Keeping internet up at home

[easysurfer]

The plug in rebooter might seem like overkill but will pay off the one time out of town with nobody home to manually do a reboot.

I have several things (router, cable modem, ooma, switch box) that needs rebooting. The rebooting device I use only accepts one outlet. I have one of those extensions that split to accept 4 different things with one plug out.

Without the rebooter, when internet goes down, sometimes my router automatically reboots. Other times, connection is lost and the router doesn't reboot by itself. That's where the rebooter earns its keep .

With the reboots, I haven't seen any issues doing all at once with the extension splitter.

 

[jollystomper]

100Mbps is far more than most people need. I sure wouldn't use that as a reason to 'upgrade'.

As long as it is supported, what more do you need for your purposes?

-ERD50

"Supported" and "function well" is not always the same. It is not just the speed. New modems are more "hardened" where the "must reboot" may never occur. When I upgraded to from an Arris SB6121 to an Arris SB8200 (rated up to 1Gbps for internet) many "quirky" modem related issues just stopped happening. I have never had to reboot after a power drop > 1 hour (anything less than that the UPS keeps things running).

In addition, my ISP as upgraded the speed to our house on a couple of occasions, and it is nice to have a modem support this transparently.

We are not talking about big bucks here, either.

 

[JackJester]

100 Mbps ... that would be heaven. My 5G can be anywhere from 3-40 depending on who knows what. 10 Mpbs is pretty steady though. I use the Ookla speed test site. Bandwidth is still better than the DSL I had for many years. Streaming a netflix movie is no problem, but sporting events like hockey or football using FuboTv can get fuzzy every now and then. Up here in the "mountains" there aren't many options. My neighbor below me is getting 200 Mbps with Verizon 5G but he has direct line of sight to their cell tower and I don't. I have DishNet satellite as well for basic TV, but those F'ers are really pissing me off with their constant disputes and dropping of channels. Right now I don't get CBS; before that it was dispute with Disney/ESPN which they dropped temporarily. And they dropped Root Sports completely. Urgh. Fubo to the rescue. I'd drop DishNet for good if I had better 5G. And I don't have line of sight to Direct TV satellites either. Enough bitching ...I do live in my version of paradise though . Regarding the OP's topic, I plan to order that auto reboot system this weekend. I'm not sure why the 5G gateway box doesn't automatically cause my devices to connect to the Internet when the bandwidth gets better, but it doesn't. Oh, and I have definitely learned how variable cell connection speed can be on a daily basis when you rely on it for your IT.

 

[explanade]

I bought a smart plug.

Connected it to my Wifi and installed app on my phone.

I can power cycle over the Internet.

I didn't plug my cable modem to it, have a fairly recent cable modem, never need to reboot it. Likely if my Internet is down, it's on the providers end.

So I have my Tivo connected to the smart plug.

Also have smart light and bulbs, again control over Internet or set custom timers to automatically go on and off so it would appear there's someone home.

 

[ERD50]

...

Since it's kind of hard to reboot something when you can't connect to it and you're hundreds of miles away, I started thinking about what I might do to preclude this from happening again.

Seems to me that if I put the modem and router on a timer that would shut them off and turn them back on again once a day (like in the middle of the night), that would do the job. ...

I bought a smart plug.

Connected it to my Wifi and installed app on my phone.

I can power cycle over the Internet.

...

Something tells me that's not going to address the OP's problem.

-ERD50

 

[COcheesehead]

We rarely lose the internet, but we have regular power outages. We bought a UPS and that so far has kept the internet and our security cameras running.

 

[youbet]

I don't think that's their sole purpose for having internet. We don't know their other uses. And someone else mentioned what their speed and usage was. I'm just making a general point that some people benefit from having 100Mbps or more speed, online interactive gamers being one of them.

Could be someone running a data center in their basement......... Or perhaps providing Internet service to a large apartment complex next door. There are lots of reasons....... You can never have too much data capacity. My neighbor just had 440V 3 phase installed to support his system. He says he never has to wait for movies to buffer now!

 

[youbet]

Something tells me that's not going to address the OP's problem.

-ERD50

I don't understand. Wouldn't he just use the connection provided by his virtual Internet to reboot and get back to literal Internet?

 

[NW-Bound]

I’ve never had to reboot my routers in decades… but I use professional grade equipment…

Please share your professional-grade equipment. Is it something the public can buy on Amazon?

