NETGEAR's LED table names the state. On an Orbi router the ring LED is solid white when the router is ready to set up, pulsing white when powering up or connecting, solid magenta when there is no internet connection, and off when the router is connected to the internet. A solid magenta ring on the router therefore means Orbi cannot reach the internet. Start upstream: power cycle the modem, then the Orbi router, and confirm the Ethernet cable runs from the modem to the router's internet port, not a LAN port.
The checks in more detail
NETGEAR's slow-connection article gives the direct test: unplug the router, connect a computer straight to the modem or gateway with Ethernet and see whether the connection works; if it does not, the fault is with the provider or the line, so call them. NETGEAR also lists a MAC-spoofing case for a new router where the provider only accepts the old device's address, and a page on regaining a lost connection.
On a satellite, solid magenta means it has no backhaul to the router or no IP address, which is a different fault from no internet, and the fix is to move it closer or check the router first. The power button LED shows solid green when powered on, solid amber when rebooting and pulsing red when the system might need NETGEAR support. On the call to your provider, give them the modem's light colors, whether a computer works plugged directly into the modem, and what the Orbi's ring shows.
Saying so skips the scripted request to restart equipment you have already restarted. When several devices lose internet but the ring is not magenta, look at the modem's own lights and your provider's status page before changing anything on the Orbi. A magenta ring that clears after a modem restart usually points to the modem, while one that stays magenta with a healthy modem points to the router's cable or the router itself.
Differential
Likely causes of “NETGEAR Orbi mesh wifi has Wi-Fi but no internet”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
An ISP outage
What separates it The router ring is solid magenta because the internet service from the provider is not working
How to confirm Test with a computer on the modem and call the provider
- 2
A modem that needs a restart
What separates it The router gets no IP address because the modem has stopped responding and needs a restart
How to confirm Power cycle the modem first, and then the router, and wait for each to settle before you test
- 3
The cable in the wrong port
What separates it There is no internet because the cable from the modem is in the wrong port on the router
How to confirm Use the router's dedicated internet port, and not one of the LAN ports, for the modem cable
- 4
A provider tied to an old MAC address
What separates it The replacement router has no internet because the provider still expects the old device's address
How to confirm Ask the provider to register the new router, or copy the old device's address in the router settings
- 5
A satellite without backhaul
What separates it The satellite ring is magenta because it has no backhaul link to the router
How to confirm Move the satellite closer to the router, so that it can connect and receive an address
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The color of the router's ring light and its power light
- The color of the ring light on the satellite
- What the modem's own lights show
- Whether a computer gets online when connected straight to the modem
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedRead the ring LED
ReversibleRead the ring light on the router, since solid magenta means that there is no internet connection.
Check the cable
ReversibleInspect the cable between the modem and the Orbi's internet port and push it in firmly at both ends.
Power cycle
ReversibleRestart the modem first and the Orbi second, letting each finish booting before the next.
Test the modem
ReversiblePlug a computer directly into the modem to test whether the line itself works.
Check the satellite
ReversibleCheck the satellite, since a magenta ring means that it has no backhaul to the router.
Call the provider
ReversibleCall the provider if the modem shows no service, since the fault is then outside your home.
Reset last
ReversibleReset the router last, only if nothing else works, because a reset erases your settings.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- LED behavior
- The Orbi LED table applies to Orbi Cable, WiFi 5, WiFi 6, WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 systems, including the Orbi 850, 960 and 970.
- Cable models
- Orbi Cable models include the modem, so the modem restart is part of the Orbi.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Orbi 750 Series mesh.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a computer on the modem has no internet, call the provider
- !If the modem works but the Orbi router stays magenta after restarts, contact NETGEAR support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Power LED and ring LED colors.
Firmware, power cycle and direct modem test.
The list of NETGEAR troubleshooting articles.
Reset button and amber blink.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does solid magenta mean on the router?+
Solid magenta on the router ring means that there is no internet connection.
What does a solid magenta light on an Orbi satellite mean?+
No backhaul to the router or no IP address.
What does the ring off mean on the router?+
It is connected to the internet.
What does a pulsing red power light mean?+
The system might need NETGEAR support.
What does a solid amber power light on the Orbi mean?+
Solid amber on the power light means that the Orbi is rebooting, so wait for it.
Should I connect to the modem directly?+
Yes: put a computer straight on the modem to see whether the line works.
Which port is the internet port?+
The dedicated internet port on the router.
Does a reset fix no internet?+
Try the other steps first; a factory reset erases your settings and rarely fixes a lost connection.
What does pulsing amber mean on the Orbi's power light?+
A pulsing amber power light means the Orbi is being reset to factory settings, or that a firmware update is in progress.