Experiencing a blinking orange light on an XFINITY router can be frustrating for users who are trying to maintain a stable internet connection, or if you’re just trying to start out using your new Xfinity service. This issue is not uncommon, and there are several potential reasons behind the occurrence of this blinking orange light, but if you really dig into it there’s really just one or two things you should try before contacting support.
A Xfinity router may have an orange blinking status light when receiving an update, or during the initial setup of the router when it’s attempting to register with the service provider. If it’s an update, try waiting 15 minutes and restarting the unit. If you still have trouble, contact Xfinity.
There are a lot of other things you could try, but based on what we know about these devices, it’s simply not worth testing everything (cable connections, updating the software yourself etc.) when faced with this orange light issue.
What Does The Blinking Orange Light Mean?
One of the most popular Xfinity routers is the xFi Gateway. Although there are different types and models of Xfinity routers, this section focuses on the xFi Gateway, and that’s what we think of when we say “Xfinity router” in general because that’s the one Xfinity specifically sells and sets users up with.
We’ll mention other branded routers toward the end of the article. And you should also note that these routers can fail and several different ways! Be sure to check out our articles on what to do if this light is blinking green, blue, or white if you run into those issues along the way.
To better understand the orange light’s meaning, it’s helpful to access the manual (forum link) for this device. This more complete manual explains all the LED codes on the device, but it’s clearly unofficial. That said, Xfinity’s own user guides for the various gateway models they have don’t offer much in the way of direction, typically only including “quickstart” instructions.
But you don’t need a manual–you have us!
There are two main reasons you may see an orange light on your xFi Gateway modem:
- Solid orange light: The device is in its power-up and boot sequence, meaning it is starting up.
- Blinking orange light: The gateway is processing a downstream signal, but it is still trying to complete user registration. Two-way signal operation will not be active until registration is completed (or an update, see next section).
So, now that we know why it’s blinking orange, what do we do about it?
Troubleshooting Xfinity Router Blinking Orange
Note that, while many other forums addressing this topic will send you down rabbit holes like checking or replacing cables, moving the device around “just in case” it’s overheating, etc.–it should be noted that this isn’t that complex of an issue!
If you can’t clear it, quickly, then you should contact Xfinity support before doing any of that other advanced hardware troubleshooting. The router is telling us what the specific problem is, so it’s easy to know how to move forward:
In Case of an Update, Try Restarting
There are instances when a blinking orange light on an Xfinity router may indicate that it’s receiving a firmware update. In such cases, it’s a good idea to wait for around 15 minutes before taking any further action. This allows the update process to complete without being interrupted.
After letting the suspected update process complete, try restarting the router by unplugging it for at least 30 seconds and plugging it back in. Once it powers back on, give it another 15 minutes or so to boot up and establish a connection. If that doesn’t fix your issue, you can try resetting it.
Resetting the Router
There are two types of resets: soft reset and hard reset. A soft reset involves rebooting the router by unplugging the power cable, waiting for 30 seconds, and plugging it back in. This action can fix minor bugs and internet issues, but of course, you likely just tried that already. So, roll your sleeves up, and consider the hard reset:
Locate the reset button on the router, usually found at the back or bottom, and press it with a paperclip or similar object for 10 seconds. Older XFi gateways may still use this smaller button-reset option that you’re used to.
On newer models, the general connectivity button, typically labelled “WPS” with a duouble-arrowhead pointing in, is the button you need. Hold this for at least 30 seconds to reset the router to factory conditions before power cycling it and trying your connection again.
Check Your Service With The Provider
Another common cause for Xfinity router blinking orange is a connection problem with the Internet Service Provider (ISP). If the router is having trouble connecting to the ISP, it may blink orange.
To check the status of your service, verify if there are any known issues in your area by contacting Xfinity support. They can also diagnose any potential hardware problems related to the modem, as well as let you know if there’s an outage or if the problem is on their end.
If you’ve been following the steps in this order, this is also the right time to be contacting Xfinity support no matter what: if a restart and reset didn’t fix the issue, you need them on the phone next to keep moving forward.
Follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue with your Xfinity router. Remember that, in most cases, the blinking orange light has a simple solution, and it can usually be fixed with a reset or by checking your connection with the service provider.
What About Other Routers?
If you’re not using an Xfinity-branded router, it is difficult to speculate why your router might have an orange blinking light. However, it is worth mentioning that green lights are typically considered an indication of proper functioning, while orange lights can mean some kind of boot or connection sequence is in progress.
