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BT router lights meaning

A steady blue light means your BT Hub is working and you’re online — blue is the healthy colour on every BT Hub. Orange and red are the two to worry about: steady orange usually means the hub is on but has no internet (on the older Home Hub 4 and 5, an orange power light means a fault instead), and red means the hub or your broadband line has a problem. Steady green and flashing orange are normal for the first few minutes while the hub starts up and connects, so give it three minutes before you touch anything.

Last updated: · Written by The NetSorted team

BT Smart Hub 3

The Smart Hub 3 has one status light, and its colours are not the same as the Smart Hub 2’s. BT lists no red state and no purple state at all for this hub, and mobile backup shows as steady white.

Source: BT — What do the lights on my BT Hub mean? — checked 2026-08-02.

  • Light: solid blue

    All good

    All is well — the hub is working and connected to the internet. If a particular device still cannot get online, the problem is with that device rather than the hub.

    What to do

    1. Restart the device you are using. Switch the phone, laptop or tablet off and on again and try again.

  • Light: solid green

    Normal

    The hub is starting up. Leave it be — the light changes on its own once it is ready.

    What to do

    1. Leave the hub to start up. Give it a few minutes without unplugging it.
    2. If it stays green for five minutes or more, check the power adapter. Check you are using the correct power adapter for this hub.
    3. Reboot the hub. Switch the hub off and back on again.

  • Light: flashing orange

    Normal

    The hub is connecting to your broadband. This is a normal step, not a fault.

    What to do

    1. Give it at least three minutes. It should settle to steady blue once it is connected.
    2. If it does not turn blue, check the cable and filter. Check the broadband cable and, if you use one, the filter are plugged in properly.

  • Light: flashing blue

    Normal

    You have pressed WPS and the hub is waiting for you to press the WPS button on the computer or device you are pairing. On this hub BT describes the light on the hub itself flashing blue, rather than a separate WPS light.

    What to do

    1. Press WPS on your device. Press the WPS button on the computer or device you want to connect.

  • Light: solid white

    Needs a look

    The hub is connected to mobile using Hybrid Connect. You are online, but over the mobile network rather than your normal broadband line — so your fixed broadband is not working. Steady white is the Smart Hub 3’s mobile-backup colour. This hub has no purple light at all, so do not go looking for one on advice written for a different BT hub.

    You are online, but over a mobile backup rather than your broadband line, so from the sofa nothing looks broken. The line itself is still down, and nothing starts until you report it.

    Report it to BT — your line is still down

  • Light: solid orange

    Needs a look

    The hub is powered and working, but it has no internet connection.

    What to do

    1. Restart the hub. Switch the hub off and back on again.
    2. Check your activation date. If your broadband is new, check the date it is due to go live — it will not work before then.
    3. Use mobile backup if you have it. Connect Hybrid Connect or Connectivity Backup if you have one of them.

    This light means the hub can’t reach BT’s network. If those steps don’t fix it, the next thing worth knowing is whether it is them or you.

    Check whether BT has an outage

  • Light: off

    Needs a look

    No light at all. Either the hub has no power, or the lights have been turned off in the Hub Manager settings.

    What to do

    1. Check the power. Check the hub is plugged in and switched on.
    2. Check the lights have not been turned off. Check the lights have not been disabled in the Hub Manager settings.

BT Smart Hub 2

The Smart Hub 2 has one main status light on the front, plus a WPS button with its own light.

Source: BT — What do the lights on my BT Hub mean? — checked 2026-08-02.

  • Light: solid blue

    All good

    All is well — the hub is connected to your broadband. If you still cannot get online, the problem is more likely to be the device you are using than the hub.

    What to do

    1. Restart the device you are using. Switch the phone, laptop or tablet off and on again, then try connecting once more.

  • Light: solid green

    Normal

    The hub is starting up. This is normal for the first few minutes after you switch it on, and the light should change to blue on its own.

