My life is online. My money is online. My family and friends are online. My life will grind to a halt if I lose my internet connection. Which brings me to the question:
Can I keep My WiFi Internet Connection During Power Outage?
Yes, in a local power outage, you can have your wireless internet at home with a simple battery backup to your modem and wireless router. In a wide power blackout, where your internet provider has no power, you will lose your internet connection even if your modem and router are powered.
I can help you keep your internet connection working in most circumstances, from the simple power outage at your home or block, to a city-wide black-out. Of course, each scenario presents its own challenges, so let’s dive in (I promise to keep it simple). First things first:
How does the internet work inside your home?
Ok. So when you order internet service to your home (sometimes it is part of a TV cable bundle), the company representative comes to your house and hooks a modem. A modem is what connects your house to the internet service provider (ISP).
If you want wireless internet in your home, you will need to hook a wireless router to the modem. Nowadays, many ISP’s give you one device that combines the modem and the wireless router.
If you want your internet to keep working during a power outage, you need to get a power backup for your modem and router. But more on that later.
How does the internet work outside your home?
The internet service provider (ISP) gets the internet to your house through industrial routers, switches, modems, amplifiers, and even wireless communication towers. If any of these components lose power, you will lose your internet connection! But there are ways around this too. Read on.
Modem and Router Power Back-up:
The most likely scenario of a power outage is a local one (over 95% of outages are local). You lose power to your house, your block, or a small part of your neighborhood. Maybe a storm knocked a tree down that damaged power lines. These outages are often restored within hours.
In this case, if you have a battery back-up powering your modem and wireless router, you will not lose your internet connection. Most battery back-ups can run these two devices for a few hours (see the image below for my personal setup). There are many on the market, here is a link to the one I personally own: CyberPower UPS 1500VA/900W
You can also use this device to charge your phone. Keep in mind that if you use it to charge devices, it will reduce the amount of time it will keep your modem and router running.
If you want to take things to the next level, you can buy a power generator, but that is for another article.
How about a city-wide black-out?
If the power outage is widespread, then keeping your internet and home Wifi on is beyond your immediate control. Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have their own power back-up (similar to the one we talked about for your home but on an industrial scale). Many ISPs do not. What can you do? You can’t move to space, right? Well actually you can!
Satellite Internet
Besides your local ISP, there are Satellite Internet providers (for example, in the USA there is HughesNet and Viasat that provide options for consumers.) Satellite Internet providers can transmit directly to your home via dishes installed on your property. Thus, bypassing all the local power grid.
Here is the caveat: Satellite internet is also slow and compared to wired Internet, which is why cable and fiber are far more popular. These services are faster and more reliable, but they are more prone to interruption during local or national disasters.
Satellite internet is widely available in rural areas where it is too expensive for other ISPs to lay down the infrastructure just to reach a few customers. You can have Satellite Internet in your home and have peace of mind that your connection will be on when everyone around you is in trouble.
Dial-up Internet
Rather than go to space via satellite, you can go back in time! If your house has old phone lines, there are still a few companies that provide dial-up access numbers. (for those born in the ’90s, we used to use old phones to hook to the internet very very slowly).
For example, in the USA, NetZero has kept some local access numbers; you can connect with a pc modem (if your computer system still has one.)
Here is the caveat: most phone providers are using the internet to provide you with a phone line. (In the past, most phone companies used phone lines to provide you with the internet.) If you have old phone lines, you are probably OK. If you want to test, wait for a power outage in your area and try the landline phone.
You will need an old fashion modem, phone cord, and a lap-top or power back up for your pc.
Cell Phone-Based Internet & Mobile Hotspots
There are certain scenarios where there is a wide power outage, but your cellular phone still provides data access. Your cell phone –or mobile hotspot- will get its data as long as the cell tower is up and running.
Your Smartphone can be used as a wireless hub, allowing other computer devices to connect to the Internet. This means you’re not limited to the screen of your Smartphone, and you can help others connect. Many Smartphones have a ‘HotSpot’ on/off setting. Many wireless service providers also sell portable mobile hotspot.
Here is my favorite device to help make things easier for your family. It is a small wonder that can act as a portable router (providing WiFi), media sharing, and a USB hard drive: HooToo Wireless Performance
Backup your Important Data!
I am assuming that you want to connect to the internet during a power outage so you can get to your important files, work from home, reach your family, and know what is going on in the world around you. I am assuming that you do not care about Facebook updates and cute YouTube cat videos. That is all perfectly reasonable and in many cases, critical.
Just in case all fails, here is your solid back up plan:
- Periodically backup your important data and files to a hard-drive or thumb-drive at home
- Periodically backup your important work files to a hard-drive or thumb-drive at home (check your company policy regarding data first)
- Have all your family phone numbers (both landlines and cell phones) in an excel sheet. PRINT this sheet and keep it with your emergency supplies (like flashlights, bandaids…etc).
- Get an old fashioned radio, preferably a short wave radio, so you can stay informed during an emergency. I keep an emergency radio that is battery and hand-crank powered in my bedroom. This Kaito KA500 is the radio trusted by the US Army and State Department.
If you need a far reaching reception in a wider (possibly national or global) emergency then a short wave radio is the one to have (make sure you need to keep batteries at hand.) Here is a link to my favorite: Tecsun PL880 Portable Digital PLL Dual Conversion AM/FM, Longwave & Shortwave Radio with SSB Reception
Does Cable Internet work during power outage?
If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has power, all you have to do is power your modem at home (via a generator or a battery backup), and you will have internet. If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has lost power, then your internet will be down.
How to run a modem without electricity?
If your electrical power is down, you have a couple of options to run your modem: either install a battery backup, or a power generator.
Does a landline phone work in a power outage?
Some cell towers have backup generators that provide about five hours of power during an outage. In less than a day, your cell phone becomes useless. Old landline phones generally work during a power outage. This is because older landlines (copper lines) power a landline phone where you do not need an electrical outlet –a wireless phone needs an outlet-. The power companies have backup generators that can run the regular phone line for over a week during a power outage. Older landlines are underground protecting them from storm damage.
One last thing!
So your internet is up, even when the power is down! But is it secure? Most crooks do not come through your front door but through your computer screen! Cybercrime is the main danger in the 21st century. I can help secure your digital life! Check out SecureHomeHero’s Ultimate Layman’s Guide to Online and Computer Security