Here we explain how to program your router to turn itself on and off.
Here we will teach you how to program your router to turn on and off in two different ways. Both methods will help you protect your WiFi network from intruders when you are not at home or save some electricity. Read on to find out the most convenient ways to schedule your router to turn on and off automatically.
Schedule power off and on using the settings panel
The first option we recommend to program the router to turn on is to access its configuration panel. You need to do this by typing the IP address 192.168.0.1 into your browser. If that doesn’t work, try 192.168.1.1. When you are on the login page, enter the appropriate credentials. If you have never changed them, you will find them printed on the back of the device.
Once you enter the configuration panel, look for the corresponding parameter. For example, in ours ZTE router We did not find the option to turn the router on and off automatically. Rather, we have a parental control feature to set a plan for certain devices.
Parental control on ZTE router that you can use to prohibit connection for specific devices
Other routers, for example from Orange and Vodafone, support WiFi connection programming. As a result, the router also does not turn off completely, but only disables the wireless network.
That being said, there are a few observations we need to make about this method:
- Each router’s capabilities vary. We recommend that you enter the router panel and explore all the parameters until you find the most interesting one in your case. Note that you may not always have the ability to control Internet access or automatically turn off the router.
- Turning off WiFi does not save power. Since the device does not turn off completely, the electricity saving is so low that you will not know it in any case.
- Be careful when changing your routine. Scheduling to turn off WiFi can affect the use of your devices if you ever get out of your routine. For example, you can decide that the WiFi should be turned off after 12 am. But what if one day you stay up past midnight watching a series on Netflix? You will have to activate WiFi with the appropriate button or enter the configuration panel, which will undoubtedly be very annoying.
- Change the access password. Just like you accessed the router settings with the key behind the device, anyone else can do this and override the programming. To enter the router panel, it is best to change the login information.
Connect the router to the smart plug
An alternative, if what you are looking for is an automatic full shutdown of the router and you can’t find a way in the configuration panel, is connect it to a smart plug. For this trick to work, you need to turn on your router and activate WiFi. Once you work with the most convenient configuration for your case, unplug it and connect it to the smart plug.
The smart plug is the perfect device to control your router and even turn it off automatically or remotely
Now open the app that controls the socket and create a new schedule. The steps vary depending on the model purchased, as each manufacturer has a different application. In any case, most smart plugs have a scheduling feature.
Choosing this method and discarding the previous method has several advantages:
- The router shuts down completely. We have already seen that although it is possible to apply parental control rules or disconnect WiFi according to a specific schedule, the device remains on. You can actually turn off the router with the smart plug.
- Greater control. The best part is that if at any time the programming conflicts with the activities you do, you can activate it thanks to the brand’s official app. Plus, if you set it up with Alexa or Google Assistant, you can add a voice command like: Alexa, turn off the internet, to disable the router whenever you want. And don’t forget that every smart plug has a manual on/off button.
- Remote shutdown. In line with the above, a smart plug makes it easy for you to turn on and off from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. This will come in handy if you go on vacation and forget to turn off the router.
Benefits of scheduling router power off and on
Automatic shutdown of the router gives you more control over your network and increases security, although the energy savings will be unofficial
Now that you know what you should do to program your router to turn on and off, it’s time to list some of the benefits or uses you can provide for this feature. I’m sure you can come up with some other points, but these are the most important from our point of view:
- Protect from external attacks. If the router is turned off, no one will have access to the network and therefore it will be protected from malicious users.
- Improve network performance. We’ve already explained to you on more than one occasion that rebooting your router is a good idea if you want to get the best performance. By programming it to turn on and off, you’ll enjoy a network with fewer errors because you’ll technically be restarting it more often.
- Parental control. What we have suggested here is a good way to create connection time for the little ones in the house.
- Saving electricity. If you decide on the second option, i.e. controlling the router with a smart plug, saving electricity is guaranteed. Now, it’s likely that you’ll notice little on your electricity bill because the consumption of this device is usually low. Likewise, even when the router stops consuming, the plug remains on to receive orders over WiFi.