Are you wondering why the light on your Virgin router is flashing green? I had this issue with one of my Virgin routers, it had a green flashing light and I could not connect to the internet.
It’s very frustrating when your router won’t connect to the internet, leaving all your devices without internet access. After troubleshooting the problem for a few hours, I found a solution that might work for you.
Note: In this case, we’re talking about the power light on the router that is flashing green. The Wi-Fi light should normally flash green when it’s active.
Flashing Green Light on Virgin Router
A flashing green light on a Virgin router indicates the device is downloading and installing a firmware update. It may be stuck in an update loop.
To fix the problem, reset the router by inserting a pin into the factory-reset slot located underneath the hub. Wait at least a full minute for the router to reboot. You do not need to unplug any cables to reset the router.
Factory resetting the router should fix any issues with firmware updates. The router will automatically establish a connection with the servers and the light should stop flashing green.
Bear in mind you will need to reconfigure the router by using the default username and password. Remember, factory resetting a router will remove all of your settings and passwords.
Not sure what the lights on a Virgin Media router mean? Read our Virgin Media Lights explained guide.
How Virgin Media Handles Updates
Virgin Media automatically updates the firmware of routers connected to their network. You cannot manually update the firmware on your router.
Normally, updates take between 5 – 30 minutes to complete. In some cases, the progress can slow to a crawl, and it can take a few hours to finish.
Other Solutions to Blinking Green Light on Virgin Media Router:
Depending on your Virgin Media router, the light could flash green because it can’t connect to the Virgin Media network.
Restart Router
The classic turn-it-off-and-on-again solution. It tends to fix 90% of issues with routers. Just unplug the power cable, wait 30 seconds, and then reconnect the power cable. It might take a minute or two to establish a connection, but you should be back in business.
Resetting a router is not the same as restarting it. Restarting your router won’t remove any settings or data.
Wait Overnight
While it’s frustrating to not have internet access, sometimes these issues will automatically correct themselves after a certain period of time. In many cases, leaving the router on overnight will fix the issue.
You might just need to wait a few hours. There’s a good chance the router is attempting to download an update but the download speed is slow, so it might take a while. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell if progress is being made.
Check for Loose Connections
If the light keeps flashing green, the problem could be that the cables are not properly connected. I would disconnect all the cables and then reconnect them, making sure they’re firmly in place. I would also disconnect the power cable. Make sure the broadband cable is firmly inserted into the hub and secure.
Check Broadband Splitter
Your broadband splitter could be faulty. A splitter separates the broadband signal to a set-top box and a modem, for TV and internet access.
Occasionally splitters can struggle to carry the signals. It’s an easy easy and cheap replacement, there’s no need to call a Virgin Media engineer. You can buy these at almost any hardware store. Here’s a link to a 2-way splitter on Amazon.
Before you buy one, I recommend doing a quick troubleshooting test. What you can do is remove the old splitter and connect your Virgin Media router directly to the original coaxial cable.
If the router stops blinking and shows a solid green light, it means the problem is likely with the splitter. Replacing it with a brand new one should do the trick. Now if the router continues to flash green, the problem lies elsewhere.
Run a Network Test on the Virgin Media Website
To see if Virgin Media can detect your router, you can use their broadband issue detection tool. You can do it from your phone over a cellular network.
To use the tool, enter your Postcode and the last name of the account holder into the form. From there, Virgin Media will attempt to Ping your router, and possibly remotely restart it.
If the tool can detect your router, it means there are no connection issues. In that case, the problem is likely due to your router being stuck on an update loop.
Outage issues reported in your area? There’s likely a malfunction somewhere along the broadband line outside your home. Sometimes cables can be cut or disconnected. Virgin Media technicians will usually be sent out to check all the lines as soon as connection issues are detected. The tool should give you an estimate of when the issues will be resolved.
The Bottom Line
If your Virgin Media router keeps blinking green (and you tried waiting it out) the best solution is to do a full factory reset. Your router probably is stuck on an update loop and resetting it will force it to restart the process.
If it does not fix the issue, the last resort is to make an appointment with Virgin Media for an engineer to take a look.
