Orbi provides a single, high speed and secures Wifi connection for your home.
If you are an Orbi user, you might wonder what the flashing purple light on Orbi means. In this article, we will talk about this issue and also give some fixes.
Why are you seeing the Orbi Purple light?
Usually, when everything is working fine on your Orbi mesh system, you will see a solid blue light for 90-180 seconds. However, purple light signifies that not everything is correct with the systems.
Here are some of the possible reasons that you are seeing purple light:
- There is some issue with the internet connection, either due to faulty wiring or some issues from the Internet Service Provider’s side.
- The Orbi router and satellite are not in sync.
- Orbi router is running some system diagnosing processes.
- The Wifi network had been idle for some time.
- There have been some configuration changes in the Orbi router system.
- Firmware has not been updated for quite a while or has been damaged.
- A virus or some other malware is present on your Orbi network.
- Sometimes a corrupted file might be downloaded into the system while you are trying to download the firmware.
- The RJ45 Ethernet cable is not connected properly or might be damaged.
- There is some physical damage to the device.
Thus, the purple light signifies something wrong with your Orbi router.
Also read: Orbi blue light: What does it mean? How to fix it?
9 ways to fix Orbi purple light
Now that we have understood what purple light on Orbi means. Here are some fixes that might help you to solve the issue.
Check all the wires and cables
As you might have noticed that one of the causes of the purple light was loose wires. Naturally, this is the first place that you might want to start the diagnostic process. Ensure all the wires and cables are properly connected and secured in the ports. Start the router again and check whether the problem persists. If it does, move on to the steps given below.
While you are at it, ensure that the wires themselves are not damaged and are in pristine condition.
Rebooting your Orbi router
The next step is to reboot the router. Just unplug the device and then plug them back again. This should fix the issue; otherwise, move on to the next step.
Restart the entire Orbi mesh network
If rebooting the router does not work, try restarting the entire network comprising the modem, router, and satellite. First, turn off and unplug all the devices.
After that, connect the modem to the power source and turn it on. It will take somewhere between 2-3 minutes. When the modem is turned on, connect the Orbi router to the power source and turn it on.
Finally, it is time for the satellite to connect. Wait till all the devices are booted up and stable. Check for the purple light again.
Sync router and satellite
You will see the purple light when the router and satellite are out of sync. Here are the steps to sync your Orbi router and satellite:
- Confirm that the satellite is connected to the power source.
- Next, press the sync button at the back of the router adjacent to the Internet and Ethernet ports. Also, press the sync button on the satellite within 120 seconds.
The entire process will take 5-10 minutes or less, depending on your model. After the process is done, you might see a few lights on your devices:
- A solid blue light signifies that the syncing process was successful and the connection is strong.
- Amber light means the sync is complete, and the connection is fairly strong.
If you see a purple light on Orbi, then be sure that the sync process failed. It is time to move on to the next step.
Reset your Orbi router
This is the final solution that we can suggest. Resetting will wipe all your previous configurations from the router, and you will have to reconfigure it again.
There is a factory reset slot at the back of the router. All you have to do is to take a hairpin and press that slot.
Check with your Internet Service Provider
Sometimes there can be an internet outage in your area, and you might see a purple light on Orbi. Check with your ISP provider to confirm about internet issue. Maybe the problem is on their side, and you can do nothing.
Update the Orbi router’s firmware
Here are the steps to update the firmware on your Orbi router:
- Login to your Orbi router and then open the Admin dashboard.
- Next, go to Advance > Administration > Firmware update > Online update.
- Click on the Check button to check for any updates. If a new version is available, click on the Update All option.
- Wait for the update to finish, and then restart the router and satellite.
Do not interrupt the device when the updation is in process.
Some other fixes
You can try some other simple fixes before calling Netgear for support.
- Place the Orbi router and satellite close to each other.
- Make sure that the adapter is properly connected to the router. If you are using a third-party adapter, ensure the output of the adapter is the same as that of the original adapter.
- Make sure that the RJ45 ethernet cable is connected properly.
Contact Netgear
If all else fails, this is the final option that you have. Contact Netgear support for further help on the issue.
