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Using PC if power out

Discussion in 'Networking' started by BGBG, Oct 6, 2017.

  1. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    I have verizon internet with a router. Even if have a laptop wouldn't I still need to power up the router to access internet? If so, how do people deal with this? Do they have a battery backup of some sort for the router in case of power outage? I am curious even thoughfrom 1983 to date I have never had a significant power outage and maybe only one that lasted an hour. Still, it COULD occur. I have 3 laptops, 2 that are newer but I do not think the router would work if power out.
     
    BGBG, Oct 6, 2017
    #1
  3. Mart

    Mart Registered Members

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    An Uninterruptible Power Supply can keep computer equipment going for a while if a power cut occurs. At least long enough to save any work and shut down the computer properly. It would also give time to start a generator if you had one. If the router was plugged into the UPS, then it would keep this running for a while too.

    It could depend on you location (housing estate, remote country house etc.) but it might not be worth the trouble of guarding against power cuts. If there is a general power cut in the area, the local Internet distribution box at the end of road might also be affected. I'm not sure if these are powered via the network of cables/wires that run into these boxes from distant centres, or if they rely on local power to keep running. If requiring local power, I don't suppose an auxiliary power supply would be built into them.

    It would be awful to spend money of keeping the power supply to the router going only to find the Internet in the entire area wasn't working because of the power cut.

    Unless vital business interests are involved, I think it might be best to just sit out a power cut. Catch up on the gardening or something. :)
     
    Mart, Oct 7, 2017
    #2
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  4. DSTM (Dougie)

    DSTM (Dougie) Registered Members

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    I just sit the power cuts out. We have many in our Electrical storm season.
    My Computer shop advised me against buying a UPS.
     
    DSTM (Dougie), Oct 7, 2017
    #3
  5. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    Your Fios Optical Network Terminal (ONT) - that box which Verizon installed, probably in your basement - provides your access to the Internet. It's the connection between your router and the Internet. The ONT also provides the connection between your landline phone and Verizon's phone system.

    If you lose power, your ONT will switch to the backup power that Verizon installed. It will shut down the Internet part of the ONT to provide the maximum length of time your landline phone system will work.

    So, even if your router and computer are on a backup system, you will still loose your Internet connection. The only way to keep your Internet connection is to put your ONT on a backup system (other than the battery pack that Verizon provides).
     
    Tony D, Oct 7, 2017
    #4
  6. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    I'm on my 3rd UPS and it is the best one yet. One died so I e-cycled it and the 2nd one is now down in the basement protecting my husband's old desktop computer. It only has 3 or 4 protected plugs and is enough for him.
    Note: I have cable internet access, not from Verizon but from Comcast.

    My newest UPS has 7 protected plugs. I'm able to plug in everything.

    The power was out for 7 hours a few months back. Someone took out 2 electrical poles during a traffic accident. I safely shut down my desktop computer, printer and monitor. To me that is worth it. Rather than trash the Windows system, a nice, safe shutdown keeps everything working smoothly.
    The modem and router still worked so my husband and I were able to use our netbooks on the internet. I shut my netbook down after 3 hours. With just the modem and router on, the UPS can last quite a few hours. I suspect if I powered down the router and plugged one netbook directly into the modem, I'd get more than 3 hours.

    There are a lot of free hotspots now but sometimes I don't want to leave the house to use a hotspot, particularly if the power goes out later at night. The UPS gives me the option to stay in a browse a bit.
     
    plodr, Oct 7, 2017
    #5
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  7. DSTM (Dougie)

    DSTM (Dougie) Registered Members

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    Computers aren't my life. Only part of it.
    Sometimes, it's no big deal if the power goes down for a short time.
    Gives one a chance to reconnect with the rest of the family.
    Most families now have a phone, which they can access he Net, if the power goes down for a time.
     
    DSTM (Dougie), Oct 7, 2017
    #6
    starbuck likes this.
  8. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    We did not. As two seniors in our 70's, we didn't feel the need for a smart phone.
     
    plodr, Oct 8, 2017
    #7
  9. allheart55 (Cindy E)

    allheart55 (Cindy E) Administrator Administrator

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    I, myself only switched to a smart phone about two years ago.
    Up until then, I still had a nine year old Motorola G33 flip phone.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E), Oct 8, 2017
    #8
  10. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    Our two phones are older than that!
    I just got a Samsung J3 Emerge in March so I gave my husband the "newer" old phone, an audiovox flip. He was using an old Nokia.

    Since we are grandfathered in our plan and only pay $80 for a year with the money accruing, we aren't in any hurry to get new phones and plans. We have close to $300 on each phone simply because we don't use them often.
     
    plodr, Oct 9, 2017
    #9
  11. tecknomage

    tecknomage Registered Members

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    Power Supply:
    750w
    DO NOT go to this computer shop again. :nono: Their advice is WRONG and dangerous.
     
    tecknomage, Oct 9, 2017
    #10
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  12. tecknomage

    tecknomage Registered Members

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    Memory:
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    Hard Drive:
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    Graphics Card:
    NVIDIA Corporation GK104 [GeForce GTX 770] 1990mb memory
    Power Supply:
    750w
    You do need to use an UPS. I have AT&T U-verse internet and phone (land-line) and their Modem/Router, and my Win7 Pro 64bit desktop, are connected to an APC 750 UPS. The UPS protects against power surges, dropouts, and outages. Shuts down my desktop if outage lasts more than 5min (my setting).

    CAUTION: UPS only keep power for a limited time, and are meant to keep power to computer systems long enough to safely close/save applications and shutdown. You do not want an UPS on during long power outages because you don't want to drain the battery, in these cases turn the UPS off.
     
    tecknomage, Oct 9, 2017
    #11

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