Saving electricity: Why it can be worth turning off the WLAN router at night
Created: 07/25/2022, 12:41 p.m
By: Sina Alonso Garcia
WiFi routers usually run around the clock and often consume a lot of electricity.
© Armin Weigel/dpa
Since electricity costs are currently rising rapidly, more and more citizens are taking cost-saving measures.
Is it worth turning off the WiFi router at night?
Stuttgart - The energy crisis is currently hitting citizens in Germany with full force.
Whether heating oil, electricity or gas - everything is becoming more expensive and politicians are encouraging people to save.
With a few simple tricks, consumers can cleverly reduce their electricity, gas and oil consumption.
One of the considerations is to turn off the wireless router when not in use.
But how much electricity can this actually save?
WLAN router: If you switch it off every night, you can save up to 22 euros a year
As a rule, a WLAN router runs around the clock.
The power consumption of individual devices can differ significantly.
Economical devices are already satisfied with 5 watts, power-hungry devices consume up to 20 watts.
The annual costs at an electricity price of 37.14 ct/kWh
(average price from April 2022 according to BDEW)
at a glance - as well as the costs if you switch off the device for eight hours overnight*:
Power consumption router | annual costs | Annual cost if router is turned off 8 hours a night |
|---|---|---|
5 watts | 16.27 euros | 10.84 euros |
10 watts | 32.53 euros | 21.68 euros |
15 watts | 48.80 euros | 32.53 euros |
20 watts | 65.07 euros | 43.38 euros |
*Formula: Router power consumption (W) x hours of running time per year (h): 1,000 x 37.14 ct/kWh: 100 = costs in euros per year
The overview shows: Depending on how many watts your router consumes, you can save between 5 and almost 22 euros a year if you switch off the device overnight for eight hours - from around 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.
But even if you don't switch off the router every night, you can save money by taking targeted downtimes for the device.
For example, if you are on vacation for a longer period of time, you can switch off the router during this period.
Switch off the router more often: In addition to saving money, it brings these advantages
Environmental impact:
Routers produce around 53 kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions per year when in continuous operation.
Turning off the device temporarily generates less electrosmog and reduces CO2 emissions.
Radiation Exposure:
Wireless technology emits some radiation.
The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) recommends keeping personal exposure to radiation as low as possible - and using the good old LAN cable instead of WLAN.
Security/Protection against misuse:
If the WLAN router is switched off, hackers cannot gain unauthorized access to information.
Regular shutdown can reduce the risk of such an attack.
also read
Tomato sauce in the Öko-Test: mold discovered - stay away from these products
Europol call unsettles citizens: Caution is required - that's behind it
Source: chip.de
Switching off the router more often: These disadvantages can arise
Cannot be reached by phone:
Nowadays, IP connections are the standard.
Therefore, the telephony runs over the router.
If this is issued, you cannot be reached on the landline and can no longer use the landline for outgoing calls.
Update problems:
Many device updates are carried out at night.
If there is no internet connection, the updates are no longer possible.
Smart home doesn't work:
People who use a lot of smart devices in their home should avoid switching off the router - because then the Alexa alarm clock won't work and the coffee machine won't preheat.
Problems with the provider:
The provider could mistakenly assume that the connection is faulty.
This could unintentionally reduce the bandwidth.
Device durability:
Since the router is designed for continuous operation, it might suffer from wear and tear problems if you turn it off every day.
Source: chip.de
Conclusion: WLAN routers are not the biggest energy guzzlers in the home.
Nevertheless, it can make sense to switch off the device from time to time - for example at night or when you are on vacation.
However, consumers should be aware that switching off the router too often may shorten its lifespan.
