5 Ways To Fix Orange Link Light Blinking On Cisco Modem DPQ3212

In this day and age, most of us are heavily reliant on a solid and quick connection to the internet. We use it for entertainment, to conduct our banking, to keep in touch with loved ones abroad. 

At this point, many of us even rely on our internet connection to work entirely remotely. So, when problems arise, it can really disrupt the flow of things. Naturally most modems these days are of a reasonably high standard – but not all were built equally.

For us, the first thing that you should do when choosing an internet service provider is to check that they are using the latest tech to bolster their connection speeds. In addition to that, more modern routers and modems are far less likely to just cut out on you without warning. 

They’re practically improving on a daily basis these days. Of these modems, Cisco’s DPQ3212 is probably somewhere in the middle of the range category when it comes to the things that matter most – speed and reliability. 

Though they will get the job done, you will occasionally come across a problem wherein the link light will just start flashing orange. So, given that this flashing light isn’t good news for your productivity, we decided to put together this little guide to help you fix the problem from home. 

What exactly does the Cisco Modem DPQ3212 Link Light Blinking Orange mean?

Flashing lights are rarely good news and can cause us to worry quite a bit. However, in this case, there is not really any major cause for concern. Generally, this problem is relatively easy to fix, once you know what it means. 

When you are getting the dreaded blinking orange light, all that it means is that your modem isn’t getting a decent enough connection to give you enough internet to work with. Though this sounds like it may be the fault of your service provider, there are actually quite a few things you can do to fix it on your end. 

Before we begin, we should note that none of these fixes are all that complicated. We won’t be asking you to take anything apart or doing anything that could risk the integrity of your device. So, just follow the steps and you should be back online in a few short minutes. 

1. Reset the Modem

Though this fix may sound way too simple to ever work, the opposite seems to be the case. Resetting your modem will give it the opportunity to have a little rest and to clear out any bugs or glitches that may have worked their way in over time. 

So, as a first step, this is always a good place to start from. Resetting a Cisco modem is quite easy. All you need to do is press and hold in the reset button for ten to twenty seconds until it resets. Unfortunately, once you have done this, some settings that you will have saved may have been wiped. 

Before the modem can work again, you will need to restore the settings again. After that, everything will be working perfectly for the majority of you. If you are not fortunate enough to be in that group, it isn’t time to worry just yet. We still have a few steps to go. 

2. Check that the Configuration Settings are Right

Every now and then, it is possible that your configuration settings may have been inputted incorrectly. When this happens, one of the most likely outcomes is that the link light will begin to flash orange. In this case, the only thing to do is find the right settings and then the orange light issue should be resolved. 

3. Your Internet may just be Slow 

If you have made it this far and are still getting the flashing orange light issue, the most likely cause of the problem is likely one that is quite simple – you may just be experiencing a period of slow internet speeds. When this happens, though the problem isn’t on your end, there is something you can do about it. 

You can check the signal strength coming from your internet service provider. The easiest way to check this is simply by calling them up and asking them is the internet slow in the area that you are living. 

Unfortunately, that is all you can do in this case. If the problem has turned out to be on their end, all that remains for you to do is wait until they fix whatever is causing the issue. 

4. Try Restarting the Modem

Though we have already reset the modem, there is a lot to be said for going for a total restart. Really, it works in the same way as resetting, but just ups the ante a little. To do this, the first thing you will need to do is pull out the power cords from the modem. 

By doing this, you are allowing no power to the device, allowing it to restart fully. So, just leave it in this resting state for at least a full minute before plugging everything back in again. If everything has worked as it should, it will take your modem a minute or so to get going again and the flashing light will have disappeared. 

5. Modem may have lost Connection with the Internet

This doesn’t happen all that often, but it is entirely possible. When your modem can’t establish a connection to the internet, the most likely outcome is that the link light will start flashing orange. Again though, there is not all that much that you can do about this from your end. 

In this case, your best bet is to just call up your internet service provider. In most cases, they will just need to do something on their end to restore your connection. At worst, they may be forced to concede that there is something wrong with your modem and it may need to be repaired or replaced. 

The Last Word

Unfortunately, these are the only fixes that we could find that actually worked for this issue. Out of curiosity, we would be interested to know whether you are happy with the performance of your DPQ3212 modem overall. The reviews seem to be quite mixed, which doesn’t exactly inspire the most confidence.