![]() Give some thought to buying a mobile broadband device if you’re concerned that you may need to use tethered laptops during a power outage.Consider purchasing a UPS if your work is critical it can also help in cases of brownouts which may cause a loss of data.Have your laptop charged, and if you absolutely must have it working, invest in - and keep charged - extra batteries for it as well.Amazon is a good source for many varieties of these. These are relatively inexpensive, so you can have two or three, and they will restore your phone to a 100% charge via a USB cable in a fairly short time. Have on hand, and have charged and ready, outboard batteries for your smartphone.When the lights go out, it’s not the time to consider your options. You can always leave your home and go to a cafe or library that offers public Wi-Fi in order to stay online. This option can be used long-term, but it will drain your phone’s battery with constant use and you’re using data, not Wi-Fi, so if your plan isn’t unlimited, you could face an enormous bill. You need a cell phone plan that comes with hotspot coverage to use it to power your computer or laptop during a short power outage. There is a warning light to tell you when the battery needs replacing.Īnother option to get power to your devices is to use a hotspot, which tethers your computer to your phone. You do need to have your computer or laptop plugged into the UPS unit and maintain its battery. UPS units also protect your equipment from power surges, often absorbing any voltage irregularities without you even realizing it. If the power is out longer than the battery life of the UPS, you have time to properly save your work and shut down your device. Businesses may invest in heavier-use UPS units that can power computers for much longer.įor your home use, a UPS can keep you from losing your work or forcing a hard shutdown due to a sudden power outage. Basically, it is a battery backup that can give your device power for up to 15 minutes or so and can cost anywhere from $50 to $250. Fixes for a short-term power outageĪ smart solution for anyone on their computer for work or school would be to invest in an uninterruptible power supply, commonly called a UPS. The device itself will run you about $100 to buy outright or can be billed monthly. Other wireless services, like AT&T, also offer them. You can buy a prepaid plan with Verizon, for example, for its 4G LTE Jetpack. This works like tethering, but instead of using your phone, a dedicated device gives you a connection via a mobile signal. A major consideration here is the output of the generator which may also have to supply other household appliances, such as a refrigerator or hot water heater. Fixes for a long-term power outageĮxtended blackouts may mean you’ll need a generator, which, if you have enough fuel, could, theoretically, keep you going indefinitely. The viable solutions depend on the length of the service disruption. Sometimes overlooked: the TV or monitor needs juice too, and it can be a real power hog.Ĭlearly, when the electric company fails, your online activities can be heavily impacted, too. Laptops with charged batteries will work, as will tablets and smartphones, so long as the cell towers to which they connect have power. ![]() Now we come to the stuff people usually think about: the computer, printer, speakers, gaming console and so on. Satellite internet will not be affected, nor will dial-up connections.Īssuming your home is still connected to the internet, the next link is your modem, which needs power, followed by the Wi-Fi router, which also requires juice. ![]() Internet service delivered by DSL will usually still work. ![]() Other technology along the line is usually - but not always - backed-up by batteries. Internet delivered via cable or fiber should, in most cases, be available, because even if your internet service provider (ISP) suffers a power outage, they have backup generators. In our interconnected world, however, we demand more than light. At home, a disruption in the power supply used to mean lighting of candles (no longer recommended in any case, due to the risk of fire), turning on flashlights, opening or closing windows and waiting it out. ![]()
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