Written 26 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

After a reboot, check the computer still does its jobs

The computer came back up. Confirm SSH, house ad block, and the file share still work before you buy anything.

A reboot is a clean restart. The computer stops, then comes back. The three house jobs are couch login (SSH), house ad block (Pi-hole), and the shared folder (Samba). This note is the look after it is up. You are not buying anything.

Skip until the computer answers

If ping fails and SSH hangs, start with is the computer still on? This note assumes the computer is awake again.

Why a reboot happened

After keep the computer updated, check see if a reboot is needed. A kernel line can ask for a reboot too. A kernel line is a core-of-the-OS fix. A power blink is a reboot. Shut down the computer without yanking the plug then power on is a restart too. You are not buying a monitoring box for one clean restart.

SSH from the couch

Same habit as SSH from the couch. If the password or key fails after the reboot, don't buy a new box. Check the name: give the computer a name that sticks. Check the address: keep the computer on the same number.

House ad block

Browse a site that used to show ads, or open the Pi-hole admin. If ads are back, that is when ads come back, check the ad block. If the router forgot the computer after a blink, set it again: point the house at the ad block.

House share

Open the folder from a laptop or a phone. If it vanished, that is when the house share disappeared, check the computer.

Optional: check on the computer

If you already SSH'd in, you can check systemd, the computer's job list:

systemctl is-active pihole-FTL

systemctl is-active smbd

You want active on both. If Pi-hole is not active, when ads come back, check the ad block. If Samba is not active, when the house share disappeared, check the computer.

What next

House-wide power blink (router and computer both bounced)? after the power comes back. Leave it. Skip a UPS for a single clean reboot: you don't need a UPS yet. Skip a NAS. Skip a mesh kit. Weekly updates stay keep the computer updated. Unattended stays let the computer apply weekly fixes without you. If systemctl said inactive, or a restart did not help, that is when something broke, look at the log. If a job was active today but dies after every reboot, later: make sure house jobs start after every reboot. If you want the failed-jobs list first, later: see if any house jobs failed to start.

Skip

Skip if the computer is still off. That is is the computer still on?
Skip a monitoring appliance.
Skip a UPS this pass. That is you don't need a UPS yet.
Skip opening SSH to the internet.
Skip buying a second computer because one reboot scared you.

Sources

Debian: systemctl. Ubuntu: systemctl. Official pages only. For the awake check, see is the computer still on?. For the weekly habit, see keep the computer updated. For ads, see when ads come back, check the ad block. For the share, see when the house share disappeared, check the computer. For the login, see SSH from the couch.

Also on this topic

Make the computer come back on after a power cutBefore you buy a monitoring box, check that Pi-hole and the house share are set to start when the computer boots. See if a reboot is neededAfter weekly updates, check whether a reboot is needed before you buy a monitoring box. Is the computer still on?You left the computer on. This morning ads are back, or SSH hangs. Check if it is awake before you buy anything. Keep the computer updatedOnce a week, give the computer its fixes so SSH and Pi-hole are not sitting on last year's bugs. Skip this until next week if you just finished first weekend. See if house ad block is answeringThe computer is awake, but banners are back. Check that Pi-hole is still answering before you buy a mesh kit or blame the router. See if the house folder is still sharedThe computer is awake, but Finder or File Explorer cannot see the folder. Check that Samba is still running before you buy a NAS.