The globe symbol on a router is key to understanding your primary connection to your Internet service provider and the Internet as a whole. When this light flashes or stays solid green, your router has an active connection to the Internet through the modem. Red, yellow, or orange lights often mean there is no connection or something is wrong, although flashing these lights and colors can also mean different things.
The green light on your router probably keeps blinking to tell you that there is an active connection and that it is currently being used by a device on the network. A slow, steady flash of yellow or red usually occurs when the router first establishes a connection. Most routers will blink slowly until the Internet is available, then the light will turn a solid color, usually green. It is important to understand that while green is a common and universal color chosen for “ready to go” or “ok” status, it is not always the color or indicator used.
Each router manufacturer handles this differently
Each manufacturer may handle intuitive indicators differently and routers may use different hues like blue, green, orange, etc. Additionally, some routers may use the exact same color for all indicators, i.e. green or orange for everything, with no color change. If you look up what the yellow light means on a Verizon-provided router, you may find that it indicates something different than a TP-Link or Netgear router, for example. It’s best to refer to your router’s user manual and manufacturer’s documentation if you don’t understand what these colors or indicators mean.
You may also see a host of additional icons on your router. Up or down arrows indicate upstream and downstream connections, while multi-network icons can tell you whether a 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz network band is active. Additionally, Ethernet or LAN, wired links, and even some shortcuts like WPS can have their own icons and indicators. Your modem also has similar icons or symbols, and you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the differences between a modem and a router so you can more easily troubleshoot problems when they arise.
What to do when the globe or internet indicator won’t connect
If your router is plugged in and connected to your modem and it takes a long time to show an active Internet connection, or if the light just stays red or orange, it probably means there is something wrong. Troubleshooting is the quickest way to get things back up and running, so you can get back to browsing or streaming.
The first thing to do is to restart your router and modem; you can power cycle them by turning them off for about 30 seconds or simply unplugging them from an outlet. A restart will almost always solve a small problem, provided the Internet connection is available. However, if that doesn’t work, you’ll want to check your Internet service provider’s outage information to find out if the internet is down at the source. You can use your phone with mobile network access to check this online when you don’t have a home connection. The modem also usually has an Internet or external communication indicator, and it should first show an active connection. If you notice that your modem is also having difficulty connecting, it is likely an external problem.
You can also check the LAN or Ethernet cable between your router and modem to make sure it is not unplugged. You can also swap the cable to see if you are dealing with faulty wiring. Beyond that, a factory reset of your router could help, but it also means reverting all administrative settings to default and setting up your Wi-Fi networks again. Use this option as a last resort. If you are still unable to access the Internet or restore connections, you may need to contact your ISP directly.
