It’s a worrying time for millions of homes and many will be looking for ways to reduce their usage, including turning off the lights and unplugging gadgets from the walls. However, before you start reaching for the switch and turning off Wi-Fi when you go to bed, you might want to think again. Once the price rise comes into effect, the average cost of running a broadband router will be around £50 a year or 13p per day. Turning off that blinking black box during the night will clearly shave a few pennies off the day’s output, but it could also seriously hamper a home’s internet connection. Most of the UK’s major Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including BT and Sky, recommend leaving Wi-Fi equipment on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. There are some important reasons why it’s best not to power down these devices, including vital security updates, which are usually pushed out overnight without being downloaded and installed. Not getting the latest software updates and patches can put consumers at risk from annoying bugs and attacks from cybercriminals. READ MORE: Freeview boost: Two new channels coming to your TV and that’s not all Another problem with disabling the plug is that it can lead ISPs to believe that the line has become unstable or has a fault. Once this is noted, vendors often slow down speeds to ensure customers stay connected. Explaining more about the issues with broadband routers and why it’s a good idea to keep them, Aman Bhatti, Proposals Manager, Sky Broadband told Express.co.uk: “We know our routers go through their paces during of the day – whether in video calls, streaming the latest show or online games. This is why our routers perform firmware updates overnight to avoid any unnecessary interruptions during the day. “Turning off your router overnight can affect automatic software updates and optimizations, which in turn can affect the overall performance, speed and stability of your Broadband. Other connected devices in the home that are connected to your router will also be disrupted by delayed updates. All of our current nodes are EU Ecodesign Regulation approved, meaning that no excessive power consumption is used.” BT is also offering similar advice to its users with the popular supplier saying: “It’s important to make sure you leave your Hub switched on and connected at all times. This will allow us to give you the fastest and most stable service and ensure the your node is updated. “Constantly switching off the hub makes the line appear unstable, which means your speed may be automatically throttled to improve the reliability of your broadband connection.” If you’re looking for ways to reduce energy consumption, then it’s a good idea to turn off devices like TVs and game consoles. For example, leaving a 4K TV on standby can cost you over £24 a year, while a PS5 left running can set you back over £12 when you’re not even using it.
