Switching Off The Modem

[xwteee]

I just got a visit from a TOT technician. He told me that I should switch off the modem if I don't use the computer, otherwise the modem is getting too hot. Is this standard and good advice ?

[NHJ]

it's a big joke from someone that has no knowledge...

it's like turning the pc off when you don't sit on the chair, it's your own choise regarding the electricity bill and pollution.

electronic is made to work 24hours a days 365days a year, your modem when idling(web browsing) is certainly less hot than when you use P2P as its cpu is less used.

certain modem can overheat and reboot by themselves, if it's your case adding a fan on the modem will help it.

[Cuban]

Allowing any electical item to get 'too' hot is not wise, if it is getting too hot - do you need to do something about the air flow around it?

Assuming it is a small flat box - put it on it's side will increase the surface area to dissipate heat.

If you are not using your computer/ISP connection for many hours on end - is there a benifit to leaving it on. Probabaly not. (If you are refering to a dial-up modem are you expecting incoming calls that your computer will be servicing? Some modems have 'wake on call' features.)

I leave my router on as my computer is doing stuff during the night, software updates and torrent downloads etc.

Just remember to turn it (router) on first when you are about to use your computer, it can take a few minutes for the ISP connection to be provided. (Assuming you are really talking about an ADSL router rather than a dial-up modem.)

[gymshark]

All electronic deviced generate heat, as long as it is not excessive it is no problem.

[Cuban]

>.... generate heat, as long as it is not excessive it is no problem.

Acts as a coffee mug warmer.

[JimmyTheMook]

Using small laptop USB type of cooling fan on a moden works very well.

[paulfr]

No professionally designed electronic box would make

it past thermal testing before going in to production

if it could not sit idling indefinitely without a problem.

Maybe your box is an Asian knockoff ?

Then it may be poorly designed and need a fan.

[offset]

I just got a visit from a TOT technician. He told me that I should switch off the modem if I don't use the computer, otherwise the modem is getting too hot. Is this standard and good advice ?

The idea of ADSL Broadband is that it is always on system the routers are made for that purpose I have always believed that electronic items normally seem to go wrong when starting up so i leave my router and computer on at all times it also means that I can use the Internet when I need to

[LivinLOS]

it's a big joke from someone that has no knowledge...

Well actually my old TOT modem used to overheat, and lose sync and need to reset continually.. So it sounds like perfectly good advice.

Better advice would be to throw away the crappy 'free' hardware and buy a good quality ADSL modem.

[wpcoe]

My Zyxel modem/router does seem to get a bit hot sometimes. It's just my subjective observation, but it's too hot to comfortable keep my fingers on it. Thanks for the (blindingly obvious to some, but not to me) suggestions to try setting it on its side and/or applying a fan!

[imaneggspurt]

>.... generate heat, as long as it is not excessive it is no problem.

Acts as a coffee mug warmer.

Never thought of that, excellent idea !

[Naam]

I just got a visit from a TOT technician. He told me that I should switch off the modem if I don't use the computer, otherwise the modem is getting too hot. Is this standard and good advice ?

i have a TOT and a Maxnet connection. the TOT modem/router gets indeed very hot, much hotter than the Zyxel which is connected to Maxnet. but i haven't had any technical problems (yet). will soon "remodel" my study and then attach a cooling fan on both.

[djinn]

Sorry guys but since I put a fan in front of my wifi router I am not disconnected anymore

It was an advice from the ToT guy too confirmed by a friend active in IT here....

Strange but it works

[Cuban]

Getting a little deeper into the design thoughts of the maker's product team and looking at what I have in the office and at home: Some devices are made with a particular country in mind - so the high ambient temperature in Thailand might affect the calculated working temperature of a particular device intended to be used in Northern Europe for example - the router sitting on the tiled floor (on it's side) in my office only has English writing on it. Nothing stopping you adding a fan or putting in the air-flow path of your own room fan. In Naam's case adding an extra aircon unit in the computer equipment room is not considered overkill - just efficent engineering (sorry mate!)

I have used computers before now with the case removed due to over heating issues - but again correctly designed computers and the OEM spec normally includes the case being on and secured to ensure correct airflow through the PSU and across the CPU. (Yes, I have seen the custom over clocked CPUs with after-market water cooling systems installed.)

Equipment failure due to thermal effects is more common (or used to be more common) with temperature cycling. There are systems I used to work with where processor chips mounted in IC sockets would work themselves loose and finally fall out of a socket due to thermal effects. Also in times past would HDDs finally stick with the cause reported as thermal cycling failure.

I would expect that these smaller cheaper units (modems/routers) are produced with less components than in the past (less to go wrong) and with greater thermal efficiency, however plastic cases are insulators where as metal will conduct heat away. A warm metal case is better than a warm plastic case.

[stumonster]

I mounted a small shelf box on the wall which modem , wifi router , switch , NAS , USB drive and power board sit - I cut a hole in the top and placed a 120mm computer fan sucking out to help cooling.

Behold the Dodgy Brothers Inc "el cheapo" equipment rack - but it works

[paulfr]

A warm metal case is better than a warm plastic case.