    What to do

    1. Give it at least three minutes. Leave the hub alone for three minutes or so and watch for the light to turn blue.
    2. Turn the hub off and on again. If it is still green after that, switch the hub off and back on.
    3. Factory reset the hub. If the light still will not turn blue, press the factory reset button with a paperclip.
    4. Contact BT. Get in touch with BT if the problem carries on.

  • Light: flashing orange

    Normal

    The hub is in the middle of connecting to your broadband. Nothing is wrong — this is the normal step between starting up and going online.

    What to do

    1. Allow at least three minutes. The light turns blue once the hub has connected and is ready to use.

  • WPS light: flashing blue

    Normal

    This is the WPS button’s own light, not the hub’s main status light. It flashes blue while the hub waits for you to press the WPS button on the computer or device you want to connect.

    What to do

    1. Press WPS on your device within two minutes. Press the WPS button on the computer or device you are connecting while the light is still flashing.

  • Light: solid orange

    Needs a look

    The hub itself is powered and working, but there is no internet coming through it.

    What to do

    1. Connect a device to the hub. Join the hub by Wi-Fi or plug in with a cable.
    2. Open a browser and follow the help wizard. Open a web browser — BT’s on-screen help wizard will walk you through it.

    This light means the hub can’t reach BT’s network. If those steps don’t fix it, the next thing worth knowing is whether it is them or you.

    Check whether BT has an outage

  • Light: solid purple

    Needs a look

    The hub is online over the EE mobile network using Hybrid Connect, not over your broadband line. You still have internet, but your fixed broadband is not working — so the fault is real and still needs reporting, even though nothing looks broken from the sofa.

    What to do

    1. Report the broadband fault anyway. Mobile backup is keeping you online; it is not a fix. Report the fault the same day — Ofcom’s automatic-compensation clock starts when you report it, not when it broke.

    You are online, but over a mobile backup rather than your broadband line, so from the sofa nothing looks broken. The line itself is still down, and nothing starts until you report it.

    Report it to BT — your line is still down

  • Light: flashing purple

    Needs a look

    The hub is working, but it cannot see your broadband cable. The cable is either unplugged or in the wrong socket.

    What to do

    1. On Full Fibre, check the red-ended cable. The red-ended Ethernet cable should go into the socket marked PORT on the Openreach modem, and into the hub’s red WAN port or yellow Ethernet Port 4 at the other end.
    2. On Fibre (FTTC), check the grey-ended broadband cable. Make sure the grey-ended broadband cable is plugged in properly, and check the filter if you are using one.
    3. Check the hub is set to the right mode. Check the hub is set up in Full Fibre mode.

  • Light: solid red

    Fault

    The hub has found a fault. Red is its general problem light and does not point at one particular cause.

    What to do

    1. Turn the hub off and on again. Use the power button on the hub to switch it off, then back on.
    2. Factory reset the hub. If the light still will not turn blue, press the factory reset button with a paperclip.
    3. Contact BT. Get in touch with BT if the problem carries on.

    BT treats this as a fault, so report it today — not at the weekend. A total loss of service still unfixed two full working days after you report it earns £10.34 for every calendar day it stays broken, and the clock starts when you report.

    What you’re owed if it isn’t fixed

  • Light: off

    Needs a look

    No light at all. Either the hub is not getting power, or the lights have been switched off deliberately in the Hub Manager settings.

    What to do

    1. On Full Fibre, check the Openreach modem first. Make sure the Openreach modem is plugged into the mains and its lights are on.
    2. Check the hub’s power. Check the hub is plugged in and switched on.
    3. Check the lights have not been turned off. Check the lights have not been disabled in the Hub Manager.
    4. Contact BT. Get in touch with BT if there is still no light.

BT Smart Hub and Ultrafast Smart Hub

BT documents the Smart Hub and the Ultrafast Smart Hub together — both have a single main status light on the front, plus a WPS button with its own light, and they share the same colours.

