Poll: Home WiFi Use

[Dawg52]

Prior to this thread, it never even occurred to me that turning those things off was an option. I thought they were like refrigerators...you just leave them on all the time.

Same here.

 

[audreyh1]

No option for 24/7? The only time my router goes down is when the power company or ISP takes it down by signal disruption.

Same here - and has been that way for over 10 years. Even in the motorhome.

Even when we leave the house for extended periods. Our security camera can send us emails - it has a hardwired connection, but we just leave everything up.

 

[audreyh1]

24/7

As a few others have mentioned, it's infrastructure. Not unlike electricity in each room.

We even have the main router and cable modem on a UPS. It's fun (and actually useful) to be able to use the internet from a battery operated device when the power goes out in a storm.

+1

We don't ever power down our laptops either - they just sleep.

 

[ERD50]

+1

We don't ever power down our laptops either - they just sleep.

I used to turn my printer off, as I may not use it for days, or even weeks. Then I measured it with my kill-a-watt meter - the sleep mode is so low it wouldn't even register. I figured I was doing more harm with the power-up/down cycle wear and tear than just leaving it on (though that is mechanical), or maybe the power burst from on/off was greater than days worth of idle, so it's on all the time now.

Sorry you were confused...the poll is serving the OP's intended purpose fine thanks. ...

Maybe I'm misreading you here, but that sounds rather rude. IOW, you got what you wanted so the heck with everyone else?

People come here to share/learn. If you provide some background, others can learn from the thread. If all you want is an answer for yourself, think about the Karma effect. JMO. YMMV.

-ERD50

 

[RE2Boys]

When first installed in 2008, we turned the wi-fi on when we booted the household PC about 7 each morning and turned both off about 10 each evening, so 15 hours per day. But now with 10 devices that use wi-fi, ours is on almost 24/7. Our wireless router seems to need re-booting about once a day so off for a few minutes or when we will be leaving the house for more than a day.

 

[Midpack]

Maybe I'm misreading you here, but that sounds rather rude. IOW, you got what you wanted so the heck with everyone else?

No more than your post #15. And no one else objected to my OP/poll that I noticed.

People come here to share/learn. If you provide some background, others can learn from the thread. If all you want is an answer for yourself, think about the Karma effect. JMO. YMMV.

"People" are free to share/learn as they see fit. I provided background in #12 (before your #15) and then an extensive 3rd party view in #16.

Relax...karma indeed.

 

[Alan]

No option for 24/7? The only time my router goes down is when the power company or ISP takes it down by signal disruption.

24/7 here, even when we are away so I can control the DVR. Ours is on a UPS and twice in the last year we have lost power for several hours but with the UPS, iPad, iPod Touch and laptops we have always had internet access.

Note that our U-Verse modem includes wifi so separate wifi router.

 

[Katsmeow]

It never crossed my mind to ever turn it off. I don't even understand why someone would do that.

 

[explanade]

I know someone who has the crackpot idea that Wifi is harmful. So she insists that it be off unless it's needed for iPad and iPhone.

She's in front of the computer for hours at a time. Computer has a wired connection. But there's more electromagnetic radiation being right by the computer than generally having Wifi signals throughout the house.
.
And if it's not your own Wifi, there is Wifi from neighbors, cell phone networks, NSA microwaves, etc.

 

[bld999]

It never crossed my mind to ever turn it off. I don't even understand why someone would do that.

Reboots are often good medicine. Ours goes off with a desktop computer if we are away for several days.

 

[mpeirce]

24/7 here, even when we are away so I can control the DVR.

Just got a software update on our TiVo and can now watch recorded programming from it on my iPhone/iPad while we're away from home.

Obviously need the home network up and running for this to work.

I actually tried this for the first time today to see how it worked. I was sitting in a comfy chair at Nordstrom's, took out my iPhone, and it worked few well using the stores WiFi. I could imagine using this to watch something while we're sitting in a hotel somewhere - if the hotel network is up to snuff.

 

[Ronstar]

On all the time. Comcast cable modem with TV and phone bundle. Apple airport router, 2 iPads, 2 iPhones, Apple TV, 1 desktop, eprinter, sometimes my work laptop. Adding some security cameras. At vacation condo I just use 4g on my iPad

 

[WhoDaresWins]

24/7 here also. I have never heard of turning it off. My son ordered it and set it up for me, and I feel certain he would have said something if having it on all the time was a problem.

 

[meierlde]

If I am going to travel overnight or more I unplug the computers the router and the modem as well as the printer, more to prevent lighting strikes from hurting. Other than that it stays on.

 

[Animorph]

24x7. I designed 11n wireless receivers for the last few years before retiring.

 

[CoolChange]

24x7. I designed 11n wireless receivers for the last few years before retiring.

So...if you were replacing personal equipment in the near future (next few months), would you stick with 11n or go with (possibly wait for) 11ac, 11ad, 11ah or something else?

 

[imoldernu]

If I am going to travel overnight or more I unplug the computers the router and the modem as well as the printer, more to prevent lighting strikes from hurting. Other than that it stays on.

+1 on lightning...
...and, don't trust a surge protector. Last year a nearby strike (didn't even affect the lighting in the house or any other "plugged in" items)...but... right through two surge protectors, and destroyed, main modem, Vonage modem, router, and a Roku.... just under the insurance deductible.

 

[Midpack]

So my cable modem & router are NOW on one power strip/surge protector that will only be turned off when we travel (like we'll actually remember) so 24/7. And the desktop PC and other peripherals are on another PS/SP that'll be turned on/off once or twice a day. Thanks all...

 

[braumeister]

So my cable modem & router are NOW on one power strip/surge protector that will only be turned off when we travel

Until you decide you would like control of your Nest thermostat and security video cameras while you're away.

 

[RunningBum]

So...if you were replacing personal equipment in the near future (next few months), would you stick with 11n or go with (possibly wait for) 11ac, 11ad, 11ah or something else?

To me that depends on how you are using it. If you are just going to the internet, that is the bottleneck, not your wireless speed. If you are doing a lot of file transfers between computers on your home network, or local gaming, a faster wireless might be worthwhile.

 

[aja8888]

If you want to protect against a lightening strike taking out equipment, you better unplug it as just turning it off is not going to be effective.

 

[ERhoosier]

....
I suspect there may be some who already rely on cellular connections at home more than WiFi, we're not there (yet).

Interesting (IMO) related article http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac79/docs/sp/SP_Wi-Fi_Consumers.pdf

IMHO- Cellular connections are not reliable enough in most non-urban areas to completely replace WiFi. I know things are better in the best urban areas, but even in sections of many big suburbs cell coverage is less than stellar. In my suburban home cell signals from 'Big 4' carriers (VZ,ATT, Sprint, TMO) are all marginal (0-2/4 bars), so I generally default to WiFi calling.

Obviously, my router is on (& encrypted) 24/7/365.

 

[Al18]

FYI I just checked the power useage with my P3 Kill-A-Watt. APC 550VA/330W Battery Backup, Motorola SB6121 cable modem, Netgear WNR2000 N Router, Vonage VOIP adaper and a Vtech DECT 6.0 wireless phone consumed a combined total of 20 Watts. That setup won't cost much to run 24/7.

 

[photoguy]

FYI I just checked the power useage with my P3 Kill-A-Watt.

I should get one of these. It will give me another thing that I can track and optimize in spreadsheets.

 

[RetireAge50]

Always on and always being used. 4 people, 4 iPhones, 1 iPad, 1 MacBook Air, 2 desktops, xbox, roku, Apple TV, thermostat.