Orbi Connected But No Internet? (08 Working Solutions)

Orbi connected but no internet? You’re not the only one facing this issue, so keep reading!

If your Orbi satellite is connected to your router, but devices connected to the satellite are offline, the most likely scenario is a downtime in your broadband connection.

Also, you may not receive internet on satellite-connected devices for more reasons, so let’s keep exploring possibilities… 

When your Orbi satellite is connected, but there is no internet on your devices, relocate your satellite to prevent interference and perform a factory reset for a clean Orbi initialization.

Let’s keep unwrapping!

Why is Orbi WiFi Connected But No Internet?

When the Orbi router becomes offline, the Wi-Fi keeps working, which means that other devices will still be able to connect.

This includes your Orbi satellite, and when the device is connected to the so-called “empty” Wi-Fi, your connection devices will be offline, just like your Orbi router.

So here are all the possibilities as to why the Orbi satellite is connected but offline:

Those are the reasons why your Orbi satellite is connected, but there is no internet connection.

So, to resolve the problem in minutes, we recommend diving into the troubleshooting guide…

How to Fix When Orbi Connected But No Internet?

Tip: Follow the instructions in chronological order!

1. Verify the Broadband Supply

The first step is to check whether your broadband connection is intact, and if yes, justify if your Wi-Fi is accessible.

There are three essential steps that you must undertake, which will suggest where the problem comes from, so let’s begin with checking your broadband from the supplier.

How to Test Broadband?

The first task is to verify that your Orbi router actually receives an internet connection.

To do so, you must bypass the Wi-Fi and test on an Ethernet-connected device.

In most cases, this is the PC located near the router and hard-wired via Ethernet cable, so hop on and test the internet.

How to Test Orbi WiFi?

If you have an internet connection from the Orbi router to your Ethernet-connected computer, you must next test your Wi-Fi connection.

To do so, you need any Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a phone, tablet, or even laptop. So, connect to your Orbi router’s Wi-Fi and test the internet.

How to Test for Outages?

If your Ethernet-connected computer doesn’t have an internet connection (broadband is down), the Orbi satellite will remain connected but offline.

So, you must check if Orbi is currently under an outage or performing maintenance by going to the Netgear Status and checking the service.

Tip: On the status page, look for any past incidents on the date you’re performing the tests!

2. Power Cycle Your Orbi System

If your broadband is intact and the Wi-Fi is accessible, but your Orbi satellite is connected but no internet, then it’s possibly a bug.

So, the next step would be to perform a power cycle process, which will not erase anything from your Orbi setup but refresh all tasks/services and Wi-Fi.

How to Power Cycle Orbi Router?

1. First, locate the Power button on the Orbi router.
2. Press the Power button to power off your router.
3. Then, unplug the adapter from the power socket.
4. Also, disconnect the power cord from your router.
5. Wait for 30 seconds with the router disconnected.
6. Reconnect the power cord on both sides and wait.
7. When the router turns on, test your Orbi satellites.

How to Power Cycle Orbi Satellite?

1. First, verify that the Orbi satellite is currently working.
2. Then, disconnect the power cord from the wall outlet.
3. Wait for 60 seconds with the Orbi satellite turned off.
4. Reconnect the power adapter to a working wall outlet.
5. Wait until your Orbi satellite reconnects to your router.

The Orbi satellite must start showing a solid blue light, meaning that the device is connected to the router successfully.

If you’re seeing a magenta or amber color LED light, then there is a fault in the connection that requires your attention. Hence, let’s continue unwrapping more solutions!

3. Move Your Orbi Satellite Closer

Sometimes, the Orbi satellite might appear “connected,” but what actually happens is that the device constantly disconnects and automatically reconnects.

When this happens, the connected devices will remain offline, or the Wi-Fi signal will fluctuate, disconnect, and remain unusable.

So, the next step by importance would be to relocate your Orbi satellite (temporarily) closer to the router and test whether the internet will start working.

This is a simple relocation, and you don’t need to do anything extra but disconnect the Orbi satellite and connect to another outlet.

Info: When you turn on the Orbi satellite, you must wait for the solid blue light, which means the connection is established, and then test the internet.

