in pairing mode.
• Solid green means that the WiFi is turned off.
• Yellow means that there is no internet connection.
• Solid red means that there is a system or hardware failure.
• Fast blinking red means the router is overheating.
• Slow blinking red means that the pairing is unsuccessful.

Before troubleshooting your router, you need to figure out the meaning of the blinking lights on your router.

The best way to do this is to check the support site of your router’s manufacturer or the router’s manual.

If you are not able to troubleshoot the blinking lights on your own, you should contact your internet service provider.

How To Fix Flashing Lights on Router But No Internet

Below are some of the solutions for fixing flashing lights on your router:

1. Reboot the Router / Power Cycle

Rebooting your router is the first thing that you need to do to solve any flashing lights on your router. This method clears the router’s cache and resets any active sessions, which often solves any issues.

To perform a power cycle, you should turn off the router, unplug it from the power source and remove all cables.

Give it a few minutes before plugging it back and turning it on. This should solve any blinking lights and get your internet back on.

2. Update Router Firmware

If the lights on your router are blinking but you do not have access to the internet, you can try updating the firmware of your router.

To avoid damaging your device permanently, you should not interrupt the upgrade process.

The steps for upgrading firmware are slightly different among routers, but the general steps are described below:

1. Access the settings of your router on any web browser.
2. Go to the Administration Management, Advanced, Firmware, or similar section.
3. Tap the Check button. If there is a firmware update that you need to do, you will see the ‘Update Software’ or ‘Update Firmware’ option on the screen.
4. If you cannot use the above method to upgrade the firmware, you should do the process manually. However, you need to know the model number of your router to do this.
5. Go to the Firmware section on the manufacturer’s support site.
6. Enter the model number that you obtained in step 4 and if there is any firmware update, you should download it.
7. On the settings page of your router, navigate to the firmware section again and tap on Upload file.
8. Select the file that you downloaded from Step 6 and click ok to continue with the update.

If updating your router’s firmware does not solve the blinking lights, you should try the next step.

3. Check the Antivirus or the Security App

Sometimes the antivirus that you have installed to protect your devices from internet attacks can cause problems with your internet connection leading to blinking lights.

To resolve this issue, you should disable the antivirus and see whether you can now access the internet.

However, if disabling the antivirus does not solve the problem, you should run a complete scan on your device to ensure that any malware is removed.

This is because malware may be causing the blinking lights and no internet connection on your router.

4. Check the Driver

If your router’s driver is outdated, you may experience no internet connection despite the blinking lights.

Even though the drivers are automatically updated by Windows, the updates may be missed because of an error.

Follow the steps below to ensure that all the drivers are updated:

• Press Windows and X on your keyboard.
• Select Device Management from the options on the screen.
• Tap on Network Adapters.
• From the list given, look for the Wireless Network Adapter in the right-click.
• From the options select update driver software.
• Finally, set it to Search Automatically For Updated Driver Software.

Once you finish the steps above, Windows will check if there is an update available and will install it. Hopefully, you can now connect to the internet after updating the driver.

5. Check for Defective Components

Connection problems, often indicated by flashing lights on the router, may stem from faulty components like damaged cables or connectors.

To diagnose the issue, you should investigate the relevant component based on which light is blinking. For example, if the LAN light is blinking, it may be necessary to inspect the Ethernet cables and RJ45 connectors.

Nowadays, many wireless routers have integrated functions of routers, modems, and wireless access points. However, if you are utilizing separate routers and modems, you might see the link light flashing.

In such situations, it’s crucial to examine the connection between the router and the modem.

6. Reset the Router

Performing a hard reset on the router will erase all customized settings and restore it to its default factory settings. If the connection problems shown by the flashing lights were caused by incorrect settings, this action should solve the issue.

To reset a router, you need a paper clip or a pin. While the router is powered on, press and hold down the reset button or pinhole for roughly 15 seconds. Once the router restarts, it will be operating with the default settings.

7. Use Ethernet Cable

If restarting your devices fails to resolve the issue, using an Ethernet cable may be helpful.

Ethernet cables offer a direct connection from your device to the router and can eliminate potential internet connection problems.

They provide a more stable connection than wireless WiFi and are less prone to interference. For laptops, consider plugging the Ethernet cable directly into the device.

For desktops, try connecting the cable to the back of your computer and see if the internet connection is established.

8. Disable Firewall

Disabling a firewall is not recommended as it’s a crucial security feature. However, you can temporarily turn it off to access the internet without interruptions.

After disabling the firewall, verify that the internet connection is functioning correctly. If no issues are found, re-enable the firewall and investigate the application that triggered the firewall to block the connection.

9. Contact Your ISP

In many cases, resolving the problem of blinking lights on a router is beyond the capability of the typical user.

The underlying causes of this issue, such as malfunctioning components (including the router itself in some instances), demand technical know-how to troubleshoot.

Similarly, network configurations that are made on the ISP’s end also require technical expertise to address.

Another factor to consider is service outages and in such cases, it is necessary to seek the assistance of a support technician.

We advise reaching out to your ISP for assistance if you are unable to resolve the issue on your own.

Router Symbol Meanings

Power Light

The Power lights mean that your router is switched on and has power.

Normally, the Power light is solid but if your router is booting up, it will blink.

DS/US Light

Downstream (DS) light shows your router’s ability to receive information from the internet while Upstream (US) light shows your router’s ability to send information to the internet.

When the Downstream and Upstream lights are blinking slowly, it means that your router is booting up and if they are blinking fast, it means that they are downloading or uploading data respectively.

Internet/WAN Light

The Internet/WAN light indicates a connection to the Internet. This light will usually blink when your router is booting up, but if it does not turn solid, then your device is having issues connecting to the internet.

Ethernet/LAN Light

The Ethernet/LAN light shows a connection between your router and a device through the ethernet cable.

When this connection is successful, the light may remain solid or flash. However, if the light is red, then there could be an issue with the ethernet port on the device, or the ethernet cable.

WPS Light

WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) light shows a connection between your router and devices using the WPS button which is normally on the rear side of the router.

When the WPS light is flashing, it means that a connection is in progress, and it may take up to two minutes to finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I solve no internet connection on my router?

There are a few things that you can do to fix this issue. The most basic one is to reboot the router and if it does not work you can disable the firewall temporarily or try using the ethernet cable.

How do I know if my router is broken?

Your router may be broken if it is unable to establish an internet connection. You should check to ensure that there is visible damage on the device.

If there is damage and you’ve tried all the fixes to establish an internet connection, you should replace the router.

How do I get my router back online?

You can restart your router so that you can get your internet connection back online. It will take a few minutes, so you need to be patient.

You can also change your router’s settings or update the firmware.

Final Words

Hopefully, this article has provided you with all the information that you need to know about solving the blinking lights on your router.

Your router may be showing blinking lights because of a faulty device, outdated firmware, loose cables, and service outages.

The meaning of the lights will differ between manufacturers, so we recommend you review the product manual to get the most accurate information on the meaning of the light colors when they are flashing and solid.

You can solve issues with flashing lights and no internet by restarting your router, updating the firmware, buying new cables, or disabling the firewall temporarily.

If the solutions mentioned do not bring back your internet connection, you should contact your internet service provider.