The NETGEAR Orbi is an innovative internet system that’ll provide a strong signal throughout your home. But once in a while, the devices runs into problems like network instability and annoying flashing lights. So, what does it mean if your Orbi router is blinking white continuously, and how do you fix it?
An Orbi router flashes white if it’s configuring new settings or installing a new firmware version. If the white light doesn’t stop, power cycle your equipment or try re-syncing the satellite with the router. You can also conduct a factory reset, or reset and upgrade the firmware manually.
Users have reported issues with the flashing white light on several models of the Orbi router, so don’t be alarmed if yours is acting up in this way. Let’s take a closer look at what causes this issue as well as several potential solutions.
Why Is My Orbi Blinking White Light?
If your Orbi router ring blinks white, it means someone has pressed the Sync button or the router is booting while updating its firmware. It could also be that it’s configuring new settings.
There’s nothing wrong with this behavior, except if the light is blinking longer than usual. If you realize the white light is flashing continuously, it points to a glitch you have to correct.
Why Your Orbi May Be Flashing Longer Than Normal
While the pulsing white light often means your device is configuring new settings or applying a firmware update, continuous flashing means your Orbi router (on Amazon) is stuck at this stage.
It means the device has failed to install new firmware or apply new settings. This often happens due to the following reasons:
Power Interruption
If for some reason your Orbi lost power while configuring new settings or installing an update, it may get stuck with the flashing white light.
OS Problems
The Orbi satellite has its own operating system, and any issues with the OS will disrupt firmware updates and settings configurations.
Bad Firmware
At times the issue isn’t with the Orbi hardware itself but with the new firmware. In case it has bugs and other software glitches, it will disturb your normal hardware operation.
Your best bet is to manually downgrade the firmware if you want to get around the issue.
How to Resolve the Blinking White Light
Your first instinct should be to reset your Orbi device if it runs into a problem , but you may have to apply more advanced troubleshooting steps if that doesn’t solve things.
Follow these practical tips to resolve the blinking white light on your Orbi:
Try a Power Cycle for Your Orbi Equipment
Unlike a typical router reboot, a power cycle will completely discharge your router and Orbi satellite so it can complete updates. Before you apply this fix, ensure your Orbi is properly connected to a working power supply.
Here’s how to power cycle your Orbi equipment:
- Power off your Orbi device and router.
- Unplug the power adapters from the devices.
- Wait for 5 minutes, then reconnect the power supply.
- Turn on the devices and give them time to boot completely.
Most likely, the white light on your Orbi will flash, but this time it will only last until the update completes. If the white light continues to blink after more than 10 minutes have passed, it’s time to move on to other troubleshooting tips.
Try Re-Syncing Your Orbi Satellite With the Router
As it turns out, your Orbi satellite may lose connection with the router, in which case there won’t be internet to complete the firmware download and update. Re-syncing the Orbi device with your router can clear the problem.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Place the Orbi satellite in an area close to your router.
- Ensure both devices are connected to the power source and turned on. The bottom LED should be white. (A pulsing white light indicates your satellite is booting, and a solid white light means the satellite is ready to sync with your router.)
- Press the Sync button on the back of your Orbi satellite.
- Within 2 minutes, then press the Sync button on the back of your router.
- Wait for the satellite to re-sync with the router. This can take more than 5 minutes.
After the bottom Light LED on the satellite goes white, it may change to any of the following colors for about 3 minutes before turning off:
- Amber: This means your Orbi satellite and router have synced successfully, but the connection isn’t strong enough. Move the satellite closer to the router for a while before moving it away.
- Blue: This means the sync process has completed successfully, and the connection between your router and satellite is good.
- Magenta: Your Orbi router failed to sync with the satellite. Consider moving them close to each other, then try again.
Once you’ve confirmed that the sync process was successful and your connection is strong enough, move the satellite outdoors.
However, if you’ve tried these steps and the re-syncing doesn’t work, you can try creating a new backhaul password, then log into your router with it and sync again.
A backhaul password is a security key or password that allows your main router and satellites to communicate seamlessly. Generating a new backhaul password is easy once you’ve logged in to your router’s control panel. You’ll need a PC connected to the Orbi network via Ethernet or WiFi.
Here’s how to do it:
- Type orbilogin.com in the URL field of your browser. You can also enter the IP address 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, or 192.168.2.1
- On the login page, enter “admin” as your username and “password” as the default password.
- Once you’re in the Home page, click Advanced from the list of options.
- Click on Advanced Setup, then select Wireless Settings.
- In the Backhaul Password section, click Generate.
- Log out of the router, then log back in with the new backhaul password.
- Follow the steps provided above for syncing your Orbi satellite with the router.
Try Factory Resetting Your Orbi Devices
Factory resetting your Orbi devices will clear any wrong settings that may be causing issues with the white light. Once you’ve restored the settings to default, however, you must set up the network again.
Follow these steps to factory reset your router and satellite:
- Power off the Orbi satellite and router.
- Unplug the Ethernet cable from the router.
- Power on the router and wait for three minutes.
- Press and hold the reset button for 1 minute until the router starts blinking an amber color.
- Give the router time to boot up completely.
- Repeat the process for the satellite, then wait for 5 minutes and set up the devices again.
Still Blinking? Try Manually Resetting the Firmware
If you’ve tried all the fixes above without success, your firmware is likely the culprit. Follow these steps to reset corrupted firmware and do a manual update:
- Connect your computer to the Orbi router via Ethernet or WiFi.
- Open your browser and navigate to your router’s login page. To do so, simply enter the IP address 192.168.1.1 in the URL field.
Your router may also be assigning dynamic IP addresses, so try 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.2.1 if the previous one fails.
- On the login page, enter “admin” as your username and “password” as the default password. If you’ve changed these credentials before, enter the new ones.
- In the setup page, navigate to the Firmware Update tab and cancel the failed firmware update.
- To update the firmware correctly, open the NETGEAR Download Center in a new tab.
- Enter your device name or model number and download the latest firmware version to your PC.
- Navigate back to the control panel of your Orbi router in the open tab.
- Go to Advanced, then select Administration.
- Go to Firmware Update and choose Manual Update.
- Browse and select the firmware you’ve just downloaded on your computer.
- Click Update and allow the upgrade to finish.
- Once the manual upgrade is complete, power off your devices. Wait for 5 minutes, then turn them back on and see if it cleared the flashing white light issue.
If nothing has worked, then it’s time to contact NETGEAR support for further assistance.