Netgear Orbi Solutions: What Does the Purple Light Mean and How to Fix It

Netgear Orbi is one of the best Wifi mesh systems available in the market. 

If you’re using an Orbi satellite, you might be wondering what the purple light means. A purple light can mean two things: your wifi connection is blocked, or your device can’t sync. 

Don’t panic, and don’t call Netgear tech support just yet. We’ll guide you through the steps and solve your purple-light problem. 

What does the purple light mean? 

The light on your Netgear Orbi indicated the devices’ signal strength and status. On a good day, you’d see a disappearing blue light. But what does a purple light mean? 

A purple light on your Orbi can only mean two things: 

• Your device can’t connect to the internet. Either the satellite is out of the coverage area or something blocks the connection. 
• Your Orbi satellite can’t sync to the router. After a sync attempt, a solid purple light means that the process is unsuccessful. 

Before doing anything to your device, please check where the light comes from. Does it come from the router or the satellite? 

Once you have that checked, you’re ready to move forward with the solutions below. 

How to fix the purple light on your Orbi

If you’re experiencing these right now, try this set of solutions we’ve prepared for you. But, before moving to the complex procedure, let’s start with the most simple ones.  

Check your wires and cables

We usually overlook the wires and cables around the router and satellite. But the thing is, even slightly loose connectors can cause problems. 

Then, check if the ethernet cable is plugged in properly. It must go from the modem then into the Orbi WAN port. 

Before moving to complicated procedures, ensure each cable is firmly connected and plugged in the right port.

Once everything is secure and in the right place, check the light on your Orbi. If it’s still purple, try the next procedure. 

Reboot your Orbi router

Rebooting eliminates any internal issues that are affecting router performance. It’s an easy task, and you can do it independently. 

1. Remove the satellite from the power source and turn it off.
2. Wait for a couple of minutes
3. Then plug it back in.
4. Wait for the router to boot up. 

Just wait for that to finish, and your router should be good to go. If the purple light is still on, try the next step instead.

Restart the entire Orbi network

If rebooting the router/satellite didn’t work, it’s time to restart the entire network. This step requires turning off the modem, router, and satellites. 

This procedure requires patience, and it needs to be done in order. So here’s how to do it: 

1. Turn off the modem, router, and satellite. Then disconnect it from the power source. 
2. Plug in the modem and turn it on. Then wait at least 2 minutes for it to boot and stabilize. 
3. Reconnect the Orbi router to the power source and turn it on. 
4. Reconnect the satellite and turn it on. 
5. Wait for the router and satellite to boot and connect. 

Now your Orbi network restart is successful. This time the purple light should be gone. 

Still didn’t work? Try the next procedure. 

Sync the router and the satellite

According to some users, syncing the router and satellite solved the purple light problem. This procedure needs to be done in order.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Make sure that the satellite is plugged into a power source. Then, turn it on. 
2. Press the SYNC button on your Orbi router. 
3. Press and hold the SYNC button on your Orbi satellite for 2 minutes.
4. Wait for 3-10 minutes to complete syncing. While the devices sync, the satellite should show a white blinking light.

Once the syncing process is done, the colors in your Orbi satellite mean:

• Blue: the syncing process is done and successful.
• Amber: the syncing process is successful but the internet connection is weak.
• Purple: the syncing process is unsuccessful.

Those procedures should solve the purple light on your Orbi. If those didn’t work, the best thing to do next is to call Netgear tech support.

The Bottom Line

You should always check the light of your Orbi. Remember that different colors will tell you if your device is in good condition or something’s wrong with it. 

As for a purple light could mean that it has a poor/blocked connection or is unsynced to the router. Just do the tips and procedures above, and your device should be good to go.

A Netgear Orbi makes browsing through the internet fast and smooth. So don’t let a purple light slow you down! 

See more Troubleshooting Tips Here

Do you know any other Orbi troubleshooting tips? Share them with us in the comments below!