Power outage or flickering power

Protect your equipment, and what to do when power returns.

Updated September 21, 2026

  1. Save your work and shut down your computers if the power is out for more than a few minutes.
  2. Leave computers, printers and network equipment unplugged, or plugged into a surge protector that is switched off, until the power is steady.
  3. When power returns, wait about five minutes. Then turn on the internet equipment first, then the rest.
Good to know

Unplug equipment before a bad storm. A surge protector helps, but lightning can get through.

A battery backup, called a UPS, keeps a computer or the network running for a few minutes so it can shut down safely. Ask us if it makes sense for your business.