Keeping Your Internet Up in an Outage
Last verified: September 2026
When the power blinks, your internet drops and reboots for minutes. A small UPS on your modem and router stops that. This guide shows what to plug in and what to expect. Want a hand? My number is (330) 200-8042.
Internet Backup, at a Glance
When the power blinks, your modem and router switch off and take minutes to reboot — so a one-second flicker knocks you offline. A small UPS on the internet gear (modem, router, and a fiber box if you have one) keeps you connected right through it. Internet gear sips power, so a modest unit lasts a good while. The one limit: a UPS can't power your provider's equipment, so a wide outage can still drop the service. There's a printable 29-page version up top.
Common Questions
1 Will a UPS really keep my internet on?
It keeps your modem and router powered, which handles the short outages that would otherwise knock you offline. If your provider's equipment also loses power in a big outage, the service itself may still drop.
2 What exactly do I put on it?
The modem, the router, and — if you have fiber — the fiber box (ONT), plus any small network switch or the main mesh unit. All on the battery-backup outlets.
3 How long will it keep me online?
A good while, because internet gear draws so little. It sails through typical short outages; for a long one, recharge the UPS from a generator or power station.
4 Do I need a big UPS for this?
No — the load is light, so a modest unit is plenty. There are even tiny UPS units made just for a modem and router; see our mini-UPS guide.
5 My home phone runs through the internet — does this help?
Yes, and it's important. Keeping the modem and router on a UPS keeps an internet phone working in an outage. See our 'keep your home phone working' guide.
6 Why does a one-second blink knock me offline for minutes?
Because the modem and router reboot when they lose power, and that restart takes a few minutes. A UPS skips the reboot by never letting them lose power.
Would You Rather I Just Help?
Want to stay connected when the power blinks? I'll help you pick the right little UPS, set it up on your modem and router, and test it so you know it holds. $99 flat for an in-home visit, 30-day come-back-free.
Would you rather I just do this for you?
No shame in it — plenty of folks would rather hand it off, and that's what I'm here for. I'll come to your home, set it up right, and make sure it's working before I leave. Flat $99 per visit — no jargon, no upsell, and every visit is 30-day come-back-free.
Not a hardware job? I can often fix it remotely for $49 — a secure screen-share, up to 2 hours, that you watch the whole time and can end whenever (included free for $39/mo Support Plan members, and it counts toward the $99 if it turns out I need to come out).