Cortex connection issues

My Cortex joysticks can connect to the cortex microcontroller through direct USB cable but cannot connect through the vexnet keys, the lights are as follows:

Robot:
Vexnet:Fast orange
Game:Fast orange
Robot:Slow green

Joystick:
Robot: Double red blinks

Software Inspection:
VEXNET Joystick: .\Firmware\JOY_V3_21.BIN
VEX Cortex Master CPU Firmware: .\Firmware\CORTEX_V3_21.BIN
VEX Cortex CPU Firmware: .\Firmware\VEX_Cortex_0912.hex
Firmware Version: 9.12

Has anyone encountered this issue before and have a solution?

Check the VEXnet light. It is the blue light on the VEXnet module. If that isn’t on, your VEXnet key is either not inserted fully or broke.

Both blue lights on the joystick and Cortex were on…ive tried a diff set of keys too, didnt work.