UPS/surge protector
 

I have an ADSL modem, wireless router, and two PCs plugged in that I keep running 24/7.

I had noticed problems with the modem/router hanging occasionally, today I left my son's guitar amp plugged in and it led me to the fact that the devices are suffering power surges as the amp made a crackling noise just when the router hung up.

The PCs have never (or maybe once) gone off, but the router and lights have been affected by voltage fluctuations, just wondering what my options are to keep it more stable. (I like to know I will be able to dial in after being away for 2-3 weeks.) I'm not 100% sure on the wattage my devices are pulling, but would a cheap UPS run that?

Or do I just get a surge protector?

You get what you pay for.
Cheap UPS = cheap internals = poor voltage/noise etc etc regulation/suppression.
With out knowing the specs of PCs...
Figure each PC IF name brand and made in the last 3 years at 300watts (maxx) If home built gaming system figure about 1,000 watts
Do the math to get the Volt Amps pad it by 15%-20% and buy a UPS rated for that VA.
If up time is that critical for you consider co-lo :P
But seriously a Remote Power Switch + UPS maybe what your looking for. A hung router or system on a UPS does you no good.

Surge Protector will NOT keep the devices powered on during an outage. It will only help with spikes/surges/noise which is good... So in other words IF you don't need 7x24x365 99.99999% up time a Surge Protector is a minimum.

Check with your power company. Ours offers a very cost efficient whole house power surge device they put on the main line coming into the house and it protects the entire house.

It's sixty or so bucks up front and five bucks a month after that and includes a warranty for connected devices.

It won't keep things running in a power outage, but will put surge protection on everything in the house.

A surge protector won't help with this--they stop too-high voltage, they can't do anything about too-low voltage.

There are power stabilizers that will probably address what you are seeing. In a sense they're baby UPSes but they're only good for a second or so. The advantage they have over a true UPS is there is no battery inside to wear out. A true UPS contains batteries that get old and cease to deliver the goods.

If you do get a true UPS get one that has built-in self-testing. Manual testing is a pain and even if you do it you're liable to find out the hard way that the batteries aren't up to it--by having your machine do an unexpected shutdown.

Those are a great investment in FLA. Have to love lighting strikes...

If your concern is lightening, make sure to protect the DSL line too.

Had a lightening strike over the summer very close to the house, took out the Garage door opener, and through the phone line took out the DSL splitter, modem, the router, and network port on the desktop, and another hub in the basement.

I have one of these and I completely recommend it. I average a power outage about once a week and the UPS records a brown-out about once a day.

Of course if your cable company/ISP has any sort of powered junction box or POP in the same area as the black out then your internet is still going down.

Cable and RJ45 filters are another top notch investment ;)

+1 Hence the Co-Lo remark :p