Asking, “why is my Cox WiFi box blinking orange”? Well, here’s a complete solution guide!
Understanding all LED color codes is critical in resolving underlying issues with the Cox Wi-Fi box.
You can quickly tell what’s wrong with the Cox gateway simply by knowing what the in-built LED light indicator shows and how to address all possible errors individually…
One of the primary reasons for the blinking orange light on your Cox WiFi box is due to an ongoing outage concerning your residential area. When the problem is on your side, the orange light is often related to a failed setup, firmware updates, or a service fault.
Let’s unwrap the details further!
Why is My Cox Internet Box Blinking Orange?
The orange blinking light of the Cox WiFi box indicates a disrupted internet connection.
Cox modems only tend to blink in orange whenever there has been a problem with establishing an internet connection to the external Cox servers.
Well, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem is not in your setup, so inspecting everything that could be involved is recommended.
Let’s keep reading…
Why Cox WiFi Box Keeps Blinking Orange?
Understanding the Cox “WiFi” Box?
The Cox “WiFi” box is an internet gateway that has the functions of a router and a modem combined.
It can emit wireless connection and cover your house with Wi-Fi while connecting with the service outlet simultaneously.
Info: You don’t need external network devices with the Cox Wi-Fi box since it simultaneously functions like a router and modem.
Why is my Cox WiFi Box Blinking Orange – 6 Solutions!
Tip: Follow our steps in a consecutive order!
1. Check for Cox Outages in your Area!
Since, in most cases, the user is not responsible for the occurrence of the orange Cox light, you should identify any potential outages happening at the moment.
If there’s a service problem in your area, Cox will reflect all the necessary information on their online website.
You need a smart device and an internet connection to check for Cox outages!
Follow these instructions to identify ongoing Cox outages:
- Access an internet browser on your phone/PC.
- Next, type “Cox.com” and navigate to the portal.
- Once at the Cox login page, input your details.
- Press on the “Sign In” button and wait for Cox.
- Navigate to “My Account Overview” once signed.
- Press on “Manage My Equipment” from the menu.
- Wait for the Outage Locator to display information.
The outage locator will display all Cox outages reported in the last 24 hours.
Since the real-time location is linked with Cox, location-specific information about ongoing outages will be available on the Cox website.
Note: Cox outages usually last 2-3 hours until resolved!
2. Power Cycle the Cox Wi-Fi Box
The best way to address temporal issues with the Cox Wi-Fi box is to conduct a power cycle on the device.
The power cycle, or soft-reset, is an advanced method to continuously discharge the network device by unplugging it from the power supply.
Follow these instructions to power cycle the Cox Wi-Fi box:
- Unplug the power cable from the back of the Cox device.
- Wait for 60 seconds while the power adapter is unplugged.
- Connect the cable of the Cox box directly to a wall outlet.
- Wait until the Wi-Fi box turns on and check the LED lights.
Info: The power circulation is also helpful against overheating during the warm seasons!
3. Reinstall the Cox Gateway Service
If the Cox WiFi box has failed to decipher the service packets, the orange light will show up to indicate the conversion failure.
An authentic way to address this type of issue is to reconnect the service (coaxial) cable from the back of the Cox Panoramic gateway.
Follow these steps to refresh the service of the Cox WiFi box:
- Locate the service cable coming out of the Cox WiFi box.
- Unplug the Cox coaxial cable from the service wall outlet.
- Disconnect the other end of the line from the Wi-Fi router.
- Wait for 60 seconds while the cable is currently unplugged.
- Reconnect the coaxial cable into the service wall outlet first.
- Finally, plug the other end of the line into the Wi-Fi gateway.
How to Inspect Cox Service Cable?
All damage inflicted on the Cox equipment should be immediately reported to the technical team as soon as possible.
To determine if there’s a fault with the service cable, it is best to unplug it from both ends and thoroughly inspect the plastic cover of the wires.
If there are no visual damages on the plastic cover, inspect the connectors and ensure they are not bent or detached from the plastic body.
Note: If the coaxial cable is damaged, you can purchase a brand new one or contact Cox!
4. Reduce the Cox Network Utilization!
If you’re still wondering why the Cox WiFi box is blinking orange, it could be because there is no bandwidth available.
Sometimes, the orange light of the WiFi box tends to go off if there are too many devices connected or the utilization of the router’s CPU is incredibly overwhelming.
How to View the Cox Network Utilization?
You can view the utilization report from your Cox network through the Cox mobile app or the Cox online website.
Here is a little more clearance on how to reach and view utilization data:
- Set up the Cox app on your mobile and go to “My Account” > “Data Usage.”
- Go to Cox.com, sign in, and navigate to “My Account” > “Data Usage Details.”
The utilization report will include the exact information. You may want to reduce the usage dramatically if the “Data Used” bar is over 95%.
Tips to Reduce Cox Network Utilization?
There are multiple available ways to reduce the usage of network resources!
- Unpair unused devices from the network.
- Stop streaming, downloading, or uploading.
- Check if any of the WiFi devices are updating.
Tip: Check the network usage while attempting to reduce the overall network utilization!
5. Restore the Gateway Initial Settings!
One of the most potent ways to troubleshoot the orange light on your Cox WiFi router is to restore the default settings.
Fortunately, the factory reset is greatly simplified with the Cox Panoramic gateway, as all you have to do is hold the “reset” button on the device’s back!
Alert: The factory reset will erase all your Cox WiFi box settings!
Follow these instructions to factory reset the software of the Cox gateway:
- Locate the small reset pinhole on the Cox WiFi box.
- Use a thin object to reach in and press the reset button.
- Then, hold the reset button for at least 10-15 seconds!
- Release the button after the LED light on the box blinks.
- Wait until the Cox WiFi gateway factory reset completes.
- Then, carry out the web setup of the Cox WiFi gateway.
About the Cox Gateway Factory Reset!
To configure your settings after the factory reset, connect a device to your Cox Panoramic WiFi box and open a web browser.
Then go to “http://192.168.100.1/”, sign in via (admin/password), and configure your wireless network’s SSID and password.
Tip: To initially connect to the default WiFi of your Cox WiFi box, use the credentials imprinted on a sticker at the bottom of the gateway.
6. Request a Replacement Modem!
If the orange light hasn’t gone away until now, it could indicate that the Cox Wi-Fi box is due for a replacement.
When Cox equipment expires, the device may start signifying unusual behavior, such as random indication lights coming on or other functionality problems.
How to Request New Cox Equipment?
- First, navigate to the official Cox website.
- Head to “Residential” > “Special Offers.”
- Press on “Modem Upgrade” from the list.
- After that, Select the blue “Sign In” button.
- Complete the website sign-in process.
- Finally, follow the on-screen instructions.
Info: After receiving the new Wi-Fi box, you must return the old Cox equipment by following the instructions from the email, which will arrive within ten days!
Quick Recap:
The reason why is my Cox WiFi box blinking orange, could be due to a fault with the Cox Wi-Fi box’ settings or an ongoing service outage.
To resolve the orange light, inspect the service cable of the Cox Wi-Fi box and conduct a factory reset using the “reset” button.
Follow us for more Cox troubleshooting guides!
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.