Forum Discussion

gaines_wright's avatar
gaines_wright
Tutor
6 years ago

To turn off, or not to turn off?

  Some of you have mentioned that you turn off your computer and/or modem every day. I never turn anything off, except in the very rare cases where Linux locks up. I started doing this back when the Intel 386 came out, and I had read that these new Intel chips ran so hot, that you're better off leaving them on, so as to not subject them to the mechanical stresses of cooling down and then heating back up again. I also remember from my industrial electrician days, that the most stress on a system occurs during start up. So I leave everything on. I've Googled around on this subject and most of the stuff I've read was rather wishy washy.

 

  Any thoughts?

general discussion is not a support area
  • MarkJFine's avatar
    MarkJFine
    Professor
    6 years ago

    Used to be that you would leave things on because the collective effects of transient surges from turning them off and on repeatedly would be detrimental. Not sure that's so these days since the protection is a bit better, especially things with internal batteries.

     

    I turn off what I can at night, but leave things on during the day just for a time savings thing, if anything.

    • gaines_wright's avatar
      gaines_wright
      Tutor
      6 years ago
      MarkJFine wrote:

      I turn off what I can at night, but leave things on during the day just for a time savings thing, if anything.

        Thanks for your reply. I think It may have made a difference 35 years ago, it's probably a wash now, as far as equipment life.  I'm just lazy, so I leave everything on.

      • MarkJFine's avatar
        MarkJFine
        Professor
        6 years ago

        Transients were **bleep** on CRT monitors. Burn-in problems on early CRTs were even worse. I remember I would go through monitors about every other year, and usually right in the middle of the final stage of a software release: while writing the docs and help files. Not fun.

         

        Of course, newer flat screens have different issues, but transients aren't one of them.

  • GabeU's avatar
    GabeU
    Distinguished Professor IV
    6 years ago

    Though I have no idea if unplugging the modem on a nightly basis has any effect on its life span, I can say that I've not had any issues with doing so.  I've only had my current modem (HT2000W) since March 2017, and the HT1100 prior to that for an even shorter amount of time (~ 14 months), but the HN7000S I had prior to that was one that I had for around eight years or so.  No problems with any of them, including the two models I had in the three years prior to that.  They were coming out with new modems to upgrade to quite often back then, and they would constantly pester you to do so.  I had three different modems in as many years.  :p  

     

    And, though I don't know how much doing the same can affect the radio on this dish, I've not had any issues with them, either.  

     

    This is only my experience, of course.  YMMV.

    • gaines_wright's avatar
      gaines_wright
      Tutor
      6 years ago

        Thanks for your reply.  I forgot to mention that I have a ethernet switch between my computer and the modem which allows me to isolate the modem when I'm not online.  This makes it very easy to see if data is being used through my wifi.

       

        I too haven't had any issues with leaving everything on.  Plus I don't have to wait for things to boot up when I get back on the internet at 3:00 AM every morning.  :<)>