A steady red light means you have no internet connection. Check that everything’s plugged in correctly, make sure your cables aren’t damaged, and try calling your internet service provider since the problem may be on their end.
A blinking red light on your Linksys WiFi router may mean that it’s not properly connected to the modem while a Linksys Velop red light that blinks means that the node isn’t connecting to the primary unit in your mesh system.
Begin by checking your cables. If the router has a red light, check the connection to the modem. If it’s the Velop, then it isn’t connecting to the router.
You can try restarting your system. This often works to resolve the issue.
If it doesn’t, it’s time to dive into a troubleshooting process which we’ll outline – along with instructions for restarting a Linksys system if you aren’t sure how to do that.
More seasoned users can just skim the headings and use them as a troubleshooting checklist.
How To Fix Linksys Router Red Light Issue
1. Linksys Router Red Light: Two Ways to Restart
As with all your other tech, rebooting can solve a multitude of woes. If there’s some kind of software glitch, the reboot process will clear it away and things will return to normal.
You can do this from your browser or by using the Linksys app.
If you’re using your browser, use the login details you’ll find on a label underneath your router. This will open the Linksys admin dashboard.
You’ll see a troubleshooting option on the left of your screen, and since that’s just what you want to do, go ahead and select it. To reach the restart option, select “diagnostics” and then “restart.”
If you’re using the Linksys app, open it and select “settings.” Look for the option labeled “Network Administration” and select it. You will find an option to restart your system here.
If you don’t yet have the app and want to try it out, you will have to download it first. It’s available for both Android and iOS and you can download it directly from the Linksys website.
With a bit of luck, your simple restart will resolve your issue, but if you’re still seeing red lights, it’s time to move on to the next steps.
2. Check Your Cables
If you have a new system or recently reconnected your Linksys system, you may have connected the cables incorrectly. And, even if it was working fine before, there might be a problem with one of the cable connections.
It’s an easy thing to check as long as you know where everything should be.
If you aren’t, check your user manual to see how all the cables connect and where they should be.
Even if you’re sure everything is plugged in correctly, look for signs of damage like loose connections or kinked calves that may have been damaged.
Did everything check out OK? Then it’s time for a power cycle.
3. How to Power Cycle Your Linksys System
When simple rebooting doesn’t work, power cycling sometimes does. It’s a more in-depth resetting of your router’s memory and may sort out software issues that restarting couldn’t clear away.
The important thing is that there should be no power supply to both router and modem for a few minutes, so follow these steps carefully.
First, unplug the router from the main power supply, Now do the same thing for the modem. After a few minutes, reconnect the router and allow it to reboot. Finally, restore power to the modem and let it start up.
Once the router and the modem are both up and running again, there’s a reasonably good chance that the red light has disappeared. Check it out, and if it hasn’t, keep troubleshooting!
4. Make Sure That Your Router is Correctly Placed
Is your Linksys system new? Have you recently moved it? Or perhaps you moved a few other things in your house around. Obstructions in the path of the signal can interfere with the signal.
So, if your Linksys Router shows a red light, it may not be connecting to the modem.
Typically, you would want your router to be centrally placed in your home. Remember that it broadcasts in every direction, so to achieve good connections around your home, central locations work best.
You also want your router to be in an area that’s relatively free of obstructions. Of course, thick walls and large appliances are typical, and very obvious, examples of physical obstructions – but even small electronic goods can interfere with your WiFi signal.
Fun fact: even mirrors and fish tanks can cause signal interferences! As for the kitchen, the appliances there can wreak havoc on your connectivity, so avoid placing your router in the kitchen, even if it is centrally located.
Finally, height matters. You can’t expect good connections from a router that’s placed on the floor. Tabletop height will do.
5. Try Contacting Your ISP Before Continuing with Troubleshooting
So far, we’ve looked at quick and easy solutions. Things are going to get a bit more advanced from here on in. If you haven’t contacted your ISP to see if there’s a service outage from their side yet, do so now.
They can also do some diagnostics from their side, and sometimes, an ISP restarting a connection is all it takes to get you back up and running again.
Of course, if they’re undertaking maintenance or have a system failure of some kind, there’s no real point in trying to troubleshoot your system any further for the time being.
You’ll just have to wait it out. At least you won’t be wasting your time trying to fix something that isn’t really broken.
Is everything good from your ISP’s perspective? There are still a few things you can try.
6. Check for Firmware Updates
Unless you’ve enabled automatic firmware updates for your Linksys router, it could be missing important upgrades that fix bugs and enhance functioning.
Even if you did enable automatic updates, an interrupted update may be the reason for your router’s red light issues.
The best way to find out where you stand with firmware updates is to take a look for yourself. There are several ways to do this.
7. Use Your Linksys Cloud Account
If you have a Linksys Cloud account, log in and navigate to “connectivity.” Now look for the tab labeled “Firmware Update” and click the “Basic” option. Here, you’ll find an option that allows you to check for updates.
If your router detects a firmware update that hasn’t been downloaded and installed, you’ll see a straightforward “Click here” notification that will initiate the update.
If a message saying that no updates have been found pops up, your router doesn’t need updating.
If you initiate a firmware update, be sure not to interrupt it. Don’t cut off the power, and don’t close the browser window.
To complete the firmware update, the router will have to reboot. Wait for the notification and click OK. Now, the router will reboot. Once it has done so, check to see if the red light is no longer burning.
8. Update Your Linksys Router’s Firmware Manually
If you don’t have a Linksys Cloud account, you will have to update your router manually. It’s still a fairly easy process. Use your Linksys admin interface. Select “Administration.”
You’ll see a firmware tab, and once you’ve clicked it, there’ll be a “Browse” option. Download any firmware updates that you can see, and start the upgrade. Once this has happened, your router will restart itself.
9. Enable Automatic Updates
You can avoid missing future firmware updates by enabling automatic updates. Your router won’t do this unless you set the necessary permissions.
Whichever option you chose to check for firmware updates, you are sure to see the option to enable automatic updates. Since you’re already there, you may as well enable them.
10. Solid Red Light on Velop Parent Node
If you’ve recently rearranged your parent devices and the parent node shows a solid red light, you may have fallen afoul of a firmware update that disables WAN port detection.
The port you used for the setup will be a fixed WAN port. If you now plug the parent node into the other port, you’ll get the solid red light that tells you there’s no internet.
This is super-easy to fix. Simply try plugging the parent node into the other port on your router. Once you’ve done that, it should be able to connect as normal.
11. Factory Reset
If you’re still struggling, you might like to set up your system again from scratch. Restoring default factory settings will remove any buggy software or incorrect settings. Access your Linksys account using your browser and select the Administration option.
Search for the section labeled “Factory Defaults.” There is a “Restore Factory Defaults” command.
If you do decide to restore factory defaults and set up your system from scratch, you will need all the correct information to do so.
If you aren’t sure what that consists of, get a support agent to help you through the process.
When Your Linksys Router Red Light Won’t Go Away
Routers don’t last forever. If all your attempts to resolve your Linksys Velop red light issues have failed, and not even calls to support seem to be fruitful, you should consider whether your router or its cables are damaged.
If you’d rather not call in technicians, pack up your router and its cables and take them to a Linksys outlet for testing. The same goes for nodes that just won’t connect.
If your router or Velop nodes are still under warranty, be sure to take the original packaging and all its original contents along with you. You may be able to exchange the hardware.
However, having covered all the home fixes and all the most common reasons why a Linksys router or its nodes display red lights, we hope that your system is up and running again.
Remember: red lights usually mean poor connectivity, but they might also indicate a software glitch, and we’ve dealt with all the ways these issues can be fixed.
