For Xfinity users, seeing the Xfinity gateway blinking orange (amber or yellow) can be pretty stressful and frustrating. In general, when the orange light keeps blinking longer than usual it means that the gateway is having problems connecting to the internet, or to be more precise it means that it can’t register a downstream channel. As a result, the user can’t access the internet.
This article will help you understand why your Xfinity Gateway is blinking orange and how to fix it. We’ll go through the different reasons why this issue occurs and provide step-by-step solutions to resolve it.
Why is My Xfinity Gateway Blinking Orange?
There are several different reasons why your Xfinity Gateway may be blinking orange. Let’s check the most common causes of this issue:
Internet Connection Issues
Internet connection issues are the most common reason for the orange blinking light on your Xfinity gateway. The device can’t establish a stable internet connection and this can be caused by:
- an outage in your area
- faulty, damaged, or improperly connected cables
- incorrect network settings
Firmware Update
For best performance and security, Xfinity gateways receive regular firmware updates from the ISP. When the gateway is in the process of downloading and updating the firmware, you can see the orange blinking light. Optionally, you can see the gateway blinking orange or green.
We can say that this is a temporary issue and it is very important to be patient and not interrupt the firmware upgrade process. The orange blinking light will stop once the update is complete.
Hardware Malfunction
The orange blinking light can appear if the Xfinity Gateway’s hardware is malfunctioning. A damaged cable or a faulty power supply can be causing this.
How to Fix Xfinity Gateway Blinking Orange:
Now that we know the main reasons causing the orange blinking light on the Xfinity gateway it is time to go through the tried and tested ways to fix this issue.
Give It Some Time
In most cases, this will be just a temporary issue. In case it is caused by a firmware upgrade it is important to let it complete. Generally, the firmware upgrade doesn’t last long, and interrupting it can damage the gateway and make it unstable and even unusable.
However, if the blinking orange light doesn’t go away soon, it is good to manually check whether there is a new firmware version available for the gateway. You can do this by logging into your Xfinity account/gateway.
However, if there isn’t a newer firmware version or you notice that the blinking orange light continues for much longer than usual, you can start troubleshooting the issue.
Is Xfinity Down In Your Area?
There are a few different ways to check if Xfinity is down in your area:
Visit Xfinity’s status center page – The Xfinity service status page makes it easy to check the status of your internet connection and other services in your area.
Visit DownDetector’s website – On this website, Xfinity users report problems with their services.
Use the Xfinity My Account app – If you have this app installed on your tablet or smartphone you can use it to check the status of your Xfinity services. Launch the app and check the “Services” tab to see if there are any reported outages in your area.
In case there is an outage in your area, you will have to wait until the issue is resolved. Once that happens, everything will get back to normal and your gateway should connect without any issues.
Restart Your Xfinity Gateway
This step is usually recommended when you are starting to troubleshoot some issues with your gateway. It helps clear any glitches in the settings and usually, when the gateway boots up again, everything should work normally.
To do this properly, simply disconnect the power cable from the gateway. Leave the gateway disconnected for a few minutes and then plug it back in. This will restart the gateway and the orange blinking light should disappear when the gateway boots up again.
Check The Cables
Check the coax cable, splitters, and all other connections. If anything needs to be tightened, please do that. Bad and damaged cables can also cause problems, so if you notice anything after checking the cables visually, replace the cable if possible or call someone to replace the cable.
Reset Your Xfinity Gateway
This solution is often recommended when nothing else works. Resetting the gateway to the factory default settings is easy but you will have to configure the gateway from scratch.
Depending on the gateway model, you will either need to press the reset button at the back of the gateway (Gateway model XB6) or the WPS button (Gateway models XB7 and XB8).
If there is a reset button at the back, you will need a pointed object like a toothpick or something similar, but make sure it’s not made of metal.
Then use that object to press the reset button at the back of the gateway and hold it for 30 seconds. If there is no reset button press and hold the WPS button for 30-60 seconds.
The gateway should restart and when it boots back again it will be reverted to its factory settings. The Xfinity gateway factory reset process shouldn’t last longer than 10 minutes.
After that, you will have to configure that gateway and the orange blinking light issue should be fixed.
Recommended: Xfinity Gateway Blinking Blue? Here’s What To Do
Get In Touch With Xfinity Support
To get in touch with Xfinity support, you can follow these steps:
- Visit Xfinity’s Contact Us page
- You can use the Chat option but login with your Xfinity username and password to start the chat.
- Explain your issue in detail and follow the instructions to resolve the problem.
If necessary you will have to schedule a tech visit. A professional will diagnose and fix the problem onsite.
Frequently Asked Questions
The color of the Xfinity xFi Gateway light depends on its current status. However, it should be solid white when the gateway is powered on and working properly.
The duration of the orange light on your Xfinity xFi Gateway depends on the reason for its activation. If the reason is a firmware upgrade it should stop after 10 minutes approximately. If it lasts longer it indicates a more serious problem and requires your attention. If the blinking orange light persists after troubleshooting, you will have to contact Xfinity customer support for further assistance.
To Sum Up
In the end, we can say that the orange blinking light on your Xfinity Gateway is a frustrating but fixable issue. We have explored various reasons why this issue may occur, such as internet connection issues, firmware updates, and hardware malfunctions.
We hope this article has been helpful in resolving your Xfinity Gateway’s orange blinking light issue. If you are still experiencing problems, contact Xfinity customer support for further assistance.
