As beautiful as our part of Pennsylvania and New York can be in the spring, it can be equally brutal in the winter. Being locked in from the weather is becoming more common, as a changing climate forces many of us to plan ahead or face the consequences. To avoid the issues that this can create, and help you stay better protected year-round, we thought we’d explore two key tips that have helped us keep our tech active and useful.
A Backup Internet Plan
While the internet is more reliable than ever, even cabled systems can suffer in a sudden weather event, and the days and weeks after can be frustratingly slow. There is no guaranteed solution for this issue – however, you can take advantage of wireless infrastructure to help keep you connected. Wireless towers tend to be better looked after than home lines since they’re connected to public infrastructure, and they can be the first to receive help in an emergency.
“Snowy cellphone tower” (CC BY 2.0) by Ruth and Dave
The best solution here is to prepare any of your home devices for 4G mobile hotspot connectivity. Most of your devices will already be able to connect to these systems, and you can set it up by printing out a simple guide in advance as ubigi explores.
Note that heavy data users like UHD streaming might have issues at this time, but you can still engage with less-demanding entertainment like the casinoalpha online betting services. Websites like Bet on Red and CryptoLeo are so streamlined they can run easily on even old 3G connections, so data shouldn’t be an issue here. They’re also perfectly suited to mobile devices, to lessen power loads as you play.
As a side note, if you do want to watch something like a high-definition video, it can be best to download videos in advance from a streaming service that allows this kind of access. If you intend to use wireless with a PC, you might also need to invest in a WI-Fi dongle if you don’t already have one, since a cable from your router might not function.
The Battery Backups
Plans for staying online are all for nothing if your systems don’t have the power to last through a day. To this end, we recommend that, at the minimum, you keep a couple of high-quality and high-capacity battery banks that you can use in an emergency. Properly maintained, these can keep your mobiles active for weeks after a power shortage, though, as choice covers, you’ll still have to factor in usage patterns.
If your area has precedence of more serious outages, it might also be worth biting the bullet and purchasing a small diesel generator. These can help recharge battery banks for a longer period and even grant access to full computer systems in instances of work emergencies. Just remember that, even if properly stored, diesel will start to degrade after a year, so keep your stock updated.
“Eachine Mini Y5 Power Bank” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Neil T
Our final advice for facing potential weather events (and this includes hurricanes too), is to practice with all of your gear until you’re comfortable with it. Being left to figure things out in an emergency is only going to cause great stress and drama, so it’s best to avoid this outcome. Stick with these ideas, and who knows, your time locked away might even be an adventure filled with comfy and positive memories.
Leave a Reply