Best UPS Battery Backups to Keep Your Modem and Router On in a Power Outage
When the power blinks, your modem and router reboot, and it can take several minutes for Wi-Fi, smart home devices and cameras to come back. A small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) keeps them running through short outages and flickers and adds surge protection. This guide explains how to size a UPS for your home network, what the specifications mean and which three APC and CyberPower units fit different setups, based on the makers’ own specifications.
Quick answer
Keep Wi-Fi up through short power cuts: how to size a UPS for a modem and router, sine wave vs simulated, battery life, and APC and CyberPower picks.
Jump to the picks on this page
Picks are affiliate links and are not independently tested. See How we pick and the affiliate disclosure.
On this page (6 sections)
Is this the right guide? This page helps you keep your modem and router powered through short outages. If Wi-Fi drops while the power stays on, start with Why Does My Wi-Fi Keep Disconnecting?. Choosing the router itself? See How to Choose a Wi-Fi Router.
New to a term? See the glossary: Modem, Router, Gateway, Ethernet.
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Quick answer
- Modem and router only: APC Back-UPS BE600M1, a compact 600 VA unit with five battery outlets, a USB charging port and a battery you can replace yourself.
- Want a screen showing battery and power status: CyberPower EC650LCD, a slim 650 VA unit with an LCD and wall-mount slots.
- Network gear plus a desktop PC, NAS or camera recorder: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD, a 1500 VA tower with true sine wave output, voltage regulation and six battery outlets.
- Wi-Fi drops even when the power is steady? A UPS will not help; see why Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting.
UPS picks at a glance
Summarized from the APC BE600M1 page and BE600M1 user manual, the CyberPower EC650LCD page, the CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD page and the Amazon listings, checked October 28, 2026.
| UPS | Capacity | Battery outlets | Output on battery | Battery replacement | Stand-out feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APC Back-UPS BE600M1 | 600 VA / 330 W | 5 (plus 2 surge-only) | Step-approximated sine wave | User-replaceable (APCRBC154) | 1.5 A USB charging port; wall-mountable |
| CyberPower EC650LCD | 650 VA / 390 W | 4 (plus 4 surge-only) | Simulated sine wave | By a qualified technician | LCD status screen; ECO mode outlets |
| CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD | 1500 VA / 1000 W | 6 (plus 6 surge-only) | Sine wave | User-replaceable | Voltage regulation; Ethernet surge protection; USB-A and USB-C charging |
What to check before you buy
- Total watts on the battery outlets. Look at the power adapters for your modem, router and any switch, and add up the watts. Small network gear needs only a small UPS; size up only if a computer, NAS or recorder shares it.
- Runtime, not just capacity. Makers list runtime at set loads. The lighter the load, the longer the runtime, so a UPS that lasts a few minutes with a PC can run a modem and router much longer.
- Outlet layout. Count the battery-backed outlets, not the total. Bulky power adapters can block a neighboring socket, so leave yourself a spare battery outlet.
- Waveform. Simulated or step-approximated sine wave suits routers, modems and most small electronics. Choose a true sine wave unit for desktop PCs with active PFC power supplies.
- Battery replacement. Sealed lead-acid UPS batteries wear out over a few years. A user-replaceable battery lets you swap it without replacing the whole unit.
- Where it will sit. Put the UPS next to the modem and router, plugged straight into the wall. If your modem and router are in different rooms, see our gateway and own-router guide or consider moving them together.
Set it up in 15 minutes
- Charge it first. Plug the UPS into a wall outlet and let the battery charge before you rely on it; APC says the BE600M1 reaches full runtime after an initial 24-hour charge.
- Plug in what matters. Put the modem or fiber box and the main router or main mesh unit on battery outlets. Put printers and lamps on surge-only outlets.
- Test it. With the devices running, switch off the breaker or unplug the UPS from the wall for a minute and check that Wi-Fi stays up. Plug it back in when done.
- Know the beeps. These units sound an alarm when running on battery. On the APC BE600M1, a short press of the power button temporarily mutes it; check your model’s manual for its alarm settings.
- Note the date. Write the install date on the unit so you know when the battery is getting old.
Want a fuller picture of your network’s weak spots? Try our free Home Network Health Check.
About these picks: we only link to listings sold new by Amazon.com or the brand’s official store, and the picks are not independently tested. How we pick
Gear worth considering
We matched each pick to the maker’s model number on its Amazon listing. Specifications come from APC’s and CyberPower’s product pages and user manuals and from the Amazon listings, checked October 28, 2026. We could not confirm stock at the time of writing, so check the listing for current availability. We have not tested any of these units.
