On Sunday 30 Aug 2015 14:26:36 Alan Mackenzie wrote:
> Hello, Philip.
> 
> On Sun, Aug 30, 2015 at 12:04:43AM -0400, Philip Webb wrote:
> > How long do desktop users typically leave their systems between reboots ?
> > How long between power off/on's ?
> 
> I switch my PC on in the morning when I want to start using it.  I
> switch it off before going to bed, or going out shopping, or things like
> that.  I don't like wasting electricity.

Same here.  Unless I am somewhere near the desk the laptop is on sleep.  
Overnight it is shut down.


> > I've long been in the habit of switching everything off while I sleep,
> > then restarting after I've woken & got going again myself.
> > However recently, I've run into delays getting my router
> > (only  1  device attached) to shake hands successfully with my ISP's
> > server, which have been requiring several power off/on's before it
> > works.

I think that it may be better troubleshooting your ISP PPPoE negotiation (or 
whatever protocol they are using) than changing your usage habits.  Well, I 
would be doing this anyway, out of curiosity.  :-)


> Unfortunately, I need to leave my router permanently powered up, which I
> resent.  German telephone companies have been offering only VOIP
> telephone connections for some while, now, which basically means that
> instead of the companies converting IP packets into a telephone signal,
> every subscriber's got to do it himself.  So where people could
> previously simply buy a telephone handset and plug it into the wall,
> they've now potentially got to spend extra on a router and somehow
> manage to configure that router.  And of course, the router contuously
> wastes electricity, waiting for that occasional incoming call, whereas
> previously the handset was only powered up, from the exchange, when a
> call was in progress.  Progress this is not.

I Power cuts can cause re-syncs and a lower sync rate for my connection, so I 
leave the router powered up 24-7 and connected to a UPS.  The waste of 
electricity is tiny.


> > As a result, I've started rebooting only after my weekly system update
> > -- it means I get to use the new versions of everything --
> > & not powering off at all ; the monitor + Xscreensaver are off
> > whenever I'm away from the machine for  >= 1 hr  (approx).
> > 
> > Are there any pro's/con's I sb aware of ?

As others have mentioned consider hibernation for overnight purposes (S4) and 
sleep (S3) for when you are away from your desk for longer periods of time. 
However, I would be intrigued as to what might be wrong with the ISP network 
authentication.  ;-)

-- 
Regards,
Mick