How do you protect your technology set up?

[Inna22]

Guests routinely mess with my technology set up. Some plug their own equipment, some.. I just don’t know why! I got a note at three am today that current guests unplugged it. This means the other unit has no internet either and they are probably fuming but cannot even message me because they are from out of country and have no US phone. But I cannot barge into the offending unit until it is reasonable hour. Sometimes I don't even realize they mess with it and next guests cannot watch TV or access internet so I need to run there at all hours to fix. I put a stern note that I charge $150 if you touch it. So then several complained that I had mean notes around the house (mentioned this one specifically) and some were afraid to restart modem which is sometimes a simply easy fix if there is an internet issue which again caused me to go over at all hours. Now I have a note just asking to not plug or unplug or change my set up but they still do. Has anyone used a cage you could recommend? Language for the note that works for you?

[Alexandra316]

@Inna22 I keep mine in a locked closet and it seems to work fine. I've only had to go in twice in a year of hosting to fix it during a guest stay.

Do you have a note about it in your house rules, or in your welcome message? I would perhaps appeal to their better natures and mention that unplugging or changing the settings has an impact on other guests.

[Susan151]

Guests should not have access to your modem at all. There are many digital security reasons for this in addition to the type of outage you are describing above.

In the event that it needs to be rebooted, this can be done from the "outside" by your provider. Mine doesn't charge for this.

[Inna22]

I just asked this particular guest why they chose to unplug despite all the notes. He said he needed to charge his phone. It was at three am so I assume he was also under influence and just simply was not reading/did not care. This effects TV set up as well, so just hiding the modem will not fully take care of the issue

[Adriana100]

Jessica, I provide charging stations in all my bedrooms with multiple USB ports. perhaps you could put one very visible in your livingroom or whereever the router is so that drunk guests wont unplug your modem.

[JohnandDee0]

Still does help lol

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Inna22

Henry is in charge of that kind of stuff for our home/listing. For our modem/wifi router, we have it plugged in where it is really difficult to reach and unplug. 

Also, I have more than enough power strips, available sockets and usb ports that guests can use to plug/charge their own electronics in the guest room as well as common spaces so guests would never feel the need to "unplug" anything to start with.

Personally for us, it was always really annoying when there aren't enough sockets to re-charge several items at once so Henry and I are in the habit of travelling with our own power strip! Off the top of my head, we both have 1 cell phone each, Henry's tablet, my Kindle, portable charger, bluetooth speaker and/or headphones (earphones), (depending on country and no. of people in our group) portable wifi hotspot and when going to hotter climates our handheld electric fans - all these things need to be recharged regularly. 

So based on my experience, I would like to suggest that instead of telling people not to unplug something, just provide a few extra power strips that are already plugged into a wall socket so that guests don't have to unplug something in order to charge their phone. 

[Alexandra316]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 Typed something in which completely disappeared... annoying!

I just bought the flush mounted power bars that have 2 x 110V plugs and 2x USB plugs and dotted them around the flat. You can buy 2 for $18.99 at Costco and they work great. I hate it when there are no plugs near the bed.

[Lisa723]

@Inna22 I'm with @Jessica-and-Henry0 -- we provide charging cubes in every bedroom and living room, guests really appreciate it and they have no need to look for outlets.

https://www.amazon.com/JSVER-Compact-Charging-Station-Outlet/dp/B072PT17X3

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Inna22our routers and the water heater are inside the locked closet in the hallway. Our tv have hotel mode so nobody can't change channels setup without a password.  Whatever is not locked you know they will mess with it

[Inna22]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 so true! A guest took all the extra trash liners that we did not lock away in the supply closet. My housekeeper was surprised. And the only thing I was supprised about is that after working for me for so long she was still suprised 

[Inna22]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 @Lisa723 my husband suggested the same thing and at first I thought it was silly in a sense "how much more can I provide these people". But now I see value in it, He actually is getting me a power supply that will make an annoying sound if unplugged so hopefully they will leave it and use as intended!

[Susan151]

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@Inna22 wrote:

@Jessica-and-Henry0 @Lisa723 my husband suggested the same thing and at first I thought it was silly in a sense "how much more can I provide these people". 

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Consider getting a power strip with a row of USB chargers built in. Since I added this, there are devices attached constantly.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Inna22

I think in the case of extra power strips (w/ usb chargers) for guests it wasn't about how much more am I providing to guests but rather pre-emptively making sure they don't feel the need to unplug any of my appliances or electronics. 

[David8879]

I had to place router, cable box etc into the metal cage that covers wall receptacle with antenna sticking out, my wiring to TV is covered by bolted in metal rails as well as back of TV where HDMI TV cables  connected. Now I am thinking of placing metal screen in front of TVs (may be it will remind some guest the place where they came from.  (Joking - I am thinking I am funny). The amount of energy some guests put into destruction of other people's property in nothing short of amazing.