Do you have security cameras or other automation devices in your home? All of these IoT gadgets are great until your home network goes belly up for one reason or another. In the past, I’ve had issues with my wireless router locking up after a power flicker. It’s not only annoying but frustrating when I’d try to check my cameras or Nest thermostat from a remote location only to find out that I couldn’t access them. That’s why the ResetPlug G2 from MultiNet looks interesting to me.
This small adapter which is available for US-style plugs, as well as plugs for Brazil, Europe, UK, Ireland, Austraila, New Zealand, and Asia, is designed to monitor your WiFi router/modem and reset power if WiFi fails. There is also an optional web app that will help you troubleshoot what caused the failure on your network so you will know if it was the WiFi signal, the router, the broadband modem, or the ISP that failed.
The app keeps a log of all of the events and you can subscribe to email alerts and send remote resets from anywhere. The web app is optional for $2 per month or $20 per year, but you don’t have to subscribe because the ResetPlug will operate just fine without the app.
The ResetPlug G2 will begin shipping in June 2018 and you can order one for $59.99 from ResetPlug.com. If you don’t want to wait until June for the ResetPlug G2, I found something with similar features on Amazon for less than half the price.
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A few years back I bought a basic uninterruptable power supply for my router. I also have my main computer connected to it (at this point, it’s just a monitor and laptop, but when I first installed it, it was my work iMac). This way, it never blips off when squirrels hop on the wires or the wind blows a bit too hard. Even if the house lights blink out, the wifi is steady. I’ve had it go for as long as an hour at a time during a winter storm.
This device isn’t meant to provide power for your router. It’s meant to cycle power if the router becomes unresponsive for some reason.
Right, I got that. I was just saying that I avoid the issue of my router becoming unresponsive by having a UPS attached.
I put my router and modem on a UPS to prevent power problems from knocking out my wifi. It runs for about 2 hours after the lights go out. My Ring doorbell actually works during that period because it has its own battery – a nice feature if you are paranoid about high tech burglars.
I don’t think people are reading this article. A lot of routers especially low end ones or older ones often go offline due to either components getting old and out of spec (older routers) or not having enough RAM to handle networking tasks for a long period of up time (cheaper routers).
This is actually an interesting device. The only issue I’d have is that it’s a) another device that needs a cloud provider to work – when they go belly up it goes in the garbage and b) another device that learns your router password.
These two issues will only become more problematic as time goes on and there are break-ins to the cloud providers and people’s router passwords get exposed.
Thanks for posting.
From the description, it seems this device only resets when WiFi goes down, and it only resets one device. If you have a separate modem and WiFi router, you’d need to plug both into this device, with a power strip. This device would be more useful if it detected the internet connection failing, rather than WiFi. My WiFi router works fine, even when internet goes down.
There are also cheaper alternatives out there. $24 for
Ankuoo WiFi-Reset monitor (https://www.amazon.com/Ankuoo-Wi-Fi-Reset-Monitor-Router/dp/B072F85H5B/). It connects to your WiFi, and resets if WiFi goes down. $23 will get a you a Tech Restarter (https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Restarter-Digital-Outlet-Timer/dp/B01C66X6GU/), a digital timer with two outlets, but they both reset at the same time. For $60, you can get the first device to tackle this issue – NetReset (https://www.amazon.com/NetReset-NR-1000US-supports-Spectrum-BrightHouse/dp/B01FY1PFLS/). This one power cycles (reboots) your modem and router in sequential order daily, with a 1-minute delay between each device.
Just a word of warning. I ordered a ResetPlug from the ResetPlug.com website in June 2018. Despite several reminders followed by all sorts of excuses with promises from the seller to ship the product within a few days nothing happened and after some time they even stopped replying to my mails. After five months of waiting for delivery I filed a claim with PayPal’s Resolution Center and thanks to them I have now been refunded. ResetPlug really sounds like an interesting and useful product but unfortunately the guys behind it seem to be nothing but fraudsters.