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How to Keep a Noisy LinkSys Gigabit Switch Quiet?



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 23rd 05, 07:51 PM
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Default How to Keep a Noisy LinkSys Gigabit Switch Quiet?

I need to find a way to keep a LinkSys Gigabit switch (EG008W) quiet.
From day one, it makes a relatively loud noise when I power it up; I

can hear the noise even I have closed the door of the equipment closet.
This sounds like noise from a noisy fan. If this is the case, I may be
able to replace the noisy fan with a quiet one. The problem is that I
don't see how it can have a fan inside its low-profile chasis.

No, I cannot get a refund because I left it in the box over 15 days
before I powered it up for the first time, and I bought it from CompUSA
who has that short refund period.

I have already sent it back twice and get two different replacement
units (of the same model). And all three of them are noisy in exactly
the same way. Seem like this is by design, and is not a random
manufacturing defect. I cannot afford to send it back because the
shipping cost is becoming more expensive than the switch itself.

My questions a
- Where is the noise coming from?
- How can I keep the noise down?
- How can I open it and look inside without
breaking it apart? The case is really hard
to open, and there is no screw.
- Does anyone try this before?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

  #2  
Old February 24th 05, 12:43 PM
kony
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On 23 Feb 2005 10:51:42 -0800, wrote:

I need to find a way to keep a LinkSys Gigabit switch (EG008W) quiet.
From day one, it makes a relatively loud noise when I power it up; I

can hear the noise even I have closed the door of the equipment closet.
This sounds like noise from a noisy fan. If this is the case, I may be
able to replace the noisy fan with a quiet one. The problem is that I
don't see how it can have a fan inside its low-profile chasis.


How tall does a fan need be?
I'd "guess" they just plopped a heatsink w/fan on the
processing chip. Sure, you could do something-or-other
about that, and since your warranty is up you have nothing
to keep you from opening it, so why haven't you yet?


No, I cannot get a refund because I left it in the box over 15 days
before I powered it up for the first time, and I bought it from CompUSA
who has that short refund period.


See? I forcast the future and do cute parlor tricks too!
;-)


I have already sent it back twice and get two different replacement
units (of the same model). And all three of them are noisy in exactly
the same way. Seem like this is by design, and is not a random
manufacturing defect. I cannot afford to send it back because the
shipping cost is becoming more expensive than the switch itself.

My questions a
- Where is the noise coming from?
- How can I keep the noise down?
- How can I open it and look inside without
breaking it apart? The case is really hard
to open, and there is no screw.
- Does anyone try this before?


Did you look for screws behind the label(s) and under any
feet? If you're SURE there are no screws, what's left is to
take a knife in an inconspicuous area (after gently heating
the plastic so it's a little more flexible, less likely to
crack) and slide knife inbetween the crack somewhere,
determining how the (top and bottom?) seat together,
probably with a tongue and groove or half-groove lip so the
outer portion of the lip, shell, should be flexed outward a
little while you're peering along the seam with a strong
light, looking for little plastic friction-tabs. You'd just
sorta work your way around the seam unhooking each set of
tabs, and having some strips of cardboard (or whatever,
thin) material handy to shove in to keep the case seam open
as you proceed the rest of the way around it. At least, IMO
that's the best way to do it if there aren't any screws.

So you have it open finally and there it is, the fan.
Having no idea how well ventilated the chassis is I can't
begin to guess how much slower the fan can be, whether a
really low RPM fan will be sufficient or perhaps just
throttling back the current fan as much as tolerable. Tiny
fans are also harder to come by, they're out there but if
you want to pick and choose exactly what replacment
make/model/speed/noise you get, it may end up premium
priced. Another alternative would be to check the voltage
with a multimeter and calculate a resistor value to place
inline on the power lead... Somewhere in the ballpark of
10-200 Ohms 2W would be my first guess as to a suitable
value(s) to try if you dont' have alternate methods of
determining the voltage/noise relationship of a particular
fan.
  #3  
Old February 24th 05, 06:51 PM
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OK, I will attempt to open it. If I find that I may be about to break
it into pieces, I will try another approach, such as building a box to
house it.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

  #5  
Old February 25th 05, 02:07 PM
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That kind of break will be OK with me. Worse comes to worse, I can use
a velco strip to hold it together. I am more afraid of breaking
anything inside that will make it stop working. I will see how it go
in this weekend or the next weekend.

Jay Chan

  #7  
Old February 28th 05, 05:23 PM
Ric
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Just thought I would add my two cents on this. I have run into the
same problem. Well except for the fact that with the Linksys I am
working with fan has gone bad. It rattles and you can hear it hit the
housing sometimes. At any rate what I have found, though I am unable
to open the housing so far is that there are four prongs that hold
the case to the board inside. To top it off under the rubber feet in
the back are two clips as well. Now this do not pop out they slide to
an opening. One of the problems is the way it needs to slide the pegs
that hold it to the board will not allow, and to top it off the front
housing blocks it from sliding. I even called Linksys about it and
they would not share how to get the dumb thing open. I think I will
check into Cisco and see what they have like it. Our company deals
with Cisco so I have no idea why this one department went with
Linksys. Well really I do know why. They did not bother checking with
IT. Well anyway I hope this gives someone an idea and that they share
it with the rest of us.

  #8  
Old March 1st 05, 02:49 PM
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Thanks. I will need to print it out and read it a couple times with
the LinkSys Switch in front of me.

Seem like you are saying that it really has a fan inside. This sounds
promising. May be the noise will go away if I replace it with a quiet
one.

Jay Chan

  #9  
Old March 2nd 05, 02:42 AM
SRay69
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Just got the Linksys EG008W myself. I have 3 other LinkSys brand
switches and routers and none of them have fans in them! If I
probably wouldn't have bought it if I knew how loud this thing is. I
have a machine with ten 120mm fans in it and this LinkSys is OVER
TWICE as loud!

There are no screws on it that I can see, unless they're under the
rubber feet.

There *are* these little holes that look like some kind of access for
a proprietary security tool. There's also a security sticker near
these holes warning that tampering or opening the unit will void the
warranty.

I really don't care about voiding warranty, I just wanna replace that
POS fan!

Anyone know how to open it nicely?

  #10  
Old March 2nd 05, 01:16 PM
SRay69
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Ok, figured it out and replaced the fan tonight. Luckily I had just
the perfect fan lying around. Man, LinkSys engineering has
definitely gone down hill with the fan and this switch. I see anger
all over the place about their cooling solution.

My solution makes the fit a good bit tighter, but it has so far worked
great the past couple hours and seems to give decent airflow.

I don't have time to make a tutorial and I shouldn't even be taking
time to make pictures, but I know I'd be grateful if someone helped
me out.

Check it out:
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...abitFanFix.jpg

By the way, that tiny fan was OVER TWICE as loud as my new 14 fan
rig:
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...69/PimpRig.jpg


If you have any questions you can reach me at jim_perry at
hotmail.com. Although I don't know where to get right size fan, the
size I used is in the pic!

Disclaimer:
THIS WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY, SO I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY
DAMAGE IT MAY CAUSE!

 




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