This topic

UPS for broadband router

pendle — Sun, 25 May 2025 17:56:07 GMT

Hello

We have quite a few power cuts where I live. There have been 8 over the last 72 hours - since it started to rain again.

Sometimes they only last a few seconds, sometimes longer.

I'd like to get a small UPS for the router. But two that I've tried, Eaton s3 and APC CP12036LI do not have adapters that work with BT router. I got onto the BT help and the lady said that they are standard power adapters. But the connected adapter and 4 others supplied just don't fit.

Is anyone else using a small UPS? Can I get a recommendation?

thanks

Re: UPS for broadband router

WSH — Sun, 25 May 2025 19:00:09 GMT

If you're talking about the dc plug on the Smart Hub 2, it is an unusual size, 3.0mm x 5.5mm. Most in this country are 2.1 or 2.5mm. (You can use a metric drill bit, as a gauge, to check).

You can get the 3.0mm plugs but you will probably need to make up a cable of your own. (Last time I saw the 3mm plugs on sale I think it was a US company called Phoenix. Even if I can find it again, it is against forum rules to post a commecial link. Sorry).

Edit: Just checked. It appears CPC Farnell in this country now supply them.

Re: UPS for broadband router

Anonymous — Sun, 25 May 2025 18:36:39 GMT

If you don't want to mess around making your own cables you'll either need the Cyberpower UPS that was/is supplied by BT, or a UPS with inbuilt inverter that provides 230V sockets to plug the router's AC adapter into.

If you go for the Cyberpower, make sure it's the right one. BT did one for the router & one for an ONT. Same device, just with different DC power leads.

Re: UPS for broadband router

pendle — Sun, 25 May 2025 20:29:47 GMT

Hello,

I wouldn't know how to put together my own cable, so I shall have a look at the other options.

thank you

Re: UPS for broadband router

Snow3 — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 03:14:39 GMT

I bought a Yuuki Power mini UPS, it comes with BT SH DC barrel connetors

Re: UPS for broadband router

Snow3 — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 06:12:27 GMT

I bought a mini UPS from Amazon by Yuuki Power to back up my BT Smart Hub 2. They provide a DC barrel connector for the BT Hub, which strangely, both the 5.5*3.0mm and 6.3*3.0mm connectors fit.

This seems to be a new brand, but it's still working and the product quality is good. It has a very clear screen and the voltage can be adjusted to 12V or 9V. Best of all, it has both USB-A and USB-C ports that support PD fast charging at 5V/3.6A.

Re: UPS for broadband router

VeteranISPUser — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:24:34 GMT

Hi @Snow3 What is the Standby power consumption. I have tried a couple of bigger units (not Yuuki) which had a ridiculous 18W and 12W burning electricity 24 hours a day.

Re: UPS for broadband router

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 08:16:39 GMT

@VeteranISPUser

You can always just keep them in reserve & charge occasionally, then connect when needed. Slight inconvenience in drop of service while you do versus the electricity saving.

Re: UPS for broadband router

VeteranISPUser — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 08:42:25 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
@VeteranISPUser You can always just keep them in reserve & charge occasionally, then connect when needed. Slight inconvenience in drop of service while you do versus the electricity saving.

Hi @Anonymous That is exactly what I do on a timer plug.

Re: UPS for broadband router

Crimliar — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 21:25:20 GMT

@VeteranISPUser Have you ever run a BT SH2 though a power meter? By default it's running at 9-12W, some of these BBUs can be pretty efficient! Remember the good ole days when each light bulb was 60W!

Re: UPS for broadband router

Snow3 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:55:12 GMT

Unfortunately, I could not find this information in the manual.

It simply lets the mains power pass through directly to your device. The battery and inverter only activate when there's a power outage.

So UPS's standby power consumption is very low. It's only using energy to maintain its internal electronics, like charging the battery and monitoring the power status. This typically falls within a range of 1W to 5W. I guess.

Re: UPS for broadband router

Snow3 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:00:24 GMT

Exactly

Re: UPS for broadband router

Olivia431 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 15:54:36 GMT

These units can be kept on standby and charged periodically, then connected when required. While a brief service interruption may occur during reconnection, this approach helps conserve energy efficiently.

Regards:

Jason

Re: UPS for broadband router

is74 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:29:49 GMT

Hi, did you find an answer to this, if so, do you have a link you could send to the product please? I’d really like to keep the hub running 24/7

There’s a very irritating bug in the Smart Hub 2 that I encounter every time there’s a power cut or the fuse trips on the consumer unit (which happens frequently as I have a dodgy leaking outside plug socket).

Anyone know if there’s a way I can submit a bug to the developers?

Here’s the bug if anyone is interested:

If you have DHCP turned off - which I do because I run a PiHole to block adverts on the home network, and so I use the PiHole’s DHCP & DNS instead - whenever there’s a power cut, the Smart Hub 2 can’t access the internet anymore. You have to either do a factory reset or turn its own DHCP on for a few seconds.

It seems the router needs to use BT’s DNS on startup or it has a wobble. Strangely it’s fine on reboots, it’s just power cuts

I’m a software engineer so it’s fairly easy for me to do this each time but explaining the steps to the wife and kids isn’t easy at all. The factory reset is easy enough but then I have to manually go in afterwards and turn off DHCP again.

cheers and sorry for highjacking your post

Re: UPS for broadband router

licquorice — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:44:24 GMT

You may be a software engineer but something isn't configured right with your system. I use a Pi for Pihole, DNS and DHCP with DHCP disabled on the hub and experience no such problems.

Re: UPS for broadband router

is74 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:49:16 GMT

You’re right that I’m not a network engineer or expert in networks if that’s what you’re suggesting.

Seems odd it only happens with power cuts though.

Was there any hoops you had to jump through, any special config on the router or Pi, that you did to make yours so stable? Perhaps I’m missing something.

cheers

Re: UPS for broadband router

licquorice — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:50:46 GMT

Nope

Re: UPS for broadband router

licquorice — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:54:16 GMT

I assume you have given the Pi's Ethernet adapter and WiFi adapter different static IP addresses.

Re: UPS for broadband router

is74 — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:15:49 GMT

I’ve got WiFi disabled on the Pi but the Ethernet is static. Mine goes from the SH2 via Ethernet to a gigabit switch then via Ethernet to the Pi

Re: UPS for broadband router

licquorice — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:18:51 GMT

Can you temporarily bypass the switch and see if that makes any difference? Shouldn't do but you never know.