A smart plug to monitor your router and automatically reset power if WiFi fails

A- every 15 minutes check my internet connection: connectivity (reaching Goodle DNS host),

B- if connectivity fail, execute D-2 below, if not see next step below

C- then use SpeedTest download / upload; if download/upload speed are too slow then attempt a second test 30 seconds later

D- if the second attempt fail again then:

1- send an SMS with Twilio to my cell phone to let me know the modem will reboot, and wait 10 seconds

2- issue a "off" command to my Belkin Wemo (cable modem plugged into it), then wait another 30 seconds and issue a "on" command

On top of that I have installed InfluxDB + Grafana on my Pi so I can log the connection latency to Google DNS, and the download/upload speed. Example:

https://imgur.com/gallery/dgeFR

The Belkin Wemo command do use only my local Wifi, so even if the modem is down since my Pi is on the same LAN it can control the Wemo without problem.

It was a fun little project for my Pi. All written in Python. If anyone interested I can probably post the code somewhere.

[updated for formatting]

There's a whole community about hacking these plugs: https://plus.google.com/communities/115308608951565782559

This is silly and illogical, if you have a reliability problem fix it, adding more parts is not likely to help. What happens when this smart plug malfunctions and restarts your router every 5 minutes?

I've been using Ankuoo and Maginon devices quite a bit at home -- they run around $25, are easy to setup, conveniently communicate information to Chinese owned domains (ok, that bit bugs me, but I've blocked the communication) and they are a script away from this product.

If this is based on the Marvell Chipset that so many of these devices are based on, I wonder how frequently it'll reset the router not because WiFi went out but because the device dropped off the network due its own problems. I've had some very spotty results with a device that I had plugged into the same power strip as my router and a large number of other devices. Despite being 4 feet from the router, it continually dropped off the network until I moved it to a wall outlet far away from the power strip (I'm guessing interference from the myriad of moderately high wattage equipment I had plugged in but I'm no EE).

Something like this could be made on-the-cheap with a CHIP and a relay ($10 for the CHIP $5-10 for the relay, $~1-5 for USB power) and a little bit of scripting. Personally, I've wanted a feature like this since my router and cable modem are not easy to get to when I (rarely) need to cycle them. I purchased a 4-port relay and plan to pair it with a Banana Pro, wire it to Ethernet, set it up on WiFi and coupled with software running on my OpenWRT router, have it decide which to cycle in the event of an outage. Even with that complex of a build, I'm looking at $55.00 including power (which doesn't count much for me since I've got a USB block with an available port that I plan to use).

https://twitter.com/internetofshit/status/708565761330176000

"On one level: this is a great idea On another level: WiFi routers shouldn't be so shit that this exists"

"So many people saying they actually want this thing?! It's apparently real"

Of course in an ideal world, wireless routers would be smart enough to reset themselves, without having to add another $60 to their price. But we are only in 2016.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dobots/crownstone

Prior art. So you can just get our open source power outlets without patent-pending stuff.

I reboot it about once a year, as in, it has been rebooted three times that didn't involve firmware updates in its entire life, or about five times total.

If your router is that flakey, just replace the router.