topic Re: Disconnecting router in My Router

Disconnecting router

NickyOver — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:15:09 GMT

Should you turn off your router when going away from home for several weeks?

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:17:05 GMT

@NickyOver There is no sensible reason to do this - do you turn off your fridge/freezer?

Re: Disconnecting router

MisterW — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:29:34 GMT

but you NEED the fridge and freezer on, otherwise any food in them will rot. You don't NEED the router on unless you have smart devices which need Internet access while you're away.

I would normally turn it off , together with tv, dect phones etc if going away for a week or more. Anything less than a week is really not worth the effort.

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:33:56 GMT

@MisterW Agreed, but what, apart from a small amount of power, do you save by turning it off? Also, you MAY miss a Hub software upgrade, which MAY cause problems down the line.

I have never turned my connection off in those circumstances, and can't see any benefit in doing so 😀

Re: your edit - Why?

Re: Disconnecting router

Baldrick1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:45:50 GMT

I calculate that a Hub 2 powered 24/7 costs 57p a week in electricity.

Re: Disconnecting router

Baldrick1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:49:10 GMT

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to My Router

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:50:01 GMT

Fair enough, @Baldrick1 , but that figure depends on your electricity tariff.

Re: Disconnecting router

MisterW — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:10:36 GMT

Isn't everyone on the price cap tariff these days ~ 30p/kwh

I have a Smart meter and comparing base load with all devices left on/standby compared with all unnecessary ones off gives about 0.5kwh per day , that's 15p/day saving.

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 17:16:31 GMT

I'm not - Im on a fixed tariff to the end of Feb next year, but off the top don't know the figures. The only thing, apart from the phones and router, left on stand-by is the TV, mainly because it is a pain to get to the power socket.

No smart? meter for me - the current ones don't penetrate stone floors &c.

Re: Disconnecting router

RPMozley — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:30:21 GMT

There’s one good reason to turning off and disconnecting, power surges! Either via power or phone/internet line, most likely caused by lightning strikes.

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:37:07 GMT

OK, @RPMozley - but how often do suffer from them? - I haven't, in the 30+ years I've had a connection at this address.

Re: Disconnecting router

RPMozley — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:51:49 GMT

It’s not a question of how often you suffer from them. You might not have had any in the past but the chance of it happening is still there.
It should be disconnected for safety reasons, much like the TV from the outside aerial or dish, for long extended periods of time away.

Re: Disconnecting router

jab1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:53:51 GMT

So's the chance of getting knocked over crossing a road - but you still do it. 😀

Re: Disconnecting router

RPMozley — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 19:05:31 GMT

Ah, but you don’t cross the road unless you have to.

Re: Disconnecting router

Baldrick1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:04:14 GMT

@RPMozley wrote:
There’s one good reason to turning off and disconnecting, power surges! Either via power or phone/internet line, most likely caused by lightning strikes.

I know that this was the advice in the distant past. However these days there are so many devices that are permanently wired in such policy is no longer practicable.
On the other hand these days surge suppression devices are far more effective and widespread. You can get them to add to your incoming main’s distribution box if you are in a vulnerable location.

Re: Disconnecting router

Protech — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:42:12 GMT

@NickyOver

Simple answer is no , routers are designed to be always on devices.

This especially applies if you have internet based home security and monitoring .