3 Ways To Fix Red Light On Spectrum Router

People all over the US have been switching to Spectrum in their droves in recent times. And, for the most part, this ever increasing popularity makes quite a lot of sense to us. After all, the brand scores quite well in all of the areas you would expect it to. 

Their routers provide an excellent connection to the internet. They are also really easy to set up and use. And, on top of that, they are both reasonably priced and reliable. So, that’s a pretty good result all around, and a good sign that you haven’t made a bad choice at all.

However, we know that you aren’t here to read more about the strong points of the Spectrum brand. Inevitably, our readers come here because they are having some issues with the device we are writing about. 

In this case, we are dealing with a relatively common issue amongst Spectrum users – the one where your router is simply refusing to work properly in favor of giving you a red light. Now, we do realize that this is frustrating and that a red light is never really a good sign. 

However, it isn’t time to worry just yet. The problem is likely not as fatal as you may have expected. So, to help you get it fixed, we have put together this little troubleshooting guide to help you get it working again. 

What Causes the Spectrum Router Red Light?

If you have come across our articles before, you will know that we like to kick things off by explain the cause of the problem before we fix it. That way, if it happens again, there will be less panic and you will be able to fix it much quicker. 

Luckily, the cause of the red light is really clear. Effectively, all that it means is that you router is experiencing some internet related issues. That being said, there are more than just one type of red light that you could be seeing. 

It could be a solid red light, or a flashing red light. In either case, we will show you exactly what it means and what to do to put things right. So, let’s get stuck right into it!

1. Flashing Red Light

In the words of the Spectrum customer guide, the flashing red light will mean that your Spectrum router is just unable to form a connection to the Spectrum network. In some cases, this will be because the strength of your signal is simply too weak to register. 

Unfortunately, if this is your situation, this will mean that the problem is on their side and not yours. As such, all you can do is call them up to ask them what is going on or to just wait until the situation improves. Generally speaking, Spectrum are quite quick to fix these problems when they arise. 

2. A Solid Red Light

If the light on your Spectrum device isn’t flashing and is just solid red, the diagnosis offered by Spectrum is a little bit vague. What they say is that this will either mean that there is an issue with the device itself or a poor internet connection. 

3. A Pulsing Red or Blue Light

If you are getting a pulsing red or blue light, the news is a lot better than the other situations. All this will mean is that Spectrum is currently updating the firmware on your device. 

As soon as the update is finished, your device will be working as normal again. In fact, there is a good chance that will even work better than it had been previously. 

How to fix the Red Light problem

Now that we have laid out all of the different versions of this problem in detail, we are going to run you through how best to fix it. 

1. Try Resetting the Router

As always, the first thing we are going to recommend is that you try resetting the device. It may seem a bit too simple to be effective, but it does quite often work. When you reset a router, you essentially are giving it a chance to rid itself of all of the junk and bugs it has been carrying for the last while. 

So, given that this issue is likely caused by some bug or another, it is worth a shot. So, before you continue to the more complex fixes, give this a try before moving on to the next step. 

2. Unplug and rest the router for a while

If the restart didn’t do anything of any value, the next logical step is to unplug the router for a while and simply walk away. In some cases, the cause of the issue can be a lousy plugin. 

When this happens, it can cause the router to lose its connection to the internet and show a red light in return. So, up the ante a little, plug it out and leave it unplugged for a while before plugging it back in. 

3. Make sure that your cables are okay

Next up, we are going to make sure that your basic hardware is in good condition. First up, we would advise that you check that all of your connections are as tight as they can possibly be. Once that is done, the next thing to look for is any signs of fraying or damage to any of the cables and cords you are using. 

Naturally, a damaged cable will not be able to work as well as a new one, so if you see anything that doesn’t look quite right, we would recommend replacing it. Once you have done so, we would expect that everything will begin to work normally again. 

The Last Word

Unfortunately, these re the only viable fixes that we could find for this issue that doesn’t require a high level of knowledge and expertise. So, if you have gotten through this article and not had the result that you are looking for, it is likely that there may be something much more serious at play. 

In these cases, the only logical course of action is to grin and bear it and call in some professional help to get to the bottom of it. We realize that this isn’t ideal, but it is better to do that rather than risking damaging your router more than it already is.