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This article was reviewed by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals.
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When your Cox router or gateway first connects, you may see an orange flashing light at first, but the LED should turn solid white after a few moments. If the orange light keeps blinking, something is preventing the router from establishing a connection to Cox. Sometimes there's an easy fix you can do at home, but you may need to contact Cox to resolve the problem. This guide will teach you why your Cox router is blinking orange, walk you through simple troubleshooting steps, and tell you when to call for help.
Why Your Cox Router or Modem Blinks Orange
A flashing orange or amber light means the router is trying to register on Cox's network. Once registered, the light should turn solid white. If the flashing orange light persists, there could be an outage, a loose connection, a cable jack or fiber ONT problem, or Cox did not correctly configure your router.
Steps
How to Fix the Blinking Orange Light
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![Step 1 Check your cable or fiber connections.]()
Check your cable or fiber connections. If the orange or amber light is still blinking, the gateway is trying to register (connect).[3] Tightening or replacing problematic cables will often fix the problem.- If you have cable internet, make sure the coaxial cable is securely connected to the back of the modem/router combo unit, and that the other end is properly connected to your coaxial outlet.
- If your Cox internet service is fiber, ensure the ethernet cable is securely connected to the ONT, and also to the port in the back of your router that has an orange line.[4]
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![Step 2 Make sure the ONT is on and displays two solid green lights (fiber internet).]()
Make sure the ONT is on and displays two solid green lights (fiber internet). The ONT device Cox installed in your home should have two solid green lights—one indicates power, and the other indicates a broadband internet connection. If both lights are not solid green, give Cox support a call at 1-888-556-1193 to complete the setup.[5] -
![Step 3 Power cycle your Cox gateway.]()
Power cycle your Cox gateway. Whether you have a cable or fiber gateway, a power cycle is a vital troubleshooting step for any odd blinking router lights and connectivity issues. This is different from just turning the router off and on again, as you'll need to leave it unplugged for longer. Unplug the power cable from the back of your router (or unplug the power cable from the wall) to completely power it down, and wait at least a full minute before plugging it back in. Allow the gateway about 10 minutes (yes, you should wait the full 10 minutes, especially for a fiber gateway) to try registering on the network again.[6] If the orange blinking light is gone, you should be able to get online. -
![Step 4 Bypass any splitters (cable internet).]()
Bypass any splitters (cable internet). If you have cable TV service through Cox, the coaxial cable to your router may be connected to a splitter instead of directly into the wall. To rule out problems with the splitter, try disconnecting it briefly and plugging the coaxial cable directly into the wall. Wait a few minutes to see if the orange light stops blinking. -
![Step 5 Make sure your coaxial outlet is active (cable internet).]()
Make sure your coaxial outlet is active (cable internet). If you're setting up Cox internet service for the first time and see an orange or amber light flashing, it's possible the coaxial (cable) outlet your gateway is connected to is not activated with Cox.[7] You may also see a green light flashing in this instance. If you have another coaxial outlet that you know works (such as one a TV is connected to), briefly try connecting the router to that outlet to see if that fixes the problem.- If the other outlet works, contact Cox so they can activate the outlet you actually want to use.
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![Step 6 Check for service outages.]()
Check for service outages. If you have internet access on another device, like a phone or tablet, go to https://www.cox.com/residential/support/outages.html in a web browser and search for your address. If there is an outage, your Cox router should start working again once they resolve the issue. -
![Step 7 Contact Cox for support.]()
Contact Cox for support. If the orange light is still blinking and you still can't get online, the issue is likely not something you can fix at home. The router may not be correctly provisioned for your service, or there could be a compatibility issue. A Cox support agent may be able to fix the issue remotely by making changes to your service. In some cases, Cox may need to send a technician out to fix the problem.- Contact Cox by phone: 1-800-234-3993 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)[8]
- Chat with Cox support: If you have a phone or tablet with internet access, you can use the Cox mobile app to chat with technical support 24/7.[9] If you don't have the app, you can also reach chat support by visiting https://www.cox.com/residential/contactus.html and clicking Let's chat.
Expert Q&A
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Tips
References
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/residential/support/technicolor-cgm4141.html
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/residential/support/technicolor-cgm4141.html
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/residential/support/technicolor-cgm4141.html
- ↑ https://webcdn.cox.com/content/dam/cox/residential/support/internet/print_media/ont_TechnicolorCGM4331_EasyConnectGuide_PW8.pdf
- ↑ https://webcdn.cox.com/content/dam/cox/residential/support/internet/print_media/ont_TechnicolorCGM4331_EasyConnectGuide_PW8.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/content/dam/cox/residential/support/internet/print_media/TechnicolorCGM4331_EasyConnectGuide.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/content/dam/cox/residential/support/billing_account/print_media/Technicolor_CGM4141_Easy_Connect_Latest_Version.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/residential/contactus.html
- ↑ https://www.cox.com/residential/learn/cox-app.html
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