Guide 02 · UPS
A UPS for your router and modem
A small UPS can keep the modem and router running through flickers and short outages, so Wi-Fi calling, work, and internet-connected alarms stay connected as long as the battery lasts and your provider's network stays up.
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The verdict
Choose a UPS for the complete modem-and-router power path, then check its outlet layout, equipment compatibility and published runtime at your load; the provider’s network must remain available too.
See the pick: APC BE600M1What we check
- Battery-backed outlets for modem, router, and the provider's box
- Runtime at your connected load, from the maker's chart
- Outlet spacing for bulky adapters
- Voltage regulation if brownouts are common
- Replaceable battery
Drawing of backup power equipment.
Our pick UPS
APC BE600M1
Sold as: APC BE600M1 UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector for Computer, Router, NAS
APC publishes five battery-backed outlets and a 600 VA / 330 W rating for the BE600M1. Use its runtime chart at your connected load, then check adapter spacing and the equipment’s waveform requirements. Its standby design is a candidate for a basic network setup, not proof that every modem, router or desktop will work with it.
- Rating
- 600 VA / 330 WSource for Rating: maker
- Topology
- Standby: switches to battery, no voltage regulationSource for Topology: maker
- Output on battery
- Stepped approximation to a sine waveSource for Output on battery: maker
- Battery-backed outlets
- 5, plus 2 surge-onlySource for Battery-backed outlets: maker
- USB charging
- 1 USB-A, 1.5 ASource for USB charging: maker
- Battery
- 12 V sealed lead-acid, user-replaceable (APCRBC154)Source for Battery: maker
- Recharge
- About 10 hoursSource for Recharge: maker
- Weight
- 7.69 lbSource for Weight: maker
- Runtime at 33 W
- 1 h 22 min, maker's chartSource for Runtime at 33 W: maker
- Runtime at 50 W
- 52 min, maker's chartSource for Runtime at 50 W: maker
- Runtime at 100 W
- 23 min, maker's chartSource for Runtime at 100 W: maker
- Warranty
- 3 years UPS, 1 year batterySource for Warranty: maker
Runtime is APC's curve fit to measured data with new, fully charged batteries at a resistive load, not a HoldBackup test. Your adapters' real draw decides the number.
Maker's US pageAPC's US catalog, on Schneider Electric's site, lists it with Where to Buy and marks it not normally stocked in distribution.se.com Checked
What owners reportOwners report connecting it to firewall software over USB for monitoring and automatic shutdown, with mixed results depending on the system.Level1Techs forum, OPNsense issue on GitHub Checked
PriceAmazon sets it, and it changes. The button takes you to today's price.
Store linkPaid link
One small standby UPS for a modem and router.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
Fits when
- The required network devices fit the battery-backed outlets
- The manufacturer’s runtime curve meets your duration at your load
- The connected equipment accepts the unit’s output
- Your internet provider’s network remains available
Falls short when
- Your required runtime exceeds the published curve at your load
- You need AVR for recurring voltage fluctuations
- Your equipment needs an output waveform this model does not supply
- The provider’s network is down too
Specs from APC product page, APC datasheet (PDF), APC runtime chart.
APC's published runtime for the BE600M1, by load
| Criterion | 33 Wpublished load point | 50 W | 100 W | 200 W | 330 Wrated maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime, maker's chart | 1 h 22 min | 52 min | 23 min | 8 min 43 s | 3 min 12 s |
APC's chart is a curve fit to measured runtime with new, fully charged batteries at a resistive load. Runtime falls as the battery ages. The chart is linked on the pick card.
What a modem and router actually draw
List the modem or ONT, router and any other device needed for your connection. Record the load of that setup using a suitable meter according to its instructions. Keep measured readings separate from estimates. An adapter’s DC output rating describes what it can supply; it is not the device’s measured AC input or a reliable ceiling for wall consumption. HoldBackup has not measured your setup.
Check both the watt and VA limits of the UPS. Schneider Electric’s sizing guidance explains why neither rating may be exceeded. For a closet with switches and access points, use the home network closet UPS guide to map the full power path.
How long it will run
UPS units are sold by VA and watts, but runtime depends on the battery and the load. Find the runtime chart in the manual or on the maker's site and read it at your load, not at full load. The table above contains APC’s published load points; none is a measurement of a modem-and-router combination. Check the curve’s conditions and allow for battery condition and changes in load. Do not extrapolate a precise runtime below the published range. For a longer target duration, compare backup systems against that requirement and the equipment’s transfer requirements.
Worked example: the complete network load
Arithmetic with assumed loads: a 12 W modem, a 10 W router, an 8 W ONT and a 20 W switch total 50 W across four devices. Include only the boxes your actual connection needs; some fiber setups have an ONT instead of a cable modem. These numbers are illustrative, not adapter ratings or measured consumption. Compare the total with the exact model’s runtime curve and your required duration.
Four devices need four usable battery-backed outlets in this example. Bulky adapters may block neighboring outlets, so five advertised battery outlets do not prove the plugs fit. Check the VA limit separately and keep the provider’s equipment on the power plan. A powered local network still depends on the provider’s network.
Fill in the UPS sizing worksheet to record your load, runtime evidence and compatibility questions. You can print a blank or completed copy.
