Re: Reliability of Networking Hardware?

galt_57@hotmail.com wrote:
> Just read someones rant about how they need to buy a new router every
> year or two because they get flakey and start acting up. Is this
> opinion utterly bogus or do a lot of people actually have trouble with
> equipment that quickly gets intermittant and flakey? If so could this
> perhaps be due to lightning damage?

One typical reason for malfunctioning is inadequate cooling. For
example, some users have reported that D-Link DI-604 heats significantly,
which has probably caused for their routers a shorter lifespan. These
things are usually passively cooled.

Once I discovered that problem in my DI-604 (Rev. B2, ARM7) I disassembled
the thing, opened couple of holes in the both end of the case, put a pair
of ziptie loops through the holes at one end, assembled it, and put it
hanging in upright manner under the back edge of the table. The thing
now radiates heat freely to all directions and cooling air flows naturally
in to lower end holes, through the case and out of the upper end holes.
The lower end of the case is now cool and upper end barely warm.
Before that it felt hot when lying flat on the table, after all DI-604
takes 7.5-8.0 Watts in use.

As you probably understand, damage to electronics is possible if this
kind of 'hack' is executed carelessly, and it voids the warranty.
And it cannot be applied to all devices because of their weight and
other possible reasons, but some computer desks have additional metal
wire cages where a smaller flat router box can be put in upright
position to enhance cooling, without opening the router.

-- 
S.Suikkanen