Have you looked at your router and scratched your head about Starlink router lights meaning? You’re not alone. You and other Starlink subscribers have had this common looming question, especially if you have a Gen 1 and the new Gen 3 Starlink router.
The lights on Starlink routers could either mean the router is connected to power, connecting to the internet, successfully connected, or backend processes are happening.
Also, some lights indicate a reboot, while no lights indicate a device breakdown or no power supply.
We shed light on Starlink router lights so you can troubleshoot your router to get back to normal performance.
What Are The Lights On The Starlink Router?
There are three generations of Starlink routers. It might not be common knowledge that not all Starlink routers have the same lighting properties.
Starlink Gen 1 Router Lights
Starlink’s first-generation router has five light variations.
No lights showing on the router? In the Gen 1 router, no lights strongly indicate the router is not receiving power from the supply. Also, the power supply cable to the router might be damaged.
A flashing white light in the Starlink Generation 1 router means it is connected to power and is currently searching for an internet signal from the satellites in its coverage area. The search takes a few minutes, depending on satellite availability.
Stable and solid white light means your router has connected to a satellite, receiving reliable signals, and you can access the internet.
A red light in the Gen 1 Starlink router means it’s taken more than 20 minutes searching for a satellite or it has lost connection.
A blue light means the router is rebooting or establishing a connection from a factory reset.
Starlink Gen 2 Router lights
The Gen 2 Starlink router underwent a significant change. The router doesn’t have all the other lights. However, it maintained the power ON/OFF light at the bottom of the router.
The downside of having this minimalist design is that you can’t tell what’s happening with the router. That makes it hard to diagnose and troubleshoot when you have connectivity issues.
Starlink Gen 3 Router lights
A connected router showing all lights
The Gen 3 router reinstated the missing lights (and many subscribers’ sense of relief.)
However, there has been a new addition to the lights.
Like in the Gen 1, no lights means the router is off.
The router will blink white when seeking a connection. It’ll steady to a solid white light when you get a stable internet connection. However, the white light will go off after an hour.
The big change over the Gen 1 router is that there’s a violet light. It lights up when you put the router in bypass mode. However, it will reset to regular lights if you do a factory reset.
The last light is a red light. A red light comes 20 minutes after the router doesn’t connect to the internet. Also, it shows there is no internet connection at all.
What Lights Should Be Blinking On My Router?
White light on a functional router
A normal functioning Starlink router has two types of LED lights: power and router.
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The power LED comes on when you connect the router to a power source, and all the cables are working.
This light is a solid white when everything is in the right condition. There might be a cable or device problem if it doesn’t come on.
The Starlink router LED light has three color states.
The router light blinks in white when you are configuring the router. Usually, you’ll see the blinking during booting and immediately after startup. It might last up to five minutes while it incorporates all the settings.
The blinking stops as soon as the Starlink router locks on to a satellite and starts receiving steady internet signals. At this point, the solid white changes to a violet/blue light.
However, sometimes the router LED blinks red.
Usually, red blinking lights are a sign of internet disconnect.
Troubleshooting Starlink router Lights
No Lights on Your Starlink Router
The first sign of trouble with your Starlink router is no lights. That could mean you don’t have power, the router is defective, or the power cable is damaged and not delivering an electric current.
- Check the power. The most common issue would be an electric outage around your location. Check your breaker box if your area has power and you’re not getting any out of the electric fixture. You may have a circuit failure.
- Check the cable. The router power supply cable may be broken and unable to complete the circuit to power the router.
- Is the Power button on? Did you know the Starlink router has a power button? It may be hidden from plain sight, but it’s there. Look for the reset button. The power button sits deep inside the router. You can reach it if you press a pin into the reset button.
- Inspect the adapter. All the other elements, such as the socket and cables, might be working well. However, you won’t see router lights if there’s a defective adapter between the power source and the router.
- Check the router. Test the router in another power source using another cable. If the power light stays off, you may have a defective device.
Troubleshooting a Red Light on Starlink Router
Red lights are a sign of danger. The Starlink red light is no exception. Here are some possible causes that could help you fix red lights on your Starlink router.
- Check the weather. Since a red light is a sure sign of no signal, the first thing to check would be the weather. Heavy snow or rain could impede the dish’s ability to lock onto a satellite and deliver signals.
- Check the Starlink satellite dish. If the weather is clear yet you’re getting the dreaded red light, you may have a faulty dish. It could be out of place, damaged or snow-covered.
- Inspect the cables. If your dish is powering on yet you are getting red lights, especially after the boot sequence, you may have a broken dish-to-router cable. Inspect the cable for any breakage or looseness.
- Confirm if there’s an outage. A red light could be because your area has an outage. Also, you can’t rule out system maintenance that’s affecting your area.
Possible Fixes To Starlink Router Light Problems
Get New Cables
Sure, you could fix broken /damaged cables. However, it could be a temporary solution.
The next best, most practical solution is to get new cables. Keep extra cables in case you need a quick fix.
Tighten Any Loose Connections
Any loose connections between the router, power outlet and cable connection points should be tightened. Ensure all your cables fit and connect.
Set Your Dish
A Starlink dish facing North
First, check your phone app for obstructions. Set your dish facing the north most side.
It will automatically orient itself in the direction of the best available satellite in low-Earth orbit. Ensure you dust it off after positioning.
Restart Your Router
Now that you’ve sorted the outside problems, check the router.
Restart the router to get it back to standard settings. There might be hardware glitches causing non-connectivity.
Switch off the router for about five minutes. Alternatively, unplug it from the power supply at the same time.
Plug it back or switch it on and wait for it to establish a connection.
Perform a Factory Reset
A factory reset to eliminate the red light should be easy if you have the Gen 1 and Gen 3 router.
Press and hold the hidden button at the back of your Starlink router.
Wait for it to blink white and give it time to lock on to a stable signal.
The Gen 2 router could be challenging. Plug and unplug the router’s power cable into a power supply, on and off, about six times. Then, give it a few minutes to boot.
Talk To Starlink Customer Support
If all these troubleshooting steps fail, escalate the issue to Starlink support and wait for a response in about 72 hours or less.
Conclusion
Your Starlink router has lights to let you know the current state of the router. Any unusual light activity is a call to troubleshoot and fix.
Ensure your cables and power outlets are well maintained.
Finally, if a factory reset can’t fix the router lights, only customer support can help you.