Is there any way to turn off airport without removing the electrical plug and should I unplug it when not using it??

Question

I just got the 5G Airport Extreme base station. Set-up was a snap! Maybe 10-15 minutes compared to a friend who got another name brand for his pc and took a couple hours, even having to call customer support! Been working great so far, but am concerned about never turning it off, not only about the possibe harm that could be done to the unit, but also about having an active, open Internet connection 24/7. Before I got my Airport Extreme I was using Ethernet cable with a cable modem that could be placed on "standby" whenever I was not using my Mac for Internet, but since AE5G doesn't have a power switch on the unit, have left it turned on rather than unplugging it by the electrical cord. I did turn AirPort "off" in the menu bar when not using it wth my Mac, but AE is still apparently constantly active, showing a steady green light. Would there be any harm done by plugging it in only when I want to use Wi-Fi, then unplugging it?
Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

Would there be any harm done by plugging it in only when I want to use Wi-Fi, then unplugging it?
That is a matter of debate, since there are two schools of thought regarding power status on a router.
One school maintains that you can turn the device on and off as needed. Makes sense for some folks. The advantage of this is that it might save a bit of electricity, although the Extreme draws very little power most of the time.
Another school believes that there is a reason why Apple did not even place an "Off" switch on the device. It's designed to run 24/7.
Leaving the Extreme on will place far less stress on the electrical components in the device since they stay in an "idle" state most of the time, drawing very little current. Powering any electrical device up sends a sudden rush of current through the device, which places far more stress on a device than if it is simply left on.
It depends on your priorities. If you want to save electricity, your decision is already made. If you intend to prolong the life of the router, then consider leaving it on, as Apple intended.
A compromise position might be to leave the Extreme on most of the time and power if off for long weekends or vacation periods when you will be away. Remember that the Extreme must establish all new network connections every time that it powers back up....perhaps another reason to simply leave it on.