Source: BT — What do the lights on my BT Hub mean? — checked 2026-08-02.

  • Light: solid blue

    All good

    The hub is working fine. If you cannot get online, the problem is most likely the device you are using.

    What to do

    1. Check the device you are using. Turn the phone, laptop or tablet off and back on, then try again.

  • Light: solid green

    Normal

    The hub is starting up. BT says this takes about a minute and a half.

    What to do

    1. Give it a couple of minutes. Leave it to finish starting up before doing anything else.

  • Light: flashing orange

    Normal

    The hub is connecting to your broadband. BT says this takes about 30 seconds.

    What to do

    1. Allow a minute or two. The light turns steady blue once the hub is ready.

  • WPS light: flashing blue

    Normal

    This is the WPS button’s own light, not the hub’s main status light. It flashes blue while the hub waits for you to press the WPS button on your computer or device. You have two minutes to do it.

    What to do

    1. Press WPS on your device within two minutes. Press the WPS button on the computer or device you want to connect.

  • Light: solid orange

    Needs a look

    The hub is working but it is not connected to the internet. BT notes this state lasts about two minutes, so give it a moment before assuming something is broken.

    What to do

    1. Connect a device to the hub. Join the hub by Wi-Fi or plug in with a cable.
    2. Open a browser and follow the help wizard. Open a web browser and follow the on-screen help wizard.

  • Light: flashing purple

    Needs a look

    The hub is working but it is not connected to the internet.

    What to do

    1. Check the broadband cable. Check the broadband cable is plugged in correctly, and the filter too if you need one.
    2. Check your broadband has been activated. A new line will not connect until the day BT switches it on.
    3. Check the service status. Check BT’s service status page for problems in your area.
    4. Report a fault. If you still cannot connect, report a fault to BT.

    This light means the hub can’t reach BT’s network. If those steps don’t fix it, the next thing worth knowing is whether it is them or you.

    Check whether BT has an outage

  • WPS light: flashing red

    Needs a look

    This is the WPS button’s own light, not the hub’s main status light. Flashing red means the WPS pairing attempt did not connect.

    What to do

    1. Wait a couple of minutes and try again. Start the WPS pairing again from the beginning.

  • Light: solid red

    Fault

    There is a problem somewhere. Red is this hub’s general fault light.

    What to do

    1. Turn the hub off and on again. Use the power button on the hub.
    2. Factory reset the hub. If it is still red, press the factory reset button with a paper clip.
    3. Contact BT. Get in touch with BT if it is still not resolved.

    BT treats this as a fault, so report it today — not at the weekend. A total loss of service still unfixed two full working days after you report it earns £10.34 for every calendar day it stays broken, and the clock starts when you report.

    What you’re owed if it isn’t fixed

  • Light: off

    Needs a look

    No light at all. Either no power is reaching the hub, or you have turned the lights off.

    What to do

    1. Check the power button. Check the power button on the hub is switched on.
    2. Check the mains. Check the power supply is plugged in properly at the mains and the socket is switched on.
    3. Contact BT. Get in touch with BT if there is still no light.

BT Home Hub 4 and 5

Unlike the newer hubs, the Home Hub 4 and 5 have three separate lights: a large Power light, plus Broadband and Wireless icons in the silver bar along the bottom. Check which light has changed colour before you follow any steps — orange on the Power light means a fault here, which is the opposite of what orange means on a Smart Hub.

Source: BT — What do the lights on my BT Hub mean? — checked 2026-08-02.

  • Power light: solid blue

    All good

    The hub is working fine.

    What to do

    1. Restart the hub. If you still cannot get online, try restarting the hub.
    2. Check your computer or device settings. Check the settings on the device that cannot connect.

  • Power light: green

    Normal

    The hub is starting up. BT covers both a steady green Power light and a flashing green one here — either way it means the same thing, so do not read anything into which of the two you have.

