Gigabit Switch Issue

[Target]

Howdy all,

This is my first post, and I'm in the midst of embarking on a VERY large project, so you may see a lot of me.

Right now, I have a very targeted issue. I recently purchased a Linksys 2024 gigabit switch. The switch appears to work fine, but it is ungodly loud. I know that its not a consumer grade product, but might something be wrong with it? It seriously sounds like a quiet vacuum is running. My equipment closet will share a wall with the living room, and it worries me a bit, as I was hoping to avoid sound proofing.

Thanks,

Target

 

[Frunple]

Unfortunately that pretty normal for that switch... such a little fan but soo loud. You can replace the fan if you feel up to it.

 

[ckindt]

Howdy all,

This is my first post, and I'm in the midst of embarking on a VERY large project, so you may see a lot of me.

Right now, I have a very targeted issue. I recently purchased a Linksys 2024 gigabit switch. The switch appears to work fine, but it is ungodly loud. I know that its not a consumer grade product, but might something be wrong with it? It seriously sounds like a quiet vacuum is running. My equipment closet will share a wall with the living room, and it worries me a bit, as I was hoping to avoid sound proofing.

Thanks,

Target

hmm..might the noise sound like cooling fan(s)?

 

[Target]

hmm..might the noise sound like cooling fan(s)?

hmm.. it just might. I am aware that is the fan(s), however I grow a bit concerned when the fan(s) inside one 24 port switch is able to drown out the fans insdie 3 computers, a receiver, 3 external hard drives, a DVR, and several amps. I can actually here this thing going from the next room.

Unfortunately that pretty normal for that switch... such a little fan but soo loud. You can replace the fan if you feel up to it.

Is there some sort of walk through for this? Has it been done successfully before (ie. does the mod turn this into a more standard level of noise)? If its just a fan issue, I'm more than willing to swap it out. I've built a variety of computers, and I'm fairly handy.

Target

 

[dkemme]

Some fans are very noisy and replacing with a quieter brand, such as Thermaltake from Newegg, you might end up with a quieter unit.

I'm not aware of any walkthrough. Unless you are worried about a warranty, I would take it apart, pull out the fan, try to find a matching ones at Newegg or equivalent.

 

[beelzerob]

The greatest masters on the planet for replacing noisy fans are over at silentpcreview. They'll answer any question you have, and have probably already done what you're trying.

 

[IVB]

Linksys is known for being noisy as all hell though. I wonder if SMC has something quieter; i know their 8port 8508 gbit switch was silent, and my old Linksys 5port was a vacuum cleaner.

 

[Sacedog]

I think that is just normal for that switch. See opinions below:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductRevie...N82E16833124131

 

[Sacedog]

We have a couple of these at work for our DMZ:

ProCurve Switch 1400-24G (J9078A)

They are fanless, and are silent. They would not be an option if you are running in a hot environment, but if you have airflow, I would definately consider them. In addition, they are not that costly for a 24 port gigabit switch: $276.99 at newegg.

 

[gatchel]

Typically the noise level of a fan in any device is related to the size. The smaller the fan the faster it has to spin to move the same amount of air. They are almost always louder. It also depends on the design / cost of the product, too.

You'd probably want to consider a different switch if the Linksys is too loud.

 

[pgray007]

I have the PoE version of this switch and it is incredibly loud. If you find a replacement fan, please post your experience here.

Thanks!

 

[wkearney99]

I went on a noise reduction campaign with all my gear and DRAMATICALLY reduced all the noise. There aren't too many variations of fan sizes. Some move more air than others, that's the biggest difference when they're sized the same. It took some doing. The biggest hassle was putting on new connectors when the device didn't use regular PC-style connections. Plan ahead and order the connectors all at once from Mouser. This way if the unit dies you can swap the factory fan back into it before sending it in for repairs.

I also used a laser thermometer to measure the average level of heat coming out of a unit, along with some circuit board readings. I made sure whatever fans I installed provided the same or slightly better cooling temps.

It wasn't all that difficult, but the quieter fans WILL cost you. More than seems justified but the results were worth it.

 

[huggy59]

I think you'll also find that cheaper-made products (not that it's cheap, but...) are engineered to have higher airlfows as a result of the extra heat generated with the use of cheaper components and designs. So if you do change fans and don't get the high airflow as the original (albeit poor quality according to the reviews) fan provided, you'll have a unit that fails sooner.

Me, I'd sell it and find another brand with better reviews - I think reliability will be a problem.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Not sure if it's possible in this situation, but if you can secure the fans with "rubber mounts" it will really help with noise as well. My Antec Sonata case uses rubber mounts for fans and hard disk drives and it really makes a big difference in overall noise.