With respect, this is not true.

If a plastic and metal case are the same temperature,

all other things being equal,

the more reliable system would be the one with the plastic case.

That is because metal has a very low thermal gradient, so the actual IC component

would be at a higher temperature than the one behind the plastic case.

Lifetime for a thermally stressed IC is inversely proportional to temperature.

Sorry to nitpick, but mythology propagates to easily.

[Checker]

I was also told by a technician in Australia that the modem should be turned off when not in use. I now turn it off when I shut down. It's no big deal and will probably save me problems in the future.

[dotcom]

I just got a visit from a TOT technician. He told me that I should switch off the modem if I don't use the computer, otherwise the modem is getting too hot. Is this standard and good advice ?

Sounds like it's a cheap a$$ modem.

[Crossy]

My 'free' Zyxel router regularly lost sync too.

It ran ok with the lid off so I cut a hole and added a small 12V fan, also put it on a timer so it went off for an hour in the middle of the night. Touch wood, I've had no issues since

[LivinLOS]

I just got a visit from a TOT technician. He told me that I should switch off the modem if I don't use the computer, otherwise the modem is getting too hot. Is this standard and good advice ?

Sounds like it's a cheap a$$ modem.

Its TOT standard issue.. What do you expect ??

[LivinLOS]

I was also told by a technician in Australia that the modem should be turned off when not in use. I now turn it off when I shut down. It's no big deal and will probably save me problems in the future.

You shut down ??

Aside from power cuts I cant think of the last time I turned off a computer !!!

[JimShortz]

Fir what it's worth my TOT freebie Aztech modem runs 24/7, on it's side to help keep it cool, with no problems (so far!)...

Anyone having problems with Aztech?

[JetsetBkk]

I've never had a problem with my TT&T ZyXEL modem, but then I've got a 18" floor standing fan blowing directly on it (and on the 3 external hard drives, power units, the PC itself, me, etc).

The only drawback is my cups of tea get cold really quickly.

[nikster]

Better advice would be to throw away the crappy 'free' hardware and buy a good quality ADSL modem.

Seconded!!

Brand name DSL modems are fairly cheap, less than BHT 2000. My Zyxel prestige 660h is 5 years old and on 24/7 with no additional cooling.

[lomatopo]

I've been trouble-shooting an intermittent loss of sync problem with True and a NetGear DG834G (modem/router/WiFi). This is an outdoor application and the True tech. insists it is an over-heating issue, even though the unit does not ever feel warm to the touch, and that we power cycle the unit. I've swapped in a Linksys unit with the same loss of synch problems, and have even provided detailed logs, but was unable to convince True that this a line problem or DSLAM port problem.

I have some indoor, but no A/C or special cooling, applications and have never had any over-heating or loss of synch problems.

Operating temp (max) on the NetGear unit is 40 C, but am not sure if this is ambient or internal?

In Googling this issue I have found that this NetGear unit is over-clocked, the case is not the best design and is subject to overheating resulting in loss of sync.

[JetsetBkk]

Better advice would be to throw away the crappy 'free' hardware and buy a good quality ADSL modem.

Seconded!!

Brand name DSL modems are fairly cheap, less than BHT 2000. My Zyxel prestige 660h is 5 years old and on 24/7 with no additional cooling.

My ZyXEL Prestige 660 is the 'crappy free hardware' - from TT&T!

Just try blowing some air over the modem.

[NHJ]

I got a 660R-61C from my isp in belgium and i'm using it in thailand, it's rock solid.

zyxel is a very good brand as is linksys.

[mgjackson69]

My 'crappy free hardware' from TT&T is a Hatari-branded modem...same as the company that makes fans.

So maybe they are supposed to be packaged together.

[JetsetBkk]

My 'crappy free hardware' from TT&T is a Hatari-branded modem...same as the company that makes fans.

So maybe they are supposed to be packaged together.

It's a Hatari fan that's keeping my gear cool!

[coalminer]

FWIW, a few years ago, when an IT-specialist came to install the new PC's in our offices, he recommended to never turn the PC's off.

His explanation was that PC's heat up in use, and cooling devices are calculated and mounted in the PC to keep the temperature of the chips and the motherboard to an acceptable level.

If a PC is never turned off, the heat graphic would be something like this:

! ---------------------------

! /

! /

!/

!-------------------------------

If the PC is turned off daily, the heat graphic would be like this:

-\ -\

! ---/ \ --- / \

! / off \ / off \

! / \ / \

!/ \----/ \

!-----------------------------------

As you can see on the second graphic, the temperature of the motherboard is daily heating from "x to max" and cooling down from "max to x".

When switched off, the cooling devices are not powered anymore and cannot do their cooling function.

The motherboard and chips get an OVERHEAT before starting to cool down.

The motherboard and all the components are expanding and retracting due to the cool and the (over)heat.

By turning them on and off daily, this movement will cause the lifespan to be reduced significantly and the microscopical conduits on the printed circuit to break early.

I guess that the same is true with the motherboard of the modem/router.