AIProtection and Shuting down with PowerStrip

[Hexenhammer]

Hey,
1) is it recommended to have AIProtection on or off, can it affect the internet speeds?
2) Does it hurt ASUS routers if I turn it off overnight by using a button on my powerstrip and not the router?
Im used to this process and been doing for years with all my network hardware, never had any issues, except Mikrotik routers cursing in a log about power-loss, this process also helps me solve many issues people have with routers like slowdown overtime and such things that reboot can fix.

Thanks in advance.

 

[L&LD]

1) If you want (some) protection, AiProtection is helpful, but note that your surfing requests will be 'seen' by TrendMicro (they provide the 'protection' infrastructure.

2) Any device that is power-cycled regularly for no reason will be 'hurt' more than one that is let to just run. A reboot is less harmful than a shutdown because the components don't normally cool off significantly during the quick reboot.

If you have issues that a regular reboot solves, you should instead solve the main problem and not the symptom(s).

Not only would I not suggest to use a power strip on a router, but I would also suggest using a UPS instead to not only keep the router powered up, but also protect it from blackouts and brownouts too. This is easily the best way to keep the router and its internal components as healthy and usable for the longest time.

Any other reason you're turning the network off each night?

 

[OzarkEdge]

Hey,
1) is it recommended to have AIProtection on or off, can it affect the internet speeds?
2) Does it hurt ASUS routers if I turn it off overnight by using a button on my powerstrip and not the router?
Im used to this process and been doing for years with all my network hardware, never had any issues, except Mikrotik routers cursing in a log about power-loss, this process also helps me solve many issues people have with routers like slowdown overtime and such things that reboot can fix.

Thanks in advance.

AiProtection is your option... you might benefit from the filtering and probably won't notice any speed issues.

Crashing your network and client communications is not recommended. You don't know what communications might be in progress when you throw the switch... why risk upsetting some process you are unaware of.

OE

 

[Hexenhammer]

1) If you want (some) protection, AiProtection is helpful, but note that your surfing requests will be 'seen' by TrendMicro (they provide the 'protection' infrastructure.

2) Any device that is power-cycled regularly for no reason will be 'hurt' more than one that is let to just run. A reboot is less harmful than a shutdown because the components don't normally cool off significantly during the quick reboot.

If you have issues that a regular reboot solves, you should instead solve the main problem and not the symptom(s).

Not only would I not suggest to use a power strip on a router, but I would also suggest using a UPS instead to not only keep the router powered up, but also protect it from blackouts and brownouts too. This is easily the best way to keep the router and its internal components as healthy and usable for the longest time.

Any other reason you're turning the network off each night?

HI,
I like the small UPS suggestion, the RT-AX89X is the most expensive network gear I ever owned.

My power strip has whats its called in English, small glass tube something, that burns up when electrical shock happens, also the power strip is plugged into surge protector, I have surge protectors on all wall sockets in the apartment just in case.

Right now this router is single network device that I use, it saved me from using 3 devices


The reason I turn off the network at night
1) Its in my room where I sleep, dont want any blinking lights
2) Im not a Tin Foil Hat nutjob, but I kinda feel better/safer sleeping with WiFi off
3) I turn off my PC at night so i turn off the router
4) I get a new IP in the morning
5) Im paranoid about staying without the Internet and if I use the Router power switch every day it might break eventually and I wont be able to turn on the router back on, kinda stupid I know LOL
6) Im online since 1996, and always hear people complain that they have network slowdowns after they kept their router on for weeks, or some other issue of sort that happens when you keep your network hardware on for long periods,
I never had such issues, so I assume its because I reboot every night.

Is there any real difference between using the power strip to turn off and using the Power button on the router?

P.S. Is there any tricks to block ads from the Router itself using some settings? Im on offical firmware

 

[L&LD]

1) Black tape.
2) Press the WiFi on/off button on the router before bedtime.
3) Same idea as the router. No reason to turn it off (it actually will do its own thing when you're away).
4) Won't fool anyone tracking you.
5) A good reason to not power-cycle it daily and make it go into a warm/cool/cold cycle that will further a possible chance of 'harm' from the soldered joints.
6) Things have changed!

