The lights on your router or modem indicate the current status of the device. Knowing what each light on your router or modem means is important mainly because it can point us in the right direction when we start experiencing some network or connectivity problems.
The problem we are going to talk about in this article is caused by the US/DS light blinking. To fix this problem successfully, we need to know what this light means, what are the reasons for this problem, and what you can do to fix it before you contact the support.
CONTENTS
What does the US/DS light mean?
In case you didn’t know US stands for “Upstream” and DS stands for “Downstream”. When the router establishes connection it’s normal for the US/DS light to start blinking but it stops blinking and turns solid once the connection is established. When it’s solid it means that the internet is available and the device is ready to send and receive data or it’s sending and receiving data.
But, what does it mean when the US/DS light is blinking?
When the US/DS light is blinking or flashing in one-second intervals it means that the signal it receives is either a low-quality signal or there is no signal at all.
Why is my US/DS light blinking?
The main reasons for this problem are:
- There is a service outage at the moment
- The coaxial cable is either disconnected or loose
- The cable signal is too low
- The modem or router is defective
- Firmware download (If the US/DS light is blinking, and the Online light is solid it can indicate that a firmware download is in progress. In that case, wait for around 10 minutes and the problem will be resolved when the process competes)
How to fix US/DS blinking light?
Now when we know the reason for this issue it is pretty easy to fix it. So, let’s see how you fix a blinking US/DS light.
1. Check for a service outage
In case there is a service outage at the moment the US/DS light can start blinking because there is no connection at all or the signal it receives is pretty weak. Therefore you can either call your ISP and ask if they are working on something at the moment or visit the ISP’s official website or app and check if there is a service outage.
Additionally, you can use Downdetector at https://downdetector.com/ to check whether your favorite services are down or having problems. You can either type in the name of the service you are having a problem with or scroll down to find and select your service from the list.
If you find out that there is an outage in your area you will have to be patient until the problem is resolved.
However, in case the US/DS light continues to blink after the outage has been resolved you can proceed with the following steps.
2. Check the connections
Check the connections on both ends of the coaxial cable and tighten them by hand. It is also recommended to disconnect the cable and reconnect it again just to make sure everything is properly connected and tight.
3. Check your splitter
Sometimes the splitter can be defective or damaged. The easiest way to check whether the splitter is causing the problem is to remove the splitter and connect the coaxial cable directly to the modem. If the problem is no longer present, the splitter was causing the problem. Replacing the splitter with a new one will fix the problem.
4. Power cycle the modem/router
Power cycling the modem or router is a simple and super effective solution to most problems. However, it is important to do it properly.
You will need to unplug your computer and modem (and router if you are using it with the modem) and after a minute plug them in again one by one – first plug the modem in. When the modem lights stabilize, plug the router in and also wait for the lights to stabilize. Finally, plug the PC in.
In most cases, this will resolve the issue.
5. Contact Support
In case you have tried everything and the US/DS light is still blinking you will have to contact support. It will definitely be much less stressful for you when you get in touch with an expert that will lead you through the necessary steps to fix the US/DS light blinking problem.
In some cases, the support will tell you that maybe the problem is on their end, or that maybe you have forgotten to pay your bills. In that case, paying the bills will fix the problem. Or they can send someone to replace your modem or router in case it’s defective and it’s causing the problem.
Final Thoughts
We hope that we have helped you fix the US/DS light blinking problem by now. Luckily, this problem can be fixed easily just follow the steps given above. If not, feel free to contact your ISP support to help you solve this problem.
Good luck!
Hey, I’m David. I’ve been working as a wireless network engineer and a network administrator for 15 years. During my studies, I also worked as an ISP field technician – that’s when I met Jeremy.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in network engineering and a master’s degree in computer science and engineering. I’m also a Cisco-certified service provider.
In my professional career, I worked for router/modem manufacturers and internet providers. I like to think that I’m good at explaining network-related issues in simple terms. That’s exactly what I’m doing on this website – I’m making simple and easy-to-follow guides on how to install, set up, and troubleshoot your networking hardware. I also review new network equipment – modems, gateways, switches, routers, extenders, mesh systems, cables, etc.
My goal is to help regular users with their everyday network issues, educate them, and make them less scared of their equipment. In my articles, you can find tips on what to look for when buying new networking hardware, and how to adjust your network settings to get the most out of your wi-fi.
Since my work is closely related to computers, servers, and other network equipment, I like to spend most of my spare time outdoors. When I want to blow off some steam, I like to ride my bike. I also love hiking and swimming. When I need to calm down and clear my mind, my go-to activity is fishing.
I own the modem not comcast. But, the orange lite is a solid non blinking lite. will this become green