What Solid Red Means Across Router Brands
Solid red on a router means everything from 'no internet' to 'firmware corruption' depending on the brand. Compare them all here.
Signal: Router Solid Red Light
Full page| Brand | What it means on this brand | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
Netgear Nighthawk, Orbi | Solid red Internet LED = no internet connection (same severity as orange on other brands). Solid red Power LED is more serious — firmware or hardware fault. | Red Internet LED: reboot modem and router. Red Power LED: attempt firmware recovery via TFTP. |
TP-Link Archer, Deco | Solid red is not standard on most TP-Link models. If you see solid red, it usually means the device is in a boot failure state or the LED driver has mislabeled an amber LED. | Power cycle. If persistent, check TP-Link forums for your exact model. |
Asus RT series, ZenWifi | Solid red = firmware-level critical error. This is serious. The router attempted a firmware update and it failed, or the flash memory is corrupted. | Use Asus Firmware Rescue Mode: hold reset while powering on, then use Asus Device Discovery utility to push firmware via Ethernet. |
Xfinity / Comcast XB6, XB7, XB8 | Solid red on Xfinity gateway = device has not been able to connect to Xfinity network after extended attempts. Often follows a prolonged orange blinking phase. | Use Xfinity app to restart gateway. If solid red persists, Xfinity will need to send a technician — the gateway may need reprovisioning. |
Linksys EA series | Solid red Power LED = router is starting up. This is only normal for the first 60 seconds. After that, solid red = firmware or boot failure. | If it persists past 60 seconds, attempt a factory reset or firmware recovery. |
Summary by brand
Netgear
Router Solid Red Light: Solid red Internet LED = no internet connection (same severity as orange on other brands). Solid red Power LED is more serious — firmware or hardware fault. — Red Internet LED: reboot modem and router. Red Power LED: attempt firmware recovery via TFTP.
TP-Link
Router Solid Red Light: Solid red is not standard on most TP-Link models. If you see solid red, it usually means the device is in a boot failure state or the LED driver has mislabeled an amber LED. — Power cycle. If persistent, check TP-Link forums for your exact model.
Asus
Router Solid Red Light: Solid red = firmware-level critical error. This is serious. The router attempted a firmware update and it failed, or the flash memory is corrupted. — Use Asus Firmware Rescue Mode: hold reset while powering on, then use Asus Device Discovery utility to push firmware via Ethernet.
Xfinity / Comcast
Router Solid Red Light: Solid red on Xfinity gateway = device has not been able to connect to Xfinity network after extended attempts. Often follows a prolonged orange blinking phase. — Use Xfinity app to restart gateway. If solid red persists, Xfinity will need to send a technician — the gateway may need reprovisioning.
Linksys
Router Solid Red Light: Solid red Power LED = router is starting up. This is only normal for the first 60 seconds. After that, solid red = firmware or boot failure. — If it persists past 60 seconds, attempt a factory reset or firmware recovery.