Linksys WRT1900acsv2 - unstable (overheating?)

Hi, I have a WRT1900acsv2 that is unstable - after a few hours, it locks up (crashes, becomes unresponsive, wireless is lost etc) and needs resetting, rebooting or even booting from the alternative partition...

I've reflashed it with - OpenWRT, ROOter, Gargoyle (all based on OpenWRT) and also reflashed it back to stock Linksys. It seems most stable with Gargoyle (which is the smallest build, but this may be a red herring).

The only real clue I have is that I suspect the CPU is maybe overheating? When Gargoyle is installed, the CPU temperature is displayed and reaches 74 or 75C. Is this overheating? My next move is probably to remove the case to improve ventilation, or maybe stick a small fan outside the case.

Thoughts please?

70+C is pretty hot. The thing with your idea is that the manufacturer has constructed a working cooling of the device so the question is why isn’t your cooling working to begin with?

Have you locked it inside a box?
Do you have free air around it?
How hot is your room airtemp to begin with?
Have you covered it with dust/dirt/other objects?
Hardware failure?

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On a mamba they turn the fan on to 50% when the CPU temp hits 80C, so presumably within expected operating temperature.

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Hardware (component / memory) failure would be suspect, if not environment (ambient temp, airflow), if here.

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Hi, thanks for the comments. The temp of 74 C is with the router operating normally, lightly loaded, sitting in free air on my desk. The room is at a normal 21 C...

The router is currently at 68C with the front half of the case removed.

I am thinking about fitting a small 40x40x10mm fan if I can fit it into the case. Maybe the ram or cpu in this router is particularly temperature sensitive...

I have re-assembled the case and have now deliberately blocked the ventilation holes, to try to precipitate a failure. Currently the temperature is at 72 C for the CPU and 43 C for the ram. I will see what happens...

OK, the CPU got to 77 C, and the lights flickered on the front and it froze... Will take it to pieces and fit a fan, and take it from there...

Sounds like a plan radiomean. FWIW, have had good experience w/ Noctua brand fans here. (Routers, Security System DVRs, Network Enclosures, etc.) ... Cost a few $$$ more: but well worth it. Available on Amazon, FYI.

fan mod on a rango, some folks use the usb port

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For soldering, use a low-temperature solder (melting point not more than 190 degrees Celsius) and neutral flux

Just a note from what he say in the link you posted.
This is BS, everything in your home today is RoHS from a long time back (like 10-20years) so the solder tin doesn’t have lead and the lead free solder tin has a melting temp of about 350-370°C, but to make it really liquify you need a modern soldering iron of 450°C.
Is was the old lead based solder tin that could be melted from 190°C.

As a Radio Ham I am quite familiar with soldering :smiley:
Also, I have a decent stash of old-style lead-tin solder, sufficient to last into my dotage ... :sunglasses:

Cheers !

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Thanks, useful!