Anyone else keep a backup wifi router?

Gorankar

Gorankar

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Really just curious if I am the only one that keeps a second cheap, or just older wifi router as backup.

I have an E4200 setup with the same ssid/password, and as many other general settings possible as my primary wifi router, (Netgear R8000). If the primary tanks, I just plug in the backup. I would think the people that play around with alternate firm wares would keep a backup router just in case of bricking.
 
Gorankar said:
Really just curious if I am the only one that keeps a second cheap, or just older wifi router as backup.

I have an E4200 setup with the same ssid/password, and as many other general settings possible as my primary wifi router, (Netgear R8000). If the primary tanks, I just plug in the backup. I would think the people that play around with alternate firm wares would keep a backup router just in case of bricking.
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I don't keep a backup WiFi router, but it doesn't seem like a bad idea. I guess it really depends on your situation. If my primary router were to go down, it wouldn't be a big deal as I would be able to hook up a cable almost anywhere in my home. I could also pick up a new router relatively easy from any nearby stores.
 
I've got a brand new backup in the box that I loaded with dd-wrt, it's a cheaper one that I grabbed on a shell shocker a while back. It serves as immediate backup if ever needed, then Amazon Prime next day delivery takes it from there for any other immediate needs.
 
I have a backup router and a backup modem. Never know when either might fail. Need my connection for work.
 
I work for a small IT company, so we have about 5 old routers in a box at our office at any given time. We also have another 5 or so firewalls. So if something were to die, I would just grab something to replace it the next day.
 
I have an old net gear, just a basic guy that is setup with openwrt, this is not up but in a box, should I need a spare.
 
My router is pfsense so a bit expensive to have a physical backup but I do have a couple regular SOHO routers that would at least get my main vlan back in service if my pfsense hardware was to fail. I could live with loss of connectivity for a while if I had to though, but I'd still want to at least get a basic connection going so I can actually get online and order whatever I need to fix the pfsense one. Would also want to have access to my main server for all my stuff like email, passwords etc.
 
No, but I do have a back up cable modem. I was using a SB6121 and replaced it with a SB6141. I keep the 6121 close by, I've had modems die before.
 
At work, I keep a spare 24 port rack switch, a spare wifi router, spare 3/4G modem in case DSL fails, and a spare cheapo PC to act as a virtualization server in case the main one dies.
That way I don't get assaulted by my coworkers when faceb... err the internet goes down.
 
I do, but not really on purpose.

I just never throw old shit out :p

I use a pfSense box as my router and I have two Ubiquiti Unifi wireless access points for WiFi.

I have three old routers kicking around.

One old Actiontec Verizon FiOS router, one is my Fiance's old Apple Airport Extreme, and one is an old mid range Netgear model.

Last time I needed to work on my pfSense box I just plugged one of the old ones in (Silly me, I reached for the closest one, which was the Apple router, which was frustrating, as you have to install apple software to configure it, no web interface...)

None of my "spare" routers have gigabit ports though, so when I use them, I cant take full advantage of my 150mbit/150mbit connection, but in a pinch, they will do.
 
Should add a modem to my stack of spares. Recently had some connection issues and it made me think I have a spare router but no modem. That seems like an oversight now that you point it out...

EH
 
I have an ASUS AC66U collecting dust on a shelf Hope I never need to use it, the wireless range on it is dreadful.
 
i have a spare Edgerouter lite laying around for testing, and backup, other than that i don't need a backup WIFI could just switch to 4G cell data.
 
rma said:
i have a spare Edgerouter lite laying around for testing, and backup, other than that i don't need a backup WIFI could just switch to 4G cell data.
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Yeah, I barely use Wifi at all. I just have it around for the other people in the house. Every device I care about (desktops, servers, HTPC's, Roku's) all connect via wired Ethernet. I barely even use my cell or my laptop at home.

My philosophy is to never trust WiFi. It is simply not reliable enough. If something can be wired, it should, even if it is impractical. I'll spend a week running several hundred foot lengths of Ethernet cable before I'll ever use WiFi on a stationary machine. In my house, WiFi is only for mobile things (phones, tablets, and to a lesser extent laptops)
 
Not on purpose, but yes. Since I've had older firewalls that I've retired, as well as an older access point, then yes. I only have the one cable-modem though.
 