PS. I have had to upgrade the router several times since my 1st router pre-2000. Can a router made decades ago be current with today's technology?

 

[NW-Bound]

I have 30 bps and that works fine for me. Perhaps if I streamed a lot of 8k TV it might be different.

Wow, where did you get that modem?

Even this acoustic-coupling modem does 110 baud.

PS. This speedy modem will transfer a single frame of 4K video in .... 179 hours or 7-1/2 days.

 

[kgtest]

Whenever I start to have to reboot a router/modem...I replace it and it ALWAYS fixes the issues. Its one piece of tech where if you start to get behind on the latest tech, it bites you.

Dig into how your router varies from the newest tech and you will start to notice the gaps.

 

[youbet]

Whenever I start to have to reboot a router/modem...I replace it and it ALWAYS fixes the issues. Its one piece of tech where if you start to get behind on the latest tech, it bites you.

Dig into how your router varies from the newest tech and you will start to notice the gaps.

My service provider has replaced my rental modem twice over the years. But I've never really understood what changes with the service that the old routers stop doing their thing.

Can you help us understand that? Low tech, please!

 

[YB88]

The plug in rebooter might seem like overkill but will pay off the one time out of town with nobody home to manually do a reboot.

I have several things (router, cable modem, ooma, switch box) that needs rebooting. The rebooting device I use only accepts one outlet. I have one of those extensions that split to accept 4 different things with one plug out.

Without the rebooter, when internet goes down, sometimes my router automatically reboots. Other times, connection is lost and the router doesn't reboot by itself. That's where the rebooter earns its keep .

With the reboots, I haven't seen any issues doing all at once with the extension splitter.

I use something like that too --- just for router and modem for me --- but I instead of a rebooting device, I use a little switch just to make it easier to manually reboot:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B077H73PBW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Given where they're located for me, it's a pain to reach and grope for the power switches for these devices.

I acknowledge the remote issue per the OP, but for me I just have a calendar app reminder to manually reboot these things three times a year, and another reminder twice a year to dig in and and check up on things --- firmware updates, recognizing all the devices on my network, checking various settings and reports my (ASUS) router makes available.

I do agree with the person that said it's worth having reasonably up-to-date gear as well. My wife and I have gone on extended trips and, knock on wood, have never lost internet service while we were gone. I guess if we did I would get one of my sufficiently local offspring to come in and fix things. A remote or automatic reboot option IS appealing, and I appreciate OP's pointer to that device --- despite no problems to date, I'll have a look !

 

[jim584672]

Leave a computer on and attached to the Internet, then you can remote in and see US shows or do banking. A VPN could do the same but this is something you control.

 

[easysurfer]

Leave a computer on and attached to the Internet, then you can remote in and see US shows or do banking. A VPN could do the same but this is something you control.

Perhaps I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time) .

Don't you kind of need the router up and running on the internet to remote into it? Or are you talking about some kind of service not related to the home internet?

Using a smart switches, I can remotely turn my desktop computer on/off as well as a mini pic with a web cam to check in on cats. But the smart switches are paired with my wifi of a working router.

Thus, if I really need to check on the cats, I'm counting on the rebooter do it's trick should my internet drop while I'm away.

 

[kgtest]

Perhaps I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time) .

Don't you kind of need the router up and running on the internet to remote into it? Or are you talking about some kind of service not related to the home internet?

Using a smart switches, I can remotely turn my desktop computer on/off as well as a mini pic with a web cam to check in on cats. But the smart switches are paired with my wifi of a working router.

Thus, if I really need to check on the cats, I'm counting on the rebooter do it's trick should my internet drop while I'm away.

Yeah, if the router is down, the WAN network and all attached devices would be down. For me this is all smart TVs, Laptops, Desktops, SmartPlugs...anything that relies on the WiFi.

 

[skyking1]

I had to replace a similar Arris modem a couple of moths ago. DW works from home and first it was a reboot, then it was down for the count on a work day.
I talked with my ISP's tech support and they said that after about 6 years they all start to get flakey, more often than not. I picked up a replacement from Best Buy and got it provisioned over the phone.

 

[Sunset]

There is one on sale on Amazon for $80 right now. Different brand.

https://www.amazon.com/ezOutlet5-Internet-WiFi-Reboot-Switch/dp/B0861NX6H2/

I think I'll stick a timer on mine, so it reboots each night, will be much better than what I have which is nothing.