No difference how you're 'crashing' your router. Not recommended.

P.S. You would want a router with RMerlin firmware on it for amtm (Entware and the available scripts) and for Diversion too (ad blocker).

HTH.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I like the small UPS suggestion

A redeeming feature of using a UPS is that it spares the connected electronics from unnecessary power/thermo cycles. If you switch OFF your router every night, you will negate this benefit and value of using an uninterruptable power supply.

OE

 

[Hawk]

HI,
I like the small UPS suggestion, the RT-AX89X is the most expensive network gear I ever owned.

My power strip has whats its called in English, small glass tube something, that burns up when electrical shock happens, also the power strip is plugged into surge protector, I have surge protectors on all wall sockets in the apartment just in case.

Right now this router is single network device that I use, it saved me from using 3 devices


The reason I turn off the network at night
1) Its in my room where I sleep, dont want any blinking lights
2) Im not a Tin Foil Hat nutjob, but I kinda feel better/safer sleeping with WiFi off
3) I turn off my PC at night so i turn off the router
4) I get a new IP in the morning
5) Im paranoid about staying without the Internet and if I use the Router power switch every day it might break eventually and I wont be able to turn on the router back on, kinda stupid I know LOL
6) Im online since 1996, and always hear people complain that they have network slowdowns after they kept their router on for weeks, or some other issue of sort that happens when you keep your network hardware on for long periods,
I never had such issues, so I assume its because I reboot every night.

Is there any real difference between using the power strip to turn off and using the Power button on the router?

P.S. Is there any tricks to block ads from the Router itself using some settings? Im on offical firmware

If you really need to turn of blinking lights, use merlin firmware one of the features it has that router could be switched to stealth mode. It will turn of all lights while allowing router to stay functional. Regarding wifi you can use wireless scheduler in professional tab, it will turn off wifi and on at certain times specified by you, plus you can control 2.4 and 5 Ghz separately which I find to be more flexible.

 

[alba666]

UPS highly recommend. I’ve been using APC 1500 units for years. Also makes for a handy table to put stuff it is powering so you can play with optimal location for WiFi. I have my AX92U, cable modem & small WD NAS on top of mine.

 

[Hexenhammer]

If you really need to turn of blinking lights, use merlin firmware one of the features it has that router could be switched to stealth mode. It will turn of all lights while allowing router to stay functional. Regarding wifi you can use wireless scheduler in professional tab, it will turn off wifi and on at certain times specified by you, plus you can control 2.4 and 5 Ghz separately which I find to be more flexible.

This router has no Merlin but apparently it has face button for that, it has 3 face buttons, WPS, Turn off leds and turn off wifi

 

[Hexenhammer]

A redeeming feature of using a UPS is that it spares the connected electronics from unnecessary power/thermo cycles. If you switch OFF your router every night, you will negate this benefit and value of using an uninterruptable power supply.

OE

I wonder if this was researched and how its relevant to modern electronics.
Everyone turns on and off their TV without thinking twice, Cable/Stalite TV boxes [that get rather hot to the touch], music electronics, Receivers, HDMI splitters, game consoles, air conditioners and so on.
So why Routers? From my personal experience right about when we quit using dial-up and moved to 128Kb DSL packages, i turned off my modems, routers every night, so thats about 20-22 years of doing it every single day of my life.
And I only had 2 network devices broke down on me, both in the same day due to lighting coming from Cable modem side trough the cable [not the wall plug] and it fryed the Cable modem and from it traveled to my router and fried the router Switch [Now with Fiber it cant happen], and it happened at night when i was still awake.
If I was sleeping and turned it off, i could of saved them.

 

[dosborne]

I have my AX92U, cable modem & small WD NAS on top of mine

Just watch out for heat issues. I have one of mine in a relatively enclosed space and another that is against the side of a cabinet. They get pretty hot. As the weather here was really hot the last few days, I;m sure this is what killed my batteries. Just had to order a new set for both of them this week.

