How to keep your electronic devices safe during load shedding
Unfortunately the power outages we had recently can have an influence on your devices as well as your online lives.
So here is a list of tips and tricks to protect your electronic equipment during load shedding.
Stay in-the-know.
Charge all your devices while you have the opportunity, that way you will be able to use your mobile devices in the lights out period. Stay up to date with the load shedding scedules, it better to know when to expect it.
Shut them down.
If possible, make sure all non-essential electronics are shut down before the power cuts, small power surges may wear and tear your equipment.
Invest in a USB power bank (or two).
This is a perfect way to be able to charge your mobile devices, just make sure the power banks are fully charged before the load shedding kicks in.
How about a laptop?
Consider investing in a laptop if you are a PC user with an extended battery. That way you wouldn’t get interrupted while working.
Get a UPS.
A small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) can run your crucial electronics during power cuts. Note that a 600W unit won’t keep your whole PC running for very long, but it could run your ADSL router for several hours, which means you could still get WiFi on your smartphone and tablet during a power outage.
How about some 3G?
Your Telkom exchange could also be affected by load shedding, causing your ADSL line to go down. Your exchange could also be on a different schedule to your home. If you really need to stay connected, consider investing in additional mobile connectivity.
If you have failover.
If your router supports 3G failover and you’ve already opted for the UPS, you could add a USB dongle to the Router and enjoy a truly uninterrupted Internet experience – even if the power and your line go down at the same time. But be careful, Mobile Data is more expensive.
Keep those passwords on-hand.
Keep your ADSL and other Internet passwords in safe place, but close at hand, in case you need to reconfigure your Router if it loses settings.
Know how to reconfigure your Router.
Make sure you know how to reconfigure your Router so you don’t have to pay someone to reconfigure.
What to do when the power is back on:
Be Patient
Don’t turn everything on at once, wait a few minutes before powering your devices, the power might cut out again if there is something wrong with the grid.
Router on the blink?
If your ADSL doesn’t come back on straight away, your exchange may have experienced problems during the power cut. If the ADSL line is syncing (check the lights on your Router), your Router may have lost its settings (your username and password, and possibly Wi-Fi settings too). If this happens, try restarting your Router once. If that doesn’t work, you will have to reconfigure it.
Keep those devices protected.
To reduce physical damage to your Router, you may want to get your hands on a surge protector, available from any good electronics store.
Preparation is key.
Eskom has warned that South Africans may have to learn to live with load shedding over the next couple of years, and being prepared is the best course of action.
You don’t have to stay stuck in the dark. Now you know how to use your internet during the dark times.