Power Back Up Questions

[Neal]

I was watching a repeat of a great show called "The Computer Mechanics" and the stars of the show got me all paranoid about power outages and the damage things like that could cause. So I went out and bought an APC battery back up. This generated a couple of questions. When I shut the computer off for the night, should I shut off the APC? Another thing, there is no attachment for the Rogers Cable to go through the APC so should I get a power bar circuit breaker thing for that? Also the phone jacks on the APC are a different size than that coming off the modem or Roger's box. Is this a big deal?
Thanks,
Neal.

[networkguy]

The idea behind a ups is so that if the power fails when your computer is on, your computer won't shut off causing you to potentially lose important data. If you are planning on shutting our pc off and your UPS is only supplying backup power to your computer, then I don't see why you couldn't also shut off the ups. However I might suggest you consider leaving your pc on all the time, this way you don't have to touch the UPS and it can do its job. As for the cable modem, simply plug a power bar into your UPS and the cable modem into that. The jacks on the UPS are likely RJ10 for standard phone cables, not RJ11 which is standard network.

NG

[Ken_ver_1_5]

good choice Neal ....
I always leave my ups on
if you want the net during a blackout then power the modem off the ups
but its really not needed. with that said short loses in hydro can play
havoc with downloads. remember you only get a short time to shut down
in a black out before your system loses power when the battery gets empty.
don't sweat the size of the jacks..

[Neal]

Thanks networkguy and Ken_ver_1_5. I thought I heard Deb and Les say not to use the power bar either to hook up the APC or from the APC. Although with some power bars like the one I use for my TV, there is an in and out for the cable too, which I should probably use for the roger's internet cable on the computer.

Thanks again!
Neal.

[networkguy]

With respect to the power bar, what you don't want to do, is plug your UPS into the power bar and then the power bar into the wall. Its ok to plug power bars into a UPS though and have stuff plugged into the power bar.

NG

[Neal]

Thanks for the guidance networkguy. I will make sure I follow the right order.

Neal.

[Steven]

I believe phone lines are RJ11 and Network is RJ45

[Exmortis]

As for the cable modem, simply plug a power bar into your UPS

Never do that! Never plug a powerbar into a UPS and NEVER plug a UPS into a powerbar!!

[Neal]

Thanks Exmortis. I thought that's what I heard on the Computer Mechanics Show.

[Exmortis]

Explanation here (http://www.tripplite.com/support/faq/tech_ups.cfm)

Here too (http://nam-en.apc.com/cgi-bin/nam_en.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=IKCabIJh&p_lva=&p_faqid=1372&p_created=1010390400&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9ncmlkc29ydD0mcF9yb3dfY250PTI5J nBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9c3VyZ2UgcHJvdGVjdG9yJnBfc2VhcmN oX3R5cGU9MyZwX3Byb2RfbHZsMT1_YW55fiZwX3Byb2RfbHZsM j1_YW55fiZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=)

[Neal]

Good reading.
Thanks again.
Neal.

[Dr.Dan]

Good links there Exmortis

It would be a good idea if you post them in the FAQ's as UPS Q&A... I'm sure this will come up many more times in the future ;)

[Ken_ver_1_5]

one last thing an ups is designed to allow a safe shutdown.
so you can save your work in the event of power loss.
they are not meant as a power source for work.

with that said all you need powered is the mother board
and monitor.