I wonder if this was researched and how its relevant to modern electronics.

As a former hardware engineer, properly designed electronics do not suffer the hardship of this sort of thing. Not like 20+ years ago. Poorly designed or products that use low quality components however do, rarely, suffer. For example, the overheating issue that melted the switch on the RT-N66U. Generally speaking though, it is essentially a myth these days that likely will perpetuate for many years to come. Like you, I turned everything off at night. I like the idea or a clean start daily and used an electronic timer to turn everything off (4x PCs, 8x modems, etc) for a minute (smallest time interval). However now that all my important equipment has am option to schedule a reboot, I prefer a "soft" boot over a "hard" boot.

The only issues I've had with a hard boot go way back to Novel Netware servers. *THOSE* servers you never wanted to shut down as it seemed 50/50 if they would boot back up. Netware beat up pretty bad on the hard drives and sometimes they would refuse to spin up.

Rule of thumb: If it has moving parts (Hard disk or fan)- likely better off leaving it running all the time. If it doesn't have moving parts then you probably aren't doing any damage powering off/on.

If I was sleeping and turned it off, i could of saved them.

Maybe I've seen (at work) equipment fry in a lightning storm when the surge jumped across the terminals in the power supply even though it was all "off". I used to laugh at my parents when they would unplug the TV during a storm. Once in a while I find myself doing just that.

 

[adampk17]

I wonder if this was researched and how its relevant to modern electronics.
Everyone turns on and off their TV without thinking twice, Cable/Stalite TV boxes [that get rather hot to the touch], music electronics, Receivers, HDMI splitters, game consoles, air conditioners and so on.
So why Routers? From my personal experience right about when we quit using dial-up and moved to 128Kb DSL packages, i turned off my modems, routers every night, so thats about 20-22 years of doing it every single day of my life.
And I only had 2 network devices broke down on me, both in the same day due to lighting coming from Cable modem side trough the cable [not the wall plug] and it fryed the Cable modem and from it traveled to my router and fried the router Switch [Now with Fiber it cant happen], and it happened at night when i was still awake.
If I was sleeping and turned it off, i could of saved them.

My own opinion on the matter would be less concern about heat and expansion/contraction but about devices that use storage and file systems, like routers. A unexpected shutdown can leave the file system in a corrupt state.

 

[dosborne]

My own opinion on the matter would be less concern about heat and expansion/contraction but about devices that use storage and file systems, like routers. A unexpected shutdown can leave the file system in a corrupt state.

If you are using it for its original intended purpose without a USB stick/drive or 3rd party scripts that maintain databases, etc, then these devices are designed to be turned off and on without issues as you describe. No router manufacturer that I am aware of requires or suggests that you log in and shut it down before powering it off (at least not in the SOHO market). A NAS or Windows PC is a different story

 

[adampk17]

If you are using it for its original intended purpose without a USB stick/drive or 3rd party scripts that maintain databases, etc, then these devices are designed to be turned off and on without issues as you describe. No router manufacturer that I am aware of requires or suggests that you log in and shut it down before powering it off (at least not in the SOHO market). A NAS or Windows PC is a different story

Is it not possible that the power switch ON the device is different than simply yanking the cord from the wall, which is what turning off a power strip is essentially doing.

 

[Hexenhammer]

Just watch out for heat issues. I have one of mine in a relatively enclosed space and another that is against the side of a cabinet. They get pretty hot. As the weather here was really hot the last few days, I;m sure this is what killed my batteries. Just had to order a new set for both of them this week.


As a former hardware engineer, properly designed electronics do not suffer the hardship of this sort of thing. Not like 20+ years ago. Poorly designed or products that use low quality components however do, rarely, suffer. For example, the overheating issue that melted the switch on the RT-N66U. Generally speaking though, it is essentially a myth these days that likely will perpetuate for many years to come. Like you, I turned everything off at night. I like the idea or a clean start daily and used an electronic timer to turn everything off (4x PCs, 8x modems, etc) for a minute (smallest time interval). However now that all my important equipment has am option to schedule a reboot, I prefer a "soft" boot over a "hard" boot.