Best for most homes: APC Back-UPS BE600M1 (600 VA / 330 W)
A compact unit sized well for a modem, a router and a phone charger. APC lists seven outlets, five with battery backup and surge protection and two with surge protection only, plus a 1.5 A USB charging port that keeps working during an outage. The user manual lists 490 joules of surge protection, a step-approximated sine wave on battery and a typical transfer time of 6 ms. The Amazon listing says it gives about 23 minutes of runtime at a 100 W load, that the battery is user-replaceable (APC replacement battery APCRBC154) and that it can be wall-mounted, with a 5-foot cord and a right-angle plug. Its data port works with APC’s PowerChute software if you also connect a computer.
View the APC Back-UPS BE600M1 on Amazon (affiliate link) →
We have not independently tested this product. Availability, specifications and platform support can change; confirm the details on the product listing and the manufacturer's site.
Best for a status screen: CyberPower EC650LCD (650 VA / 390 W)
A slim standby UPS with an LCD that shows battery and power status, and CyberPower lists routers and modems among its typical uses. CyberPower lists eight outlets, four with battery backup and surge protection and four surge-only (three of those can switch off automatically in ECO mode when a connected computer sleeps), 526 joules of surge protection, a simulated sine wave on battery, a 4 ms typical transfer time and keyhole slots for wall mounting. Its rated runtime is 8.4 minutes at half load and 2.8 minutes at full load; a modem and router draw far less than that. CyberPower’s warranty is three years including the battery, but the battery is listed as replaceable only by a qualified technician, and there is no USB charging port.
View the CyberPower EC650LCD on Amazon (affiliate link) →
We have not independently tested this product. Availability, specifications and platform support can change; confirm the details on the product listing and the manufacturer's site.
Best for a home office or network closet: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD (1500 VA / 1000 W)
A larger mini-tower for when the modem and router share a UPS with a desktop computer, a NAS or a camera recorder. CyberPower lists true sine wave output on battery (needed by some computer power supplies with active PFC), automatic voltage regulation that corrects small voltage dips without using the battery, a color LCD, and 12 outlets, six with battery backup and six surge-only. It also lists two USB charging ports (one Type-A and one Type-C, 3.1 A shared), Ethernet surge protection, 1,445 joules of surge protection and a user-replaceable battery. Rated runtime is 10 minutes at half load and 2.5 minutes at full load, with a three-year warranty that covers the battery. It weighs 24.9 lb, so plan floor space for it.
View the CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD on Amazon (affiliate link) →
We have not independently tested this product. Availability, specifications and platform support can change; confirm the details on the product listing and the manufacturer's site.
Choosing the router itself? Start with our Wi-Fi router buying guide or best mesh Wi-Fi systems.
Frequently asked questions
How long will a UPS keep my Wi-Fi running?
It depends on how many watts your modem and router draw and on the size and age of the battery. Makers publish runtime at set loads: APC’s BE600M1 listing says about 23 minutes at 100 W, and CyberPower rates the EC650LCD at 8.4 minutes at half load. A modem and router usually draw much less than those loads, so runtime is longer. Add up the watts on your devices’ power adapters and check the maker’s runtime chart or calculator.
Will my internet work during a power outage if I have a UPS?
Only if your provider’s network is still powered. A UPS keeps your own modem, router and Wi-Fi running, so devices in the house stay connected to each other. Whether you can reach the internet depends on your provider’s equipment in the neighborhood, which may lose power too. Phone hotspots are a useful fallback.
Do I need a pure sine wave UPS for a router?
Usually not. CyberPower lists routers and modems among the typical uses for the EC650LCD, which has a simulated sine wave output. Pure sine wave matters more for desktop computers with active PFC power supplies, which is why the CP1500PFCLCD is a better match if a PC shares the UPS.
What should I plug into the battery outlets?
Your modem (or fiber box), your main router or main mesh unit, and anything you need online during an outage, such as a network switch or a camera recorder. Use the surge-only outlets for things that can go off, like a printer or a lamp. Mesh units in other rooms will lose power unless they also have backup, so the main unit is the priority.
Can I plug a UPS into a power strip or surge protector?
APC’s manual says to connect the UPS power cable directly to a wall outlet. The UPS already includes surge protection.
How often does a UPS battery need replacing?
APC’s manual gives an average battery life of 3 to 5 years for the BE600M1, depending on discharge cycles and room temperature. The unit beeps or shows a warning when the battery needs replacing. APC and the CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD use batteries you can swap yourself; CyberPower lists the EC650LCD battery as replaceable by a qualified technician.
What do VA and watts mean on a UPS?
VA is the apparent power capacity and watts is the real power the UPS can supply. Check the watt figure against the total watts of the devices on the battery outlets, and leave plenty of headroom; a UPS run near its maximum load gives only a few minutes of runtime.