Auto-Restart

This is a project I designed to automate the restart or reboot of my network. As a computer repair technician, I have experienced the need to restart client networks to resolve internet connection issues. Since most networks are an “Always-On” connection, problems arise because these networks are operating non-stop 24 hours a day 365 days a year to provide internet services. When a connection problem occurs, you must power cycle the network starting with the modem, up to the router and switches. Who wants to stand there, manually power cycling the network and wait for it to get back online? This project has 3 features. If the power goes out, the system will reset by disconnecting the power to protect the network. This helps even if the power outage was a brief second since these can cause surges when power is restored. A delay is programmed to wait for power to stabilize before starting the network. The startup will start one network device at a time starting with the modem, or Gateway. A preset timer is used to allow time for the modem to boot up and establish a connection to the ISP. Then it starts the next network device such as a Router or switch. Then cycle repeats until the network is fully operational. The second feature is the ability to schedule an automatic restart of the network. The clock is used to schedule the day and time of day to restart the network. For example, I currently have this set to restart my network at midnight on every Sunday. The scheduling is flexible according to your preference. The final feature is the manual reset. If none of the fore mention has not occurred but you are having connection problems, you can simply push the reset button to begin the cycle. The boards turned out great although it took longer than expected to assemble. Thank you.