What to check before you buy
Router backup: match the complete power path to the UPS
| Criterion | APC BE600M1Store offer on this guide | CyberPower CP1500PFCLCDDesktop guide candidate |
|---|---|---|
| Maker’s power rating | 600 VA / 330 W | 1500 VA / 1000 W |
| Battery-backed outlets | 5; plus 2 surge-only | 6; plus 6 surge-only |
| Battery waveform | Stepped approximation to a sine wave | Sine wave; maker describes active-PFC compatibility |
| Voltage regulation | Standby design, no AVR | Line-interactive with AVR |
| Device compatibility | Check every adapter’s AC requirements and the battery-backed outlet spacing | Same checks; capacity and sine wave alone do not prove device compatibility |
| NAS signaling | Rear USB data port is separate from the charging port; check the exact NAS list | HID USB data; SNMP needs an optional management card and NAS support |
| Best reason to compare | A small network load whose runtime target fits APC’s curve | A larger shared load or a requirement for AVR or sine-wave output |
APC’s BE600M1 manual/product page and CyberPower’s current CP1500PFCLCD specifications checked Oct 9, 2026. These are US models. Keep the ONT/modem and every required switch or access point powered; a UPS cannot keep the provider’s network available.
The comparison uses APC’s BE600M1 manual and CyberPower’s CP1500PFCLCD specifications. If the BE600M1 does not fit your waveform, regulation or duration requirement, check the desktop UPS guide before considering the larger model. A larger UPS does not prove compatibility with your network adapters.
- Enough battery-backed outlets for the modem, the router, and anything else on the network path, such as a switch or the fiber box from your internet provider. Some outlets on a UPS are surge-only and turn off in an outage.
- Outlet spacing that fits bulky power adapters.
- The power requirements of the exact connected equipment, including output waveform. Do not assume every small adapter accepts every UPS output.
- A replaceable battery. UPS batteries wear out and usually need replacing after a few years.
When to replace the UPS battery
Check the exact alarm or indicator in the manual before deciding that the battery is the problem. A shorter runtime can also reflect a changed load or incomplete charging. APC lists APCRBC154 as the replacement cartridge for the BE600M1. Confirm your model in APC’s replacement selector and follow the applicable replacement and charging instructions; do not use a generic procedure for a different unit.
A new battery does not repair other faults. If troubleshooting does not resolve the problem, contact the manufacturer before buying a cartridge or replacing the UPS.
Store linkPaid link
Replacement battery cartridge for the APC BE600M1 on this page.
Check price on AmazonHoldBackup earns a commission if you buy through this link. Amazon sets the price.
When the outage takes your provider down too
A UPS keeps your equipment on, but it cannot keep your internet provider's network up. In a long, widespread outage the connection can drop even while your router stays lit. A phone hotspot is the fallback for that case, if cell service is still up. For longer outages at home, see the battery backup, UPS, and generator guide.
The runtime table gives hours for a modem and router on four power stations, if your provider stays up. It's arithmetic, not a test, so check your maker's chart too.
Choose the guide for your equipment
- Line-interactive vs standby UPSCompare voltage regulation, then check the waveform your equipment needs.
- UPS for a desktop computerSize one PC and its display, then check operating-system shutdown.
- 1500VA UPS for a home officePlan the combined desk load and decide which devices must shut down together.
- UPS for a home network closetMap switches, access points and the complete powered network path.
- UPS for a home office NASVerify the exact storage-device pairing and the shutdown signal.
Best UPS battery backup for a home and APC vs CyberPower compare units from the makers' numbers. Every guide in this class is in UPS battery backup.
How we pick
- Start from the job, not the catalog. Each guide fixes the load first (what has to stay on, for how long), then looks for a unit whose published numbers cover it with headroom.
- Maker spec sheets only. Every number on a pick card links to the maker's own product page, datasheet, or manual. If the maker does not publish a figure, the card says so instead of guessing.
- No lab tests, and we say so. HoldBackup has not run these units. Runtime figures are the maker's claims or arithmetic from the guide's rule, and both are labelled.
- Backup power only. UPS units, portable power stations, generators, and the cords and transfer gear tied to them. Nothing else gets a pick, even if a listing says "generator".
- Labelled store links. A store button goes straight to Amazon with HoldBackup's affiliate tag. HoldBackup counts the click. A live button carries a "paid link" label, and the disclosure sits above the first one on every guide.
Questions
Can I plug the modem and router into a surge protector instead?
A surge protector helps with voltage spikes, but it has no battery, so everything plugged into it still shuts off when the power goes out. A UPS protects against surges and keeps its battery-backed outlets on until the battery runs down.
How do I know the UPS battery needs replacing?
Check the exact alarm or indicator in your model’s manual and follow its troubleshooting steps. Short runtime alone does not identify the cause. Confirm the specified replacement cartridge before replacing a battery; a new battery does not repair other faults.
Do I need a big UPS for this?
Size from the equipment on your network path, its load and your required runtime. Check both the watt and VA limits, the battery-backed outlet layout and the maker’s runtime chart. A larger VA number alone does not answer those questions.
Where does the price button go?
Straight to Amazon. Amazon sets the price and availability, and both can change.
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