Gateway Won't Come Online During Installation

Overview

Most gateways come online within a few minutes of being plugged in. When one doesn't, the cause is usually one of three things: the gateway is still finishing its first-time setup, it's plugged into the wrong box or port, or the router is holding it back.

This guide covers them in the order that saves the most time on site. The short version: plug the gateway in first, give a brand-new one up to 15 minutes, restart it once, then call Shipshape support before swapping it.

First: A New Gateway Can Take Up to 15 Minutes

The first time a new gateway powers on, it does more than boot. It checks for a software update, installs it if there is one, and downloads its connection settings for Shipshape. Usually that takes 2 to 5 minutes. Sometimes it takes 15 or more.

While that happens, the gateway can look ready when it isn't:

• The lights on the ethernet port (on the gateway and on the router) only mean the cable is connected. They blink the same way whether or not the gateway has reached Shipshape. Don't read them as "it's working."
• Don't unplug the gateway while it's updating. Cutting power mid-update can make setup start over or get stuck.

Tip for service pros: Plug the gateway into the router and power it on as soon as you arrive, before you start on sensors or appliances. By the time you're ready to add it in the app, its first-time setup is usually done.

If It's Not Online After 15 Minutes

Step 1: Check Where It's Plugged In

The gateway must plug into your router, the box that runs your Wi-Fi, using a regular LAN port.

• If you have a separate modem and router, plug the gateway into the router, never the modem. A modem is usually the box where your internet line comes into the house: a round coax cable (cable internet), a phone line (DSL), or a fiber line. Most modems only give an internet connection to one device, which is the router. A gateway plugged into the modem will usually never come online, even though its lights blink.
• Avoid the port marked WAN or Internet on the router (often yellow or a different color). That's the router's own connection to the modem.
• Mesh Wi-Fi (NETGEAR Orbi, eero, Google Nest Wifi, etc.): use a LAN port on the main unit, the one connected to the modem, not a satellite or extender.

Step 2: Restart the Gateway Once

1. Unplug the gateway's power.
2. Wait 10 seconds.
3. Plug it back in.
4. Wait 5 minutes before checking the app.

Watch the lights when it powers back on. If they come on for a second and then go dark, see "When to Swap the Gateway" below.

Step 3: Make Sure That Port Has Internet

The fastest test: unplug the gateway's ethernet cable and plug it into a laptop. If the laptop gets internet over that cable, the network is fine. If it doesn't, try another LAN port or another cable, then plug the gateway back in and restart it.

If no laptop is handy, check that your phone can browse the web on the home Wi-Fi. If the internet is down, the gateway can't come online until it's back.

Step 4: Check the Router's Security Settings

Most routers let a new wired device online automatically, with no approval needed. Some have settings that block new devices without telling you. Look in the router's app or admin page for:

• NETGEAR Orbi: Settings > Security > Access Control. If "block new devices" is on, allow the gateway or turn the setting off. NETGEAR Armor can also block traffic; try pausing it.
• eero, Google Nest Wifi and other mesh systems: look for a new device waiting for approval, or a security feature that blocks devices.
• MAC address filtering: if it's on, add the gateway's MAC address (printed on its label) to the allowed list.
• Parental controls or device blocking can sometimes catch a new device too.

After any change, restart the gateway (Step 2).

Step 5: Call Shipshape Support Before Swapping

If the gateway is plugged into the right port, the internet works, and it still isn't online, call Shipshape support. Don't swap the gateway yet.

Support can see whether the gateway has reached Shipshape, whether it's still finishing its first-time setup, and can restart it remotely. A remote restart, sometimes two or three, brings most of these gateways online. A gateway that was slow to set up is usually not faulty, so swapping it often just restarts the wait with a new one.

Have this ready:

• The full gateway ID from the label (or at least the last 5 characters)
• Router make and model (for example "Orbi," "eero," or the internet provider's box)
• Internet provider (for example Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, Sonic)
• What the gateway's lights are doing, and how long it has been plugged in
• What you've already tried

When to Swap the Gateway

Swap in a different gateway only if:

• No lights at all, or lights that come on for a second and then go dark, on an outlet you know works, using the gateway's own power adapter. That points to a power or hardware problem.
• Support asks you to after remote restarts haven't worked.

If you swap, tell support the IDs of both gateways so the one you took out can be removed from the home. Otherwise the home keeps showing a gateway that never came online. Keep the removed gateway and let support know you have it. It's often fine and can be checked before it's used again.

Less Common Causes

Router Has Run Out of Addresses

Your router gives each device an address (DHCP). On a network with a lot of devices, it can run out. In the router's admin page, look for the DHCP or connected devices section. Expanding the DHCP range, or disconnecting unused devices, frees up an address for the gateway.

The Router Port Is Disabled

Some routers from internet providers ship with ports disabled or reserved (for example, for a phone line). Try another LAN port and watch for its port light.

Try a Network Switch

If several ports and cables haven't worked, put a small unmanaged network switch between the router and the gateway (router to switch, switch to gateway). This can work around port compatibility problems on some routers. A 5-port switch costs about $15 to $20.

Quick Reference