I still have my old equipment but now that I use pfsense and ubiquiti I will except no substitutes and my backup equipment is now inadequate.
 
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Keep a back up router? Try keeping redundant routers!

I use 2x j1900 boxes w/4 Intel NICs running pfsense in CARP. 2 different ISP's both with statics. Nothing like full time redundancy!

Overkill? Sure, but i travel a lot and remote access is nice.;)

Now if only I could afford 2x ISP's with BGP announcing my own /24..... One can dream!
 
I have an old netgear router (FVS328) I use on my portion of the network to isolate it from the wifi. If the primary router goes down, all I gotta do is plug my router right into the modem and the weird devices are good to go. My gf will complain about no wifi though.
 
I have our main WiFi access point setup in the optimal position for signal strength in the middle of our house. The wired infrastructure in our house is a bit ghetto however, and there are a few switches between the router (pfSense) and the main access point. Our "backup" 802.11N WiFi access point is located right next to the Cablemodem and router, and all three are connected to a backup power supply / UPS. That is very much not a good position in terms of optimal WiFi coverage over the whole house, but it comes into play if/when we have a power outage, or something happens with our internal Ethernet between the router and the main AP. It allows us to still connect to WiFi and use internet. I also have a few ancient 802.11G access points that at least still support WPA2 and could also be used if really needed.
 
emmjawsX said:
Thanks for the tip, i'm going to start calling my hoard 'backups' now - although backup sdram sticks may be pushing it :p
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Lol, yeah.

I've learned from experience though. Without exception, whenever I throw something - especially computer components - out, without exception it would have been handy to have it a few weeks later.

I try to be better though, and throw out stuff that will never under any circumstance be useful, and organize the rest. Sometimes this works. (Organizing has never been my strong suit)

I can't bring myself to throw out my collection of 3DFX cards though. The Canopus Pure 3D 6MB Voodoo 1 is still hanging around in a box somewhere, as are my two Voodoo 3 2000's and my Voodoo 5. I also have an old Matrox Millenium 2MB PCI SVGA card kicking around too. I guess they have sentimental value? :p

Actually wound up using one of th Voodoo3's and the Matrox card a in the last few years when I just needed a GPU to allow a couple of servers to boot into linux :p
 
emmjawsX said:
Thanks for the tip, i'm going to start calling my hoard 'backups' now - although backup sdram sticks may be pushing it :p
Click to expand...

And here I thought I was crazy for keeping my old ones around. In the last 10yrs I have had 1 modem fail and have had one router fail in 15yrs. These were the same ones that I had been using forever just because I was too lazy to upgrade. The router I just decided to upgrade as we were getting devices that were AC/N compatible in the house plus the modem decided to start going through its final death throws by randomly deciding to drop signal (first iteration of DOCSIS 3.0 modems). At first thought it was the router so that was part of the "upgrade" to my TP-Link Archer c7 and then when that kept doing the same thing I just grabbed the supplied router from charter.
 
gregnash said:
And here I thought I was crazy for keeping my old ones around. In the last 10yrs I have had 1 modem fail and have had one router fail in 15yrs. These were the same ones that I had been using forever just because I was too lazy to upgrade. The router I just decided to upgrade as we were getting devices that were AC/N compatible in the house plus the modem decided to start going through its final death throws by randomly deciding to drop signal (first iteration of DOCSIS 3.0 modems). At first thought it was the router so that was part of the "upgrade" to my TP-Link Archer c7 and then when that kept doing the same thing I just grabbed the supplied router from charter.
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I wound up using an old router as a temporary backup while I was rebuilding my pfSense box.

I reached I to the box of old routers and grabbed the first one that I came across, which unfortunately was not my old Linksys or Netgear routers, but rather my Fiance's old Airport extreme, which was a annoying nightmare to set up due to - unlike every other router on the market - not being directly configurable without installing proprietary Apple software.

What a turd.
 
Have a d-link wireless router I picked up for $10 on closeout that I keep around for backup for myself and clients.
Have used it 2 or 3 times for short periods. Its only single channel N but it just works and has decent range.
 
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