AT&T Broadband Blinking Red: What Does It Mean?
If you are having trouble with your AT&T broadband internet, then you may have noticed a red blinking light on the modem or gateway, but what does it mean?
Having internet access at home is an absolute must these days, as we rely on Wi-Fi for virtually every device and service that we use. However, internet connection issues are notorious with AT&T broadband and an indication of this would be a red blinking light on the device.
Table of Contents
- Why is the light on my AT&T Broadband blinking red?
- Power Cycle Your Gateway or Modem
- Check Cable Connections & Condition
- Update Your Gateway or Modem Software
- Factory Reset Your Gateway or Modem
Why is the light on my AT&T Broadband blinking red?
Your AT&T broadband is blinking red because your modem or gateway is not receiving adequate power, which is causing the internet to drop. You can fix this by power cycling the gateway or modem, checking your cable connections and conditions, updating the software, or factory resetting the device.
There is nothing more frustrating than sitting down to use your home’s internet only to find that your connection has dropped. With Wi-Fi and the internet being so ingrained in our daily lives this can cause a huge headache – especially when you don’t know what is causing it.
AT&T is one of the largest internet providers in the entire country, as they supply millions of people with online access. Usually, internet connection with AT&T broadband is pretty reliable, but a lot of customers still experience issues from time to time.
A key indication of something being wrong with your internet will be if the light on your modem or gateway starts blinking red. If that’s the case, then you will not be able to connect to the internet until you resolve the problem.
But what is causing the connection issue with your modem or gateway? To help you understand this further, we are going to take a closer look at why your AT&T broadband is blinking red and what you can do to fix it.
After extensively researching AT&T broadband network connection issues, I have been able to gather enough information to determine what a red blinking light means and how you can troubleshoot it. My research has indicated that there are a number of different factors that could be contributing to this problem and you should consider each one to fix your internet.
Power Cycle Your Gateway or Modem
Internet connection issues can be caused by multiple different things and although you should consider everything that could be making your AT&T broadband light blink red, it is best to start with the easiest options first.
Before you try anything too technical, you should power cycle your gateway or modem first. You would be amazed by how often a simple power cycle fixes most problems with tech devices and this includes your AT&T broadband.
More often than not, there is a minor glitch or bug within the system and you should be able to resolve it by following these steps:
- Power down your gateway or modem
- Unplug the device from its power supply
- Leave it unplugged for 60 seconds (at least)
- Plug the device back into its power source
- Turn on the device with the power button
Once you do this, you will see your gateway or modem power itself back on. If the issue was due to a simple glitch, then the power cycle should fix it.
Check Cable Connections & Condition
For your AT&T broadband to deliver a steady and reliable signal, all of its cables must be plugged in properly. Poorly connected cables are often behind the issue with a gateway or modem blinking red and you should rule this out if a power cycle did not work.
Head over to your gateway or modem and inspect all of its cables. Keep an eye out for any cables that look loose or unplugged. If you see anything that is out of place, simply plug in the cables properly and this should fix the problem.
However, if nothing was unplugged or loose, try unplugging all of the cables from the device (not just the power cable).
Plug the power cable back in first and then plug each other cable in one at a time. Watch the light on your gateway or modem as you do this to see if you can spot which one is triggering the red blinking light.
With that being said, while you are inspecting your cables, you should also look for any wires that may be damaged. A damaged cable can easily be causing this issue with your AT&T broadband. Any cables that appear to be frayed or have exposed wires may cause performance issues with your gateway or modem.
If you see any damaged cables, you should unplug them immediately. The only way to fix the problem at this point is going to be to replace the cable entirely, which should resolve the issue with your AT&T broadband’s red blinking light.
Update Your Gateway or Modem Software
Your gateway or modem is equipped with software (or firmware) to ensure that it runs smoothly. There could be an issue with the device’s software that is causing the red light to start blinking.
Software is prone to developing bugs and glitches over time, which can often result in a lot of confusion when devices start to malfunction. Although you can generally resolve this by factory resetting the device, you should first try to see if an update will fix the issue, as it normally does.
AT&T launches updates for its software regularly to improve performance and ensure that its product runs smoothly. Usually, these updates should start automatically but sometimes they fail to initiate. If that’s the case, you will want to confirm that you are running the latest software on your gateway or modem.
ATT&T has set up a Smart Home Manager system to make this process very easy. You can update your software by signing into your Smart Home Manager and then following these steps:
- Select ‘Network’
- Select ‘Home Network Hardware’
- Choose your gateway or modem
- Select ‘Restart’
After the restart is complete, your gateway or modem will be running on the latest available AT&T software, which could resolve the issue with your blinking red light.
Factory Reset Your Gateway or Modem
If you were still not able to get your gateway or modem’s red light to stop blinking red, then you may have a more serious problem with your device. There is most likely a glitch within the system that is interfering with its performance and causing the problem.
Unfortunately, you are running out of options and it means that you probably have to reset the gateway or modem to fix this.
By factory resetting your device, you will revert it back to its default settings and it will relaunch itself as if it were new.
A factory reset will delete all of your customizations and preferences, which include your Wi-Fi name and password. This implies that you will need to set everything up again after the restart is complete. To factory reset your AT&T broadband follow these steps:
- Locate the reset button on the device
- Hold down the reset button for 10 to 15 seconds
- Wait for the lights to come back on
Once you reset the device, your red light should stop blinking and your connection should be restored. If you still have a red blinking light after a factory reset, then you should consider getting in touch with AT&T, as the issue will require a professional.