Turn off Virgin Router to save electricity?

victor2

cm4ever said:

Funnily enough I've just ditched Virginmedia for BT Fibre Broadband (FTTP).

I always had to have the Virgin router in 'modem mode' so I could use my own router with their service, as my router runs the house network. Now with the BT service, my router plugs directly into the fibre ONT modem - giving me approximately a 10w constant saving no longer having the 'extra' router in circuit, it was the older SuperHub2. The BT ONT modem power usage is miniscule in comparison.

Yes it's just a small but constant power saving - every little helps 

I too have a Virgin router (Hub3) in modem only mode and my own router to get round the useless WiFi on the VM kit. It bugs me a bit that it's using a constant 10W just to feed my router.

Can't get FTTP yet...

FreeBear

SnakePlissken said:

Mstty said:

SnakePlissken said:

Coffeekup said:

I can't go into money savings, as I hear it's miniscule, unless the current price quadruples.
But I been running mine off every night almost for 7 months, no noticeable difference.

Looking back I had more issues years ago when it was plugged in all the time... You'd call up and they would say "unplug it for 30 seconds and it'll be fine" which it was. I used to tell friends and family the same unplug it to re-sync it. 

Years ago they were called old wives tales...
Anyway what's the worst that could happen? You'd be without the internet for 2 days and they'd send you a new router.

Ideally a modern router should be restarted weekly, just like tvs and computers.

Why? What is the benefit of this?

Like a computer they will get sluggish due to memory registers needing refreshed and for some the error  logs cleared etc.

If you cycle your system logs on a daily basis, they shouldn't impact on performance. As for refreshing registers, that happens on every context switch.

Got two computers here that rarely get rebooted. One is currently showing an up time of 79 days, the other, 518 days - Both are not showing any sign of being sluggish and are just as responsive as the day they were last rebooted.

powerful_Rogue

victor2 said:

cm4ever said:

Funnily enough I've just ditched Virginmedia for BT Fibre Broadband (FTTP).

I always had to have the Virgin router in 'modem mode' so I could use my own router with their service, as my router runs the house network. Now with the BT service, my router plugs directly into the fibre ONT modem - giving me approximately a 10w constant saving no longer having the 'extra' router in circuit, it was the older SuperHub2. The BT ONT modem power usage is miniscule in comparison.

Yes it's just a small but constant power saving - every little helps 

I too have a Virgin router (Hub3) in modem only mode and my own router to get round the useless WiFi on the VM kit. It bugs me a bit that it's using a constant 10W just to feed my router.

Can't get FTTP yet...

Try and get yourself a hub 5. Night and day difference compared to the hub 3.

Nebulous2

slight deviation - but my mother was telling me of one of her colleagues (in the early 90s) who used to switch off his radio alarm every morning and then reset it when he went to his bed to save electric.

He was the talk of the workplace..... 

I have good broadband, as I'm close to the cabinet, but my copper wire comes from a pole which serves several houses and is quite old. It can take a long time to sync and on one occasion didn't, requiring some intervention from the provider with a two day break. As a result I try to leave well alone. 

luvchocolate

I've had a series of power failures recently and it's always come back on without any problems. 
Except I didn't check my mobile WiFi which needed reconnect..thankfully got a warning that I had used 80% of data allowance. 

gbhxu

I've always switched off my router on a normal landline when I'm not using it

Not for saving electricity, but for fire safety reasons.

Never had any issues

sandy700

Nebulous2 said:

slight deviation - but my mother was telling me of one of her colleagues (in the early 90s) who used to switch off his radio alarm every morning and then reset it when he went to his bed to save electric.

He was the talk of the workplace..... 

I have good broadband, as I'm close to the cabinet, but my copper wire comes from a pole which serves several houses and is quite old. It can take a long time to sync and on one occasion didn't, requiring some intervention from the provider with a two day break. As a result I try to leave well alone. 

I had a friend that when he got his first LED digital watch, it had a bright red display, used to only put the battery in it when wearing it.

boulderman

I used to turn it off but since getting a CCTV camera with v remote access, it's on 24/7 and worth it. Also the 40C heat it belts out helps with some residual heat in winter

mmmmikey

boulderman said:

I used to turn it off but since getting a CCTV camera with v remote access, it's on 24/7 and worth it. Also the 40C heat it belts out helps with some residual heat in winter

Hi @boulderman not sure if you realised but you responded to a two year old thread But now we're back on the subject, it's quite surprising how much energy this kind of kit uses. My BT Broadband router / WiFi hub used about the same amount of energy as my fridge (about 300wh per day). Not life-changing amounts of money but not insignificant either. Like you I leave mine on 24/7 and it's worth every penny.

QrizB

There are 8760 hours in a (non-leap) year, so every watt of continuous background load is 8.76 kWh/yr, which at current electricity prices is about £2.

So as a rough guide, a 20W router uses £40 of electricity in a year.