Kitz ADSL Broadband Information
adsl spacer  
Support this site
Home Broadband ISPs Tech Routers Wiki Forum
 
     
   Compare ISP   Rate your ISP
   Glossary   Glossary
 
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Author Topic: Hot Routers  (Read 5865 times)

Ezzer

  • Helpful
  • Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1713
Hot Routers
« on: February 04, 2008, 11:47:53 PM »

One thing I've noticed which I've never seen mentioned on this site is the issue of heat (I'm wondering if I'm going to open a can of worms, ah well)

One typical cause of problems is a hot router, All routers I've found to start behaving erraticaly or refuse to sync once ther'e too hot.

By placing your palm on your router: does if fell warm or hot to touch (as in the heat off a hot/warm cuppa)

If so is it sitting directly on carpet, if so then is the carpet warm under the router.

Is it sitting on top of another appliance producing heat.

Have you got something on top of the router, (paperwork books even a plate with toast on it)

Is it by a heat source like a radiator/ heater or a heater blowing warm air on it.

If it's just a little warm, thats normal. Say yes to any of the above then this may be something to look at and experiment with to see if you get any improvement.

Voyagers tend to be the hottest type in normal working conditions, the heat should feel at most in the corner where the power lead goes in. netgears seem to be the coolest. if you can having the router sitting on it's edge rather than flat can some times help. If the router still seems exccesivley hot, then try borrowing another router to see if you get a performance difference. 
Logged

kitz

  • Administrator
  • Senior Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 33879
  • Trinity: Most guys do.
    • http://www.kitz.co.uk
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2008, 11:57:53 PM »

Youre quite correct and make some good points ..
in fact turning the router on its side is something that does help and we do on occasions recommend.
I'm sure there was a thread within the past month or so where we were discussing router design and air-vents. [or maybe Im doing a time lapse thing and times flown]

I know one of the guys on here has his router propped practically upside down so that it gets a good air-flow from the vents which are stupidly on the underside of the router.


Logged
Please do not PM me with queries for broadband help as I may not be able to respond.
-----
How to get your router line stats :: ADSL Exchange Checker

Astral

  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *****
  • Posts: 6864
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2008, 12:10:21 AM »

I must say that the 2-wire routers supplied by BT are very good ventilation-wise. There is mesh covering most of both faces and it has a "foot" to make it stand upright. It stays very cool and has been faultless for nearly 18 months.
Logged

Ezzer

  • Helpful
  • Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1713
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2008, 12:15:06 AM »

Don't know if you've ever had the chance to see some of the voyager routers but some have quite high rubber feet. I I go to a customer and get a good result with my test stuff, yet the end users equipment dosn't play ball a hand on the router often gives a good clue. I've been to some commercial places where everything crammed in a comm cabinet which is like opening an oven door or a router so hot to touch you can keep food hot on them. Bit of a reorg' and after a few mins you hear "Yay we've got the net back, what you do?"

2 wire, thats the router I would idealy pick from what i've seen, seen to have a good surge resistance
Logged

roseway

  • Administrator
  • Senior Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 43467
  • Penguins CAN fly
    • DSLstats
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2008, 07:18:59 AM »

Over the years I've used several routers from Netgear, Speedtouch and Belkin, and the only ones which felt more than slightly warm were the Belkin ones (which were quite hot). They were also the least stable. That doesn't prove anything of course, but it's certainly the case with electronics generally that cooler is better. Anyone with an unstable connection and a hot router should think about ways of cooling the router, or try a replacement.
Logged
  Eric

soms

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 537
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2008, 09:12:52 AM »

The Linksys we had for a bit (faulty now!) would get very hot, too hot to hold your hand on the surface.
This was sat on a desk top so no carpets or equipment jungle to suffocate it. It would also get very hot when stood up side ways.

The AC adaptor would also be working overtime producing heat!

I agree the netgears are very good - ours is left on all the time and gets plenty of use and doesn't get more than slightly warm to the touch, and this is sat in the same place as the Linksys.

The BT Home Hub didn't seem to get hot, but was such a let down in other ways it had to go!

Logged

Astral

  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *****
  • Posts: 6864
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2008, 09:37:54 AM »

Quote
The Linksys we had for a bit (faulty now!) would get very hot, too hot to hold your hand on the surface.

Me too. Mine died as well!

I remember somebody, somewhere recommending cutting a big hole in the casing to improve the cooling on the Linksys!
Logged

jabns

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 247
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2008, 11:38:32 AM »

My Bekin Pre-N router gets extreamly hot and some times refuses connections.

I think my Draytek 2800 also used to lock up if it got to hot. I remember it making the Web GUI very slow.

James
Logged

setecio

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 208
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2008, 09:20:51 PM »

I came across a badly behaving Belkin router used for an NTL connection that was regularly losing its connection.

It was sitting on top of the NTL cable modem :flamer:  :no: ..... changing that fixed the problem.  8)
Logged

Ezzer

  • Helpful
  • Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1713
Re: Hot Routers
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2008, 10:56:42 PM »

because I've got to be carefull what i say, let's just say one particular make of router I will not trust, I'll connect to the dsl lead after the microfilter without looking for the master socket/nte. Lets just say it's sort of blue at the front & dark gray behind & a bit of a cheep plasticy feel. And so many times Oh look the line's ok seems to be your router (although by ofcom rules an openreach enginner is ot allowed to tell you if they belive it's your equipment. just the line tests fine. Ahh just given out a secret not suppoed to let out, whoops
Logged
 

anything