Ethernet port turns Orange when I put my iMac to sleep

[AZGuy7]

I've had this Netgear Nighthawk X42 AC3200 Wifi Cable Modem Router (Model #C7800) for a little over a year. Its running firmware V6.01.07 (I see no updates available)

I have it directly hooked up to my iMac via the ethernet port. For the past 3 weeks when I put my iMac to sleep the ethernet port light on the modem turns solid orange. Hasn't done that ever.

Figured it was an old computer and I was in the process of buying a new one anyways. Got the new machine and plugged it in. Does the same thing. Turns orange when I put the computer to sleep.

Speed isn't affected at all when its on, or on other devices connected to the modem via the Wifi (iPhone, iPad or Apple TV). All runs fine even when the computer is asleep and its orange.

Why did it just start turning orange? I've restarted it. I've switched ethernet ports on the modem from port #1 to #4.

I called my internet ISP (Cox Cable) and they said its not on their end. The speeds are great. Both when I have the computer on and the light is white. And when it's asleep and the light is orange. 

He suggested I contact Netgear. Maybe the modem is beginning to faulter or they had a firmware update during one evening that changed how it functions. Of course I'm out of the warranty period so I cant get anyone on the phone to ask.

Again, everything is running fine. Should I be concerned about this? My Ethernet cable is a Cat6 Insignia brand and have plugged and unplugged multiple times. I've also tried turning on and off the "Wake for LAN" on my computer. It turns orange either way. (I'm running a new iMac 24" M1 chip, macOS Monterey 12.5)

[plemans]

did you buy a new mac? 

It could be the mac defaulting the port to 10/100mbps connection when its asleep and not full gigabit. 

Orange usually means its connecting at 10/100mbps. 

And wake on lan doesn't take much for data to wake it so if its defaulting to a slow speed until the device is awake, it could be coming from the computer itself. 

[AZGuy7]

I did buy a new iMac. It did it on the old one and the new one.

I assume something is downgrading the speed of the port to 10/100Mbps...but why now after over a year. And is it something I should be concerned about? I have no idea how to change that on my computer if that is the source of it. All I know is the Wake on LAN setting which doesn't seem to affect if its activated or not.

I'm guessing either Netgear or my ISP upgraded settings or something so they see when a connected port is sleeping. Thats all I can think.

[michaelkenward]

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@AZGuy7 wrote:

I've had this Netgear Nighthawk X42 AC3200 Wifi Cable Modem Router (Model #C7800) for a little over a year. Its running firmware V6.01.07 (I see no updates available)

I have it directly hooked up to my iMac via the ethernet port. For the past 3 weeks when I put my iMac to sleep the ethernet port light on the modem turns solid orange. Hasn't done that ever.

The Ethernet port senses he connection and adapts itself accordingly.

For example, plug in a device that has 100 Mbps ethernet ports and the LED will be orange. A 1000 Mbps port shows as green .

In other words, why do you think that the C7800 is responsible for the colour change? Maybe it is your iMac. Perhaps it is being "intelligent" and dropping the LAN's sleep speed. That's just a guess. I use Windows. That certainly has setting for "Sleep" modes.

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Again, everything is running fine. Should I be concerned about this?

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Your call. You might want to check around with the iMac experts to see what they say.

If you do need more help, try the appropriate section, rather than the one for talk about DSL modem/routers.

While many questions about routers are generic and could be answered anywhere, some things need specialist knowledge.

You might get more help, and find earlier questions and answers specific to your device, in the appropriate section for your hardware. That's probably here:

Cable Modems & Routers