    What to do

    1. Wait a couple of minutes. The hub is ready when the light stays blue for more than 20 seconds.

  • Power light: solid orange

    Needs a look

    There is a problem somewhere. The Power light does not tell you what — the icons in the silver bar at the bottom of the hub do.

    What to do

    1. Check the icon lights along the bottom. Look at the other lights in the silver bar at the bottom of the hub to see which one is showing the problem.

  • Power light: solid red

    Fault

    You are not connected to broadband.

    What to do

    1. Press the Restart button. Hold the Restart button and let go when the Power light turns orange. The hub restarts, and the Power light should end up steady blue.
    2. Factory reset the hub. If it is still red, press the Reset button with a paper clip and hold it for a few seconds.

    This light means the hub can’t reach BT’s network. If those steps don’t fix it, the next thing worth knowing is whether it is them or you.

    Check whether BT has an outage

  • Power light: off

    Needs a look

    The hub is not receiving power.

    What to do

    1. Check the power switch on the back. Check the power switch on the back of the hub is on.
    2. Check the mains. Make sure the power cable is plugged in properly at the mains and the socket is switched on.

  • Broadband light: solid orange

    Normal

    You are connected to broadband, but your BT account might not be switched on yet. This is what a brand-new line looks like before it goes live.

    What to do

    1. Wait until your line goes live. Wait until after midnight on the day your broadband is due to switch on.

  • Broadband light: solid red

    Needs a look

    The hub tried to log in with the wrong broadband username and password.

    What to do

    1. Factory reset the hub. Press the recessed Reset button with a paper clip and hold it for a few seconds.

  • Broadband light: flashing red

    Fault

    There is a problem with your broadband line itself.

    What to do

    1. Check all the cables. Check every cable is plugged in correctly at both ends.
    2. Check the timing if your line is new. Check it is after midnight on the day your broadband switches on.

    This light means the hub can’t reach BT’s network. If those steps don’t fix it, the next thing worth knowing is whether it is them or you.

    Check whether BT has an outage

  • Wireless light: solid orange

    Needs a look

    Wireless security has been switched off on one or both of your wireless channels, so your Wi-Fi is not protected.

    What to do

    1. Turn wireless security back on. Turn security on in the wireless tab in the Hub Manager.

  • Wireless light: flashing orange

    Normal

    The hub is in WPS automatic connection mode.

    What to do

    1. Connect without typing the passkey. Click the connect button on your computer or adapter — you will not need the pass key. The hub goes back to normal mode after a few minutes.

Still not fixed? What you’re owed

If the light points at a fault on BT’s side, report it today. Under Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme a total loss of service that still isn’t fixed 2 full working days after you report it earns £10.34 for every calendar day it stays broken — and the clock starts when you report it, not when it broke.

Frequently asked questions

What do the lights on a BT router mean?

This page lists every light state BT documents for 4 hub models — 35 states in total — with what each one means and the fix BT gives, where they give one. Identify your model first: colour schemes differ between generations, so the same colour can mean different things on two hubs from the same provider.

How do I know which hub model I have?

It is usually printed on a label on the underside or back of the hub, next to the serial number and Wi-Fi details. If you cannot find it, match the shape and the number of lights against the models below — they are listed with the official page for each, so you can check against BT's own pictures.

My hub light says there is a fault — what do I do?

Work through the steps for your light state below, then restart the hub once, properly: power it off for a full minute and give it up to ten minutes to resync. If it is still wrong after that, check whether BT has an outage before reporting a fault, and report it today either way — the compensation clock starts when you report, not when it broke.

Do I get compensation if my router shows a fault?

Not for the light itself, but for the loss of service behind it. BT is signed up to Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, so a total loss of service that still isn't fixed 2 full working days after you report it earns £10.34 for each calendar day it stays broken. Report the fault promptly and keep the reference.

Sources

Other providers’ hub lights