 

[ERD50]

My service provider has replaced my rental modem twice over the years. But I've never really understood what changes with the service that the old routers stop doing their thing.

Can you help us understand that? Low tech, please!

How many years? I'm really not very fluent in network details like this, but there have been system changes over the years that either required a new modem, or a new modem would give access to newer features and/or higher speeds from your ISP.

If you are renting the modem, they might replace it automatically, in order to tempt you to pay for the faster speed that they can offer with the new modem.

But in my previous home, I used the same budget priced router (not modem, but similar tech) for likely over a decade, also set the same units up for family members, and never had to replace one.

I do recall my SIL insisted we had to get a new modem for her Mother (my MIL) in her assisted living place. It would be provided by the ISP, but still a little work to change out. When I took a closer look at the letter, I realized it was only "required" to get the new faster speeds. She had no need for anything faster, I just left the old in place, never a problem in the following years.

-ERD50

 

[youbet]

How many years? I'm really not very fluent in network details like this, but there have been system changes over the years that either required a new modem, or a new modem would give access to newer features and/or higher speeds from your ISP.

If you are renting the modem, they might replace it automatically, in order to tempt you to pay for the faster speed that they can offer with the new modem.

But in my previous home, I used the same budget priced router (not modem, but similar tech) for likely over a decade, also set the same units up for family members, and never had to replace one.

I do recall my SIL insisted we had to get a new modem for her Mother (my MIL) in her assisted living place. It would be provided by the ISP, but still a little work to change out. When I took a closer look at the letter, I realized it was only "required" to get the new faster speeds. She had no need for anything faster, I just left the old in place, never a problem in the following years.

-ERD50

Yeah, that all makes sense. But, more specifically, what I'm wondering is what changes (firmware, software, hardware, whatever-ware) that causes the need for re-booting the modem? What is brought up to date by getting a new modem? The modem isn't broken or defective. It just one day needs to be regularly rebooted because it's "old." And getting a new modem fixes that?

Or is it just a non-technical "they get flaky" as skyking1 said in post #42?

 

[YB88]

But, more specifically, what I'm wondering is what changes (firmware, software, hardware, whatever-ware) that causes the need for re-booting the modem? What is brought up to date by getting a new modem? The modem isn't broken or defective. It just one day needs to be regularly rebooted because it's "old." And getting a new modem fixes that?

Or is it just a non-technical "they get flaky" as skyking1 said in post #42?

For me, these are two different issues. One is that after a few years I'm inclined to replace my router because a lot of changes have been coming to the technology and more are on the drawing board. Some of these are worth it for me --- my wi-fi is stronger, faster, and more reliable than it was with a previous router for example.


The rebooting issue is separate for me and isn't tied to the age of the router. It's just a recognition that for any such collection of hardware, firmware, and software is bound to have some bugs. There is this naive feeling that some have that such a device can be built and deployed entirely free of the slightest flaw, but with complicated hardware/software like this that just isn't true. You want a device that is *relatively* bug free, but for a device like a router that's in service 24 hours per day year round, it's good IMO once in a while to force it to restart from a clean state now and then.

 

[Al18]

I would make sure the cable modem and router are plugged into a battery backup UPS. A 250W model by APC costs about $55 and will run both devices for about 30 minutes on battery. Secondly, if the cable modem is more than 5 years old I would replace it. Electricity surges caused by lightening strikes in the area can shorten the life of these devices.

 

[jim584672]

I don't think the problem is your equipment. When I had a cable modem it was nothing but problems, switched to fiber and no problems now.

 

[skyking1]

I've worn out 3 cable modems over the last 25 years. None of them had to be changed due to a change in technology or protocols, they flat wore out to the point of being unreliable.
I had an xfiniti box in the middle of that period that we did not have long enough to matter.
Once it gets to about 5 years old I will be looking at it with a jaundiced eye, and that goes for the routers too.

 

[YB88]

Opposite experience for me, I've had two cable modems I think (?), and did change to the one I have now only because Xfinity changed tech such that I had to upgrade to (meaning in my case 'buy') a new modem. And my 'new' modem is a few years old now. I can't recall a problem with either of them.

Another case of YMMV I guess. Worth keeping in mind for me now that the modem could be an issue too at some point.
This phenomenon can of course occur with various hardware. I worked for a company some years ago that got a lot IBM AT computers (80286 processor) with hard disks that became renown for having problems, but I never had a problem with mine while those of colleagues were dropping like flies. Perhaps it was just my good nature and clean living ...