The lights of the routers can tell us many things. Each manufacturer includes different lights with different functionality. Some newer routers have even moved some LED lights to the back to keep them from bothering you by flashing ahead. But what does each of the lights mean when it blinks or changes color?
Power
This light is quite easy to understand. If the Power light is on steadily, it will indicate that the router is on . If instead it is off, then it will indicate that the router is not turned on. On some occasions, such as when starting up, it is usually the first light that comes on while trying to synchronize the connection with the Internet.
internet/fiber
Depending on the router we have, we normally find a light that indicates the status of the Internet or Fiber . In the Fibra de Orange Livebox these lights are separate, and will indicate different things. For example, the Fiber light indicates whether or not there is a fiber signal. If it is red, the fiber is not properly connected. If it is flashing in another color instead, it means that it is waiting to validate the password. Finally, if it is solid green, then the fiber is well connected.
MasMovil Router
However, it may be that the fiber light is green, but the Internet is not. This would imply that the link with the GPON fiber is correct, but there is a problem with the Internet connection. In the case of the Livebox Fibra, if the Internet light is green, we are connected to the Internet and you have an assigned IP . If it is off, it means that we do not have an IP and we are not properly connected to the Internet.
WiFi and WPS
The WiFi light is also quite easy to understand. This light tells us if the WiFi network is active or not . Depending on the router, some flash if there is activity, but in others the light is simply solid and green to indicate that there is a connection. In models like the Livebox Fibra, the light only flashes if we press the WPS button to make a quick pairing with a device.
Ethernet/LAN
Beyond knowing the status of fiber and the Internet , it is important to know the status of Ethernet networks . Some routers report the status of these connections directly on the port, while others indicate activity by flashing the front light green. If the light is off, there is no traffic on the local network. If, for example, we have a network device connected, but we are not connected to the Internet, and we pass a file to that device, the light will blink.
Telephone
Although it is used less and less, this telephone light on the router tells us if the telephone connection through VoIP is working correctly. If the light is green, phone service is available. If the light is flashing, there is a call in progress, or the phone is off the hook, or someone else is calling. If it is off, there is no phone line.
Upgrade
Lastly, some routers like the Livebox Fibra have a button dedicated to software updates . Thus, if we see the router’s blue light flashing, it will indicate that the firmware is being updated, and we must not restart the router under any circumstances.