Having a Backup Plan when the Internet is Down
As you know from my last post, I’ve moved a lot of my computer operations from my PC to Google. One of the downsides of doing this is that, if the internet is down, so are you. That’s just what happened to me last week. At 11 pm I turned off my computer and the internet was working, and at 8 am the next morning, no internet. I troubleshot the issue and established that I wasn’t getting a signal from my provider, called, waited on hold, and learned that someone would have to come out the next day to fix it. NEXT DAY.!… that’s at least 24 hrs without the internet!, so now what. Now its time for my backup plan.
My backup plan is simple and cheap. If nothing urgent is happening I can use my iPhone to keep up with email. If I have a major project on the other hand, our local library has free Wi Fi, so I can pack up my laptop and go there. Its not complicated, but I’ve thought it out in advance so I don’t have to panic. (I just checked mail on my iPhone this time since nothing urgent was happening.) You need a plan too.
Options include:
- A list of internet cafe’s in your area
- A list of free Wi-Fi locations in your area
- Tethering your phone
- Dial-up
- A Wi-Fi modem from your wireless carrier
- Verizon’s MiFi cellular modem (It lets you setup a mini wireless network)
- Wi -Max (a long distance high speed wireless service available in a few large cities)
Consider these, and see what available and feasible for your business — and make a plan. I recommend a two phase plan, since sometimes ‘Plan B’ fails, and you need to try ‘Plan C’. (For instance, if the phone and the DSL are both out, dial-up as your ‘Plan B’ won’t work.)
Good Luck.
