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Router Lights

melbury
melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
I have a Netgear router which I leave on at all times.

Does anyone know which lights should stay on when the computer is switched off?

Last night all four were on showing green and I can't remember if the internet one is supposed to go red when the computer is off. It seemed a bit strange to me, so I switched the router off.

I know this probably sounds a completely mental question, but can hackers get into your computer via a router?

I just worry about things like this:o
Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

«1

Comments

  • googler
    googler Posts: 16,103 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Hackers can't get at your computer if it's switched off, if that's what you mean.

    Your router can't store up 'hacker commands' for when you next switch the PC on.
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    googler wrote: »
    Hackers can't get at your computer if it's switched off, if that's what you mean.

    Your router can't store up 'hacker commands' for when you next switch the PC on.

    Thanks for the reassurance, I know I have some crazy ideas about computers, which probably stems from not knowing much about them:o

    Do you know which router lights should be on all the time? Also, is it a good idea to switch the router off each night?
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 28 April 2013 at 11:31AM
    Routers should be left on 24/7, if you switch them off and on regularly you may trigger the line management software that will retrain your link over a couple of weeks.

    If the router is on and your PC (wired is off) then you should just have the internet, wireless and mains lights on. The Ethernet lights will probably be off, unless the link is not shut down when the PC is switched off but still plugged in.
    http://documentation.netgear.com/dg834g/enu/208-10033-01/DG834Gv3-2-03.html
    Is it like this one?
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • andrewjf
    andrewjf Posts: 285 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    melbury wrote: »
    Thanks for the reassurance, I know I have some crazy ideas about computers, which probably stems from not knowing much about them:o

    Do you know which router lights should be on all the time? Also, is it a good idea to switch the router off each night?

    I have a Netgear router. When I put a connected computer into sleep mode, then the led on that port goes to red. If I disconnect the cable, then the led goes off.
    All other led indicators (power, WAN etc) stay green.
  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.
    Ed Balls Ed Balls "Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls"
    Ed Balls Ed Balls!
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.

    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    penrhyn wrote: »
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.
    Ed Balls Ed Balls "Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls"
    Ed Balls Ed Balls!
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls,
    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.

    Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls.

    Pardon? Don't get it!:(
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    penrhyn wrote: »
    Routers should be left on 24/7, if you switch them off and on regularly you may trigger the line management software that will retrain your link over a couple of weeks.

    If the router is on and your PC (wired is off) then you should just have the internet, wireless and mains lights on. The Ethernet lights will probably be off, unless the link is not shut down when the PC is switched off but still plugged in.
    http://documentation.netgear.com/dg834g/enu/208-10033-01/DG834Gv3-2-03.html
    Is it like this one?

    No, it is this one:

    http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/networking/networking/bt-wireless-routers/netgear-dgn1000-n150-wireless-adsl-router-03701125-pdt.html?srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~Networking~03701125&istCompanyId=9a35962d-802d-4e67-9721-0a3328ca1f02&istItemId=mrpwwtl&istBid=t&ef_id=UJLJbAAAWQxqIFgS:20130428122850:s


    I never use wireless, so computer is always connected via one of the ports.
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • penrhyn
    penrhyn Posts: 15,215 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Similar then, the Ed Balls on your router are much the Ed Balls on the one I Ed Balled earlier I'll Ed Balls another Ed Balls Ed Balls Ed Balls ..............................................



    http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/DGN1000/DGN1000_SM_15Oct09.pdf

    Table one shows the indicators.
    That gum you like is coming back in style.
  • closed
    closed Posts: 10,886 Forumite
    edited 28 April 2013 at 2:00PM
    just switch it off when not using it.

    usually, the power light, the dsl and internet connection light will stay on

    the ports 1,2,3,4 light will be on, when a powered machine is connected to the port, off when not

    the wireless light may be on if it's enabled in the router config - if you aren't using wireless either turn it off in router config, or make sure it's encrypted
    !!
    > . !!!! ----> .
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    closed wrote: »
    just switch it off when not using it.

    usually, the power light, the dsl and internet connection light will stay on

    the ports 1,2,3,4 light will be on, when a powered machine is connected to the port, off when not

    the wireless light may be on if it's enabled in the router config.

    Thanks Closed, so it will be OK to just switch it off every night?

    Another poster said it could cause problems with something.

    The wireless light had always been on in the past, but I discovered how to switch it off, so now it is four green lights when online - one on the far left and then three in a row!
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

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