There are users who turn off the WiFi router when the day ends or leave the house, but we will explain what is best for you.
Update
To all the excellent information about whether or not to turn off the router, we have added some exceptional cases where it may be convenient to turn it off , since in those situations it could be good not to have it on, although the last word you have it, of course.
Is it good to turn off the router continuously?
This is a question that anyone can ask themselves. If it is true that some people leave it on forever and do not touch it again , there are also those who turn it off so that it consumes less, because they think that this way they will not steal their signal or out of mere habit.
It might be good to turn off the router at least every two months due to the change of IP that the company makes from time to time, to improve the connection or stability of the network, to protect against specific malware… But is it necessary to do it continuously?
The first thing we are going to point out is that obviously the router uses some energy, although very little . According to How-To Geek ‘s calculations , it barely stays at $11.65 per year if it’s always on. A minimal figure compared to some household appliances.
In addition, it must be taken into account that these equipments are prepared to work always and in almost any condition . It is clear that everything ends up spoiling over time, but the routers are very reliable and it is not surprising that some models last for years if they are not touched.
In this topic there is even a debate about whether it is worse for the router the shock, the tension, that the components have when turning it off and on is worse for the router than the one that is always on.
This can lead to the reflection that it is best to keep it on in general, even all day if you want , although it is understandable that there are times when it turns off.
When should it be turned off?
If we have an old WiFi router, it may be good to turn it off from time to time, but the truth is that, if we have a current one, fiber optics, it is not essential to have to make it stop working.
However, there may be exceptional situations for which it is convenient to turn it off.
change IP
As we have already told you before, this may be one of the reasons.
You already know that, if you turn it off for a while, when you return you will have a different IP , so it may be useful in case some website does not let you enter with your old address or due to security issues, malware and others.
Saturation
It is difficult for new routers to become saturated , since they are designed to work with multiple devices at the same time.
But it may be the case, to which we must turn off the router to solve the problem.
Keep in mind that this shutdown will cause all system processes to restart and, therefore, we will make the problems disappear.
Lights
Another reason to turn it off may be that the lights are disturbing at night if the router is in sight.
This can happen if, for whatever reason, someone has to sleep where we have the router placed, either the living room or a room, and the power of the lights, in addition to their continuous blinking, make it impossible for them to fall asleep.
Out of home
If you leave home for a few days, it doesn’t hurt to unplug it, as you will do with almost all electrical appliances .
One of the reasons is energy savings, that is, continuing to pay for electricity for something that you are not going to use is absurd. But another may be as a security measure, to protect your signal from intruders who can take advantage of the fact that we are not here to access the network.
Wear
The last reason may be the wear and tear of a device that is on for 24 hours and 365 days. It may not be bad for you to turn it off from time to time so that you have, let’s say, “a rest”.
This is something that we can do, although today’s WiFi router is prepared to be permanently on , so in theory, it would not be necessary, although it would not hurt either.
Now you must be the one who decides if you want to turn it off or not, since you already have all the data to make a decision.
Source: Computerhoy.com