The only issues I've had with a hard boot go way back to Novel Netware servers. *THOSE* servers you never wanted to shut down as it seemed 50/50 if they would boot back up. Netware beat up pretty bad on the hard drives and sometimes they would refuse to spin up.

Rule of thumb: If it has moving parts (Hard disk or fan)- likely better off leaving it running all the time. If it doesn't have moving parts then you probably aren't doing any damage powering off/on.

the RT-AX89X has a small fan inside, but its shouldn't be a serious obstacle.

Maybe I've seen (at work) equipment fry in a lightning storm when the surge jumped across the terminals in the power supply even though it was all "off". I used to laugh at my parents when they would unplug the TV during a storm. Once in a while I find myself doing just that.

Im paranoid about that, so all my electric devices are protected, every electrical socket has surge protector plugged in, so it was extremely annoying that I got hit with a surge coming from another route.
And network devices connected to the surge protector trough power strip that has an on/off button, so its completely cut from the electricity.

 

[OzarkEdge]

I wonder if this was researched and how its relevant to modern electronics.
Everyone turns on and off their TV without thinking twice, Cable/Stalite TV boxes [that get rather hot to the touch], music electronics, Receivers, HDMI splitters, game consoles, air conditioners and so on.
So why Routers? From my personal experience right about when we quit using dial-up and moved to 128Kb DSL packages, i turned off my modems, routers every night, so thats about 20-22 years of doing it every single day of my life.
And I only had 2 network devices broke down on me, both in the same day due to lighting coming from Cable modem side trough the cable [not the wall plug] and it fryed the Cable modem and from it traveled to my router and fried the router Switch [Now with Fiber it cant happen], and it happened at night when i was still awake.
If I was sleeping and turned it off, i could of saved them.

You could be right these days... and routers are relatively inexpensive, so not a big concern if turning it OFF everyday suits your preference.

If I turn my router OFF, I lose my phone system and e911 service.

OE

 

[L&LD]

I wonder if this was researched and how its relevant to modern electronics.
Everyone turns on and off their TV without thinking twice, Cable/Stalite TV boxes [that get rather hot to the touch], music electronics, Receivers, HDMI splitters, game consoles, air conditioners and so on.
So why Routers? From my personal experience right about when we quit using dial-up and moved to 128Kb DSL packages, i turned off my modems, routers every night, so thats about 20-22 years of doing it every single day of my life.
And I only had 2 network devices broke down on me, both in the same day due to lighting coming from Cable modem side trough the cable [not the wall plug] and it fryed the Cable modem and from it traveled to my router and fried the router Switch [Now with Fiber it cant happen], and it happened at night when i was still awake.
If I was sleeping and turned it off, i could of saved them.

It's physics, so it is still relevant.

Nothing really turns off anymore, BTW. Sure, you can shut it 'off', but it is still working and alive for the most part. That is how they can be 'instantly' on.

I've seen equipment that was turned off that was still damaged too from lightning strikes. Unless you physically unplug every single device in your home each time there is 'weather activity' happening (or potentially happening), the risk for damage is still there.

With appropriate precautions (a UPS used without additional surge protectors plugged into it, for example), I've never had any of my electronic equipment get fried. Sure, I realize I've been lucky too. But even when I can't get home to unplug everything when the weather is really acting up, the UPS's did their job as expected.

My first RT-N66U is still being used so many years later running @john9527's firmware. And it's still on a UPS at that customer's location too. I believe it will only need to be retired when 'Ultra-Fast Connection Rates up to 900Mbps' are kindly laughed at by the youngsters that are being born today.

 

[dosborne]

Is it not possible that the power switch ON the device is different than simply yanking the cord from the wall, which is what turning off a power strip is essentially doing.

Depends on the device, but generally, no. Most are a physical switch so same as pulling the cord. Some devices, the raspberry Pi for instance, can have a soft power button that initiates a shutdown, but I haven't seen this sort of thing in a home router.