Internet Question

[BroadHopper]

If there is cable service at the modem and the power is out, yes there is internet if the modem is on UPS or gennie. Happens a few times to me. I know folks on Consolidated Communications have the same luck.

[jetskier]

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies. I was hoping that ABB had a coherent infrastructure relative to services during a power outage especially given 911 requirements around VoIP.

So, it sounds like internet availability is not coherent and infrastructure may or may not be backed up in their distribution networks.

Without further guidance, I will probably crap shoot by installing a cheap UPS and see if that actually provides some survivability.

Bruce

[JEEPONLY]

Power doesn't go down too often- and maybe only for an hour or so when it does.
I'm still confused how, sometimes, the power will "blink off" for just a few seconds and then come back on- still need to reset clocks! PITA!

Anyway- when the power does goes down, so does the internet.

Good luck!

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by JEEPONLY

I'm still confused how, sometimes, the power will "blink off" for just a few seconds and then come back on- still need to reset clocks! PITA!

I am waiting for all powered clocks to "get smart" and be able to reset themselves from a wifi timebase. I have seen them for businesses where they don't want to go around resetting dozens of clocks after a power outage but I'm not sure if they are available in the home market.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by jeffk

I am waiting for all powered clocks to "get smart" and be able to reset themselves from a wifi timebase. I have seen them for businesses where they don't want to go around resetting dozens of clocks after a power outage but I'm not sure if they are available in the home market.

They've had atomic clocks for years, which set themselves without the need for a complex network, so if it were important I'd think that'd be a much simpler option.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[jeffk]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

They've had atomic clocks for years, which set themselves without the need for a complex network, so if it were important I'd think that'd be a much simpler option.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Most of these clocks use a RADIO signal ("La Crosse technology?") to get their time from. That's great if the radio signal is strong enough where you are, think cell phones and dead areas. I've owned one. It didn't work where I was at the time because the radio signal wasn't strong enough. Plus, the radio signal is often unavailable 24/7. Many systems that use this tech only update at night when the signal is stronger because of atmospheric issues during the day.

BTW, the name of "atomic clock" is a marketing misnomer. A real atomic clock is one that uses a hyper precise time base that "deviates only 1 second in up to 100 million years". La Crosse snazzed up the name because it had better buzz than "Radio clock".

I proposed wi-fi because it is becoming ubiquitous in homes. HOW you get your wifi varies, cable, phone lines, broadband, satellite but almost everyone is getting it somehow. If the clocks all linked to it for their time base, problem solved with no drop out areas. Obviously, if you don't have wifi, you wouldn't buy one of these clocks.

Beyond that, once you have the wifi connection, the clocks can get smarter to tell you things like the day's weather, flag alerts, etc.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by jeffk

Most of these clocks use a RADIO signal ("La Crosse technology?") to get their time from. That's great if the radio signal is strong enough where you are, think cell phones and dead areas. I've owned one. It didn't work where I was at the time because the radio signal wasn't strong enough. Plus, the radio signal is often unavailable 24/7. Many systems that use this tech only update at night when the signal is stronger because of atmospheric issues during the day.

BTW, the name of "atomic clock" is a marketing misnomer. A real atomic clock is one that uses a hyper precise time base that "deviates only 1 second in up to 100 million years". La Crosse snazzed up the name because it had better buzz than "Radio clock".

I proposed wi-fi because it is becoming ubiquitous in homes. HOW you get your wifi varies, cable, phone lines, broadband, satellite but almost everyone is getting it somehow. If the clocks all linked to it for their time base, problem solved with no drop out areas. Obviously, if you don't have wifi, you wouldn't buy one of these clocks.

Beyond that, once you have the wifi connection, the clocks can get smarter to tell you things like the day's weather, flag alerts, etc.

Good point on the signal strength—I've never had an issue, but I suppose an interior office, metal building interference, etc. could affect that.

I still see adding the "extras" as a questionable cost vs. benefit, but I also still wear a watch, so who am I to judge?!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

[DickR]

Originally Posted by jeffk

I am waiting for all powered clocks to "get smart" and be able to reset themselves from a wifi timebase. I have seen them for businesses where they don't want to go around resetting dozens of clocks after a power outage but I'm not sure if they are available in the home market.

We have two bedroom clocks that have 12v battery backup; they never lose time during an outage.

Now as for "smart clocks," how long would it be before they start reporting, on the sly, how often you look at the clock, prompting a conference with the boss? How long before the display of time "briefly" switches to an ad for the product your PC adblocker kept from displaying. Will your bedroom "clock" be able to see you and report all to the (insert gov't acronym here) spooks?

[mswlogo]

Originally Posted by jetskier

Hi all,

Thank you for the replies. I was hoping that ABB had a coherent infrastructure relative to services during a power outage especially given 911 requirements around VoIP.

So, it sounds like internet availability is not coherent and infrastructure may or may not be backed up in their distribution networks.

Without further guidance, I will probably crap shoot by installing a cheap UPS and see if that actually provides some survivability.

Bruce

I’ve had a UPS on our Modem / Router for probably over a decade and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received a call (over VoIP) from my Alarm system telling me we have no power. I’d say more often than not it stayed up. But it has certainly gone down with it too. And occasionally it’s gone down when there was power.

Down in MA we are on Fios. Fios rarely ever goes down.

[panjumbie]

Most cable based Internet systems have a number of active elements along the path from the head end to you. Many are powered by voltage sent down the cable from power supplies fed by the electric utility, others are directly powered by the utility at the equipment location. Many have short-term (hours, usually) battery backup in the power supplies, so they may continue to operate for a while after utility power is lost.

Some cable companies will proactively deploy a generator to important points in their systems to keep them powered in the event of an extended loss of utility power. So it depends, how the system was designed, how well the batteries are maintained, and whether the cable company takes care of its customers in the event of an extended outage.

FIOS and some (but not all) other fiber optic networks have an outside plant that is totally passive, no power required. These are referred to as PON (or passive optical networks). Your ONT and router at home obviously needs power, and may have a UPS or (limited) battery backup. And the "head end" of the fiber system may have a generator backup, or only limited battery backup. Good luck on trying to get a straight answer from the provider. The techs will know, but the sales people will probably promise the world without any facts to back it up.

Historically, at least around here, FIOS and other FTTH systems have had a better record than coax based cable systems when it comes to reliability. No system is even close to perfect, just better.

New 5G systems claiming to provide high bandwidth without a drop to your house will require power at the cell site locations, and given that the "reach" is only about 1000 feet or less, they require many more cell sites in rural or suburban areas than 3 or 4G. Less likelihood that those cells will have anything more than battery backup if that. So a loss of utility power at the cell site probably will wipe them out.