Should You Be Turning Off WiFi at Night?
Summary: There are risks and benefits to turning off WiFi at night or leaving it running. Understand the pros and cons before deciding which is best for your situation.
How Much Power Does a Router Use?
Why do some people insist on turning off or unplugging things when they leave their homes or businesses? Some turn off routers and other appliances to save money on electric bills, while others are concerned about accidental fires from electrical devices.
When it comes to your internet and wireless connection, there is no need to unplug routers. The top few reasons users give for turning off their WiFi connection at the router include these:
- Saving On Electric Bills – How much power does a router use? Very little. Routers are designed to be left on around the clock and draw very little electricity. The total cost of leaving a router powered on 24/7 for a year is around $5.00.
- Network Security – In a general sense, when a connected device is powered down and, therefore, offline, it cannot be attacked by cybercriminals. However, if you power down for the short time that you sleep, you must still be protected and vigilant during the day. Changing a new router's administrative password and enabling encryption is an excellent way to start protecting your WiFi connection. Unfortunately, turning off your WiFi at night offers minimal security benefits.
- Radiation Protection – WiFi signals use a very low power frequency that is not shown to be harmful to humans. There are many other sources of unwanted radiation in our day-to-day activities that, over time, can be a lot more harmful. The bottom line is that there is no evidence that exposure to WiFi signals has any health impacts.
Reasons to STOP Turning Off WiFi at Night
- Device Updates – Major updates take time and often slow you down and get in the way when using your devices. By leaving your WiFi “on” overnight, you can schedule updates for the middle of the night when you are asleep. Also, connected devices such as tablets and cell phones can update overnight if they have a connection.
- No Waiting to Boot Up – Having to wait to boot up a router and then computers and connected devices like printers add additional unnecessary time to your daily productivity. Do not create unwanted obstacles to your productivity.
- Routers Are Designed to Be Left On – You are putting unnecessary wear and tear on the device by powering down and rebooting your router daily. Constant rebooting can burn out your capacitors and power supplies, thereby shortening the router's lifespan.
- Smart Devices Only Operate with WiFi – As soon as you turn your WiFi off, your smart devices, such as light switches, bulbs, plugs, Amazon Alexa, security cameras, video doorbells and other smart appliances, will not function. If at 3 AM you ask Alexa to turn on the light, be prepared to sit in the dark. The Internet of Things (IoT) requires WiFi.
WiFi and Network Connectivity Solutions for Small and Midsized Businesses (SMBs)
SMBs and anyone with a network would benefit from the assistance of a business network IT specialist to help make informed and cost-conscious decisions about routers, firewalls, servers and WiFi options and security. Network specialists can ensure your computer network operates at maximum speed, security and functionality. If network device settings are incorrect or security patching incomplete, network data security is more easily compromised by cybercriminals.
Inadequate network settings and security can lead to data breaches. A breach may result in ongoing costs including: remediation fees, notification fees, lawsuits and legal fees and liability from every record breached. Being proactive with network IT management costs far less than a single cyberattack or data breach. Speak to a small business IT specialist about network connectivity, network security and improved network productivity solutions to reduce risk and ensure peak operation of the network.
A network IT specialist can answer questions about network connectivity and suggest affordable options for your home or company office. They will consider your budget and network traffic needs as well as security and additional features required such as guest networks and connected IoT devices. There is much more to internet connectivity than unplugging routers, resetting devices and changing passwords. Get professional assistance to receive all the benefits and reduce the risks of routers and WiFi.