4. Update the Orbi Router Firmware

In some cases, the problem with the internet through your Orbi satellite comes from the Wi-Fi router, and one of the mandatory steps would be to update the firmware.

Here’s how to update the firmware of your Orbi router:

1. Connect a mobile/PC to the Orbi router’s Wi-Fi.
2. Open the Orbi app and sign in using the details.
3. From the Dashboard, press on the “Menu” icon.
4. Go to “Settings” and enter the “Router Settings.”
5. Tap the “Update Firmware” tile to start updating.

Note: The process may take up to 10 minutes, so remain patient.

5. Prevent Any Wi-Fi Interference

If you’re connected to Orbi but have no internet, perhaps something is interfering with the Wi-Fi from the wireless router, causing your connected devices to remain offline.

Well, interference could be caused by many factors, so we will provide you with a few steps for wireless optimization!

Here’s what to do to minimize wireless interference in your Orbi setup:

• Verify that the Orbi satellite is not near the ground.
• Ensure that the satellite is not obstructed/covered.
• Avoid installing the satellite near large appliances.
• Verify that your satellite is not in a dead Wi-Fi spot.

If you’re following all the requirements but your Orbi satellite still won’t deliver internet to your connected devices, perhaps the problem is system-related.

So, without any hassle, continue reading the guide further to discover even more powerful solutions…

6. Switch “OFF” Your Mobile Data

If you’re using a SIM-enabled device to connect to your Orbi satellite, you may not have internet through your cellular, thinking that the satellite is not connected.

This is why it’s very important to disable the Mobile Data on your mobile phone and leave only the Wi-Fi feature activated.

When the internet from the cellular data is stronger, your mobile will auto switch from the Orbi’s Wi-Fi to the cellular, making you believe that you still use Wi-Fi.

Tip: Check the top-right of your mobile device’s screen to verify if you’re using Wi-Fi or Mobile Data. 

7. Disable the Orbi Router’s “VLAN”

Your Orbi router supports a VLAN option, which limits the user access to the network by making a separation, which increases the security.

However, this feature may often impact the satellite’s connection and prevent internet access.

Here’s how to disable the VLAN on your Orbi router:

1. Connect a computer device to your router’s network.
2. Then, open a web browser and go to “orbilogin.com.”
3. Enter the control panel by inserting the login details.
4. Go to Advanced → Setup → VLAN/Bridge Settings.
5. Then, click the currently existing VLAN and remove it.

Note: When ready, reboot your Orbi router and test whether the Wi-Fi of your Orbi satellite is now accessible.

8. Factory Reset the Orbi Satellite

When your Orbi satellite is connected but without an internet connection, the next step would be to perform a factory reset.

This is a last-resort method that will entirely unpair the Orbi satellite from the router, erase the configured Wi-Fi SSIDs and passwords, and prompt you to initialize it.

Here’s how to factory reset your Orbi satellite in easy steps:

1. First, locate the Reset button on the Orbi satellite.
2. Then, verify that the satellite is currently working.
3. Next, acquire a sharp object such as a paperclip.
4. Reach within the reset pinhole for the Reset button.
5. Hold the Reset button continuously for 10 seconds.
6. Release when your Orbi satellite blinks in amber.
7. Wait until the Orbi satellite restarts and is fully reset.

When the reset is over, your Orbi satellite will be reverted to factory settings and will no longer connect to the router automatically.

So, you must undergo the Orbi pairing process from scratch.

Warning: The settings lost after the factory reset cannot be recovered!

How to Pair Satellite to Orbi Router?

If you’ve just reset your Orbi satellite to default settings, you must plug the device near your Orbi router and locate the “Sync” button on the satellite and router.

Then, you must press the “Sync” button on your router first, and within 2 minutes, press the “Sync” button on your Orbi satellite. 

Info: The Orbi satellite will automatically connect to the Orbi router, but if you’ve got a dual-band setup, you may need to repeat the process again.

Quick Recap:

Orbi connected but no internet? Then you must first check your broadband and Wi-Fi connection availability and accessibility.

If everything is working well, the next step is to relocate your satellite closer to the router and perform a factory reset process.

For more Orbi satellite guides, follow our blog!