Save energy and avoid intruders: how to automatically turn off WiFi when you leave the house

The main problems with the Wi-Fi connection in our home usually affect the experience when we have to work or just play on the Internet. Others, however, get in the way of how access to the home network is managed. For this very reason, most routers have a automatic shutdown function.

There are many router models on the market (TP Link, Asus or Xiaomi) that allow you to program this action without too much difficulty, thus avoiding that the Internet connection is shared throughout the day. This is why we will look into how to configure the router to turn off the WiFi at a certain time.

“Both the Nebula 1200plus Wireless Router and Vektor 3600-AC Modular Mesh System allow control from your mobile phone, by downloading the Nexxt Wireless App in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, to turn the Router on or off and see who is connected “, Explains Erika MerloTerritory Manager for the Southern Cone of Nexxt Solutions.

Step by step, how to program the automatic shutdown of the WiFi router

Before starting, it is important to know this Not all models allow you to program certain actions such as switching off or activating the WiFi connection. It will largely depend on the quality of the device or on the firmware -the code installed on the device-, something that some computers are usually blocked by the Internet Service Provider (ISP), for this you will have to access the section settings.

These devices, which are characterized by offering a Wi-Fi connection, form a local area network (LAN) for computers, phones or tablets to access the Internet. to the settings You can access it both from your mobile and from any other device connected to the network, usually by typing 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 into the address bar of the browser.

While these are the two most common addresses, it can vary depending on the router model Portal. This information is obtained by entering the “Windows command prompt” and by typing the command ipconfig inside the console. Then you will need to enter your username and password to log in.

Next, we need to look for the WiFi connection settings. To do this, the option will look like “WiFi”, “WLAN” or “wireless connection”. Inside it, some settings similar to “WiFi Planner” or “Schedule”. It may also appear in the side menu as “Program”.

If you don’t find such an option, it could be the router directly Don’t count on being able to assign it certain tasks, such as turning it off automatically. Also, don’t despair, as each manufacturer makes the system to their liking, and the names may vary.

Once we enter said configuration, we will see a screen with the data to enter such as lat the moment of the action or at the time interval. Some specific data must be entered in these fields, such as the time when it will be switched off, as well as the days when it must be active.

Once setup is complete, the router will follow the prompts to shut down automatically. In this way not only can we save some energy, or even completely limit the possibility of third parties accessing the network at times when no one is home.

On the other hand, it is important to always keep in mind that automatically turning off the router can interrupt the connection to the Internet and to other devices connected to the router, so it is advisable to program it at times when the Internet is not used or when there are no devices connected .

Some devices may also not automatically connect to your router after it is turned on, so you may need to reconnect manually.

What if my router doesn’t shut down automatically?

In case your device is finally not compatible with automatic shutdown, there are alternatives, such as the smart plugswhich allow you to turn off the router in an easy way.

Obviously a warning: in case of using a smart socket, we must buy one that does not use WiFi, otherwise it will not be able to turn on. Only if the socket is connected via WiFi, it will only be able to program the shutdown.

Every smart plug has its own configuration, but it’s as easy as going into it and looking for the option that allows us to schedule a shutdown.

We enter the plug application from the mobile. Then we look for a section called “Programming” or similar.

In this section we can configure a rule by adding a name (identifier so we know what it is), days and hours. Thus this action will be applied and our plug will be disconnected from the power to turn off the router.

SL