Hurricanes Helene and Milton have reminded us that hurricane season is still here, and the fierce storms that come with it can have a devastating impact on entire regions, even those hundreds of miles away from the coastline.
Extreme weather, such as hurricanes, thunderstorms or snowstorms, often results in power outages. The Energy Information Administration estimates that U.S. electric customers are without power for about five and a half hours each year, but outages caused by storms can last much longer.
Regardless of the cause or duration of your power outage, it can affect your internet connection. Unlike other solutions for internet outages, power loss can be more difficult to resolve.
There are a few ways to restore and maintain your online connection, even if the power is still out. Here’s how to stay connected to the internet when the power goes out.
The best ways to keep your internet on during a power outage
- Use a mobile hotspot or mobile data connection
- Sign up for a backup internet service
- Invest in a generator or other power sources
Quick solution for internet loss during a power outage: mobile hotspot and tethering
By activating a mobile hotspot on your phone, you essentially turn the device into a router, which broadcasts the mobile Internet connection for other devices to use. It’s not the same as your home Wi-Fi network – the speeds are likely much slower and only support a limited number of devices – but you should be able to get by.
Read more: How to use your iPhone or Android phone as a mobile hotspot
Tethering is similar in that it shares your phone’s internet data with other devices, but it does so over a wired (USB or Ethernet) or Bluetooth connection instead of Wi-Fi. A few things to keep in mind when using a mobile hotspot or tethering:
- If you have the mobile hotspot feature on your phone, it doesn’t necessarily mean the service is included in your mobile plan.
- The connection only works until your phone goes out. If you can safely access it in your car, consider charging the battery if the battery is low before turning the power back on.
- You are going to use your data. If you have a limit, using a mobile hotspot could put you over the limit, resulting in additional charges or slower speeds. Even if your mobile plan offers ‘unlimited’ data, there may be a soft cap or limit specific to hotspot usage.
Contact your mobile service provider to determine if mobile hotspot use is included in your plan and if data limits apply. If you have a data limit, check out CNET’s guide to managing your data usage.
Automatic solution: mobile internet backup service
Certain internet providers offer a separate mobile plan or service add-on to keep you online. Xfinity’s Storm-Ready Wi-Fi and T-Mobile’s Home Internet Backup plans provide equipment and a cellular connection, such as when your standard connection goes down.
Comcast’s Storm Ready gateway, battery and device.
Storm-Ready Wi-Fi is available to Xfinity Internet customers for $7 per month for 36 months or a one-time fee of $252 for the 4-hour rechargeable battery backup. When the power goes out or your cable internet connection drops, the internet service automatically switches to a 4G LTE mobile connection with unlimited data.
T-Mobile offers a 5G internet connection at home (where available) but with a data limit and a slightly higher monthly amount. The Home Internet Backup plan includes 130 GB of data and free equipment starting at $30 per month or $20 for T-Mobile voice customers.
You’ll need power for the T-Mobile router, so if you plan to use your Home Internet Backup service during power outages, you may want to invest in a battery backup or other portable power device.
Long-term solution: generators or other power sources
It may be all you need to keep your internet going when the power goes out.
In many cases, a local power outage will not bring internet service to your home. Wireless and fiber optic internet do not require power to travel, although a power outage at the distribution point can cause a temporary outage.
Cable Internet requires power to the nodes (connection points that transmit Internet services), but many ISPs have a backup power source, allowing them to keep your Internet service running.
So the problem isn’t necessarily getting internet to your home. It’s about how you access it. Without power to your modem or ONT device you cannot connect to the Internet and without power to your router there is no Wi-Fi.
High quality portable power stations and generators are ideal for continuously powering things like your refrigerator, heater, fans or internet equipment. Generators can get pricey, but you can often find reliable generators on sale. If you’re wondering which generator is best for your home, check out our generator buying guide and tips for finding the right size generator.
What about battery backups or a UPS?
Rechargeable battery backups keep your internet equipment running for a few hours at best before needing to be recharged. This can be difficult without a power source, but a solar battery could be the solution.
As for a UPS, or uninterruptible power supply, most devices are not designed to last longer than about 15 minutes. That’s long enough to save your work or send last-minute emails before the connection drops, but not much more.
What should I do if my power comes back on, but my internet is still out?
As with most internet problems, the problem likely lies with the source of your connection: the modem and the router. It is possible that the power outage has caused your equipment to malfunction and a simple restart of the router should be sufficient. During a thunderstorm, a power surge can damage your equipment, rendering it unusable. To prevent this, consider connecting your router to a surge protector.
If your modem and router seem to be working fine, but you still can’t get online, there may be an issue with your Internet service provider. Your power may be back on, but theirs may still be out, affecting their ability to provide assistance.
Network or infrastructure outages can also cause your internet to go out after power returns. Remaining precipitation or cloud cover in your area can hinder your satellite internet, while downed phone lines can take your DSL connection offline. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do in such situations. It’s like a power outage; you just have to wait for the service to be restored.
Stay connected and stay safe
Maintaining your internet connection is important if the power goes out, especially if you use it for information or communication, but safety comes first. Always use caution when handling electrical equipment and avoid tampering with the internet lines coming into your home.
For more tips on how to get the most out of your home Internet connection, visit the CNET Home Internet page. Be sure to visit the CNET Home Energy and Utilities page for more information about powering your home.
