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Very very Noisy Switch - XS724EM
Recently bought a new Switch to our office to be able to run 10Gbit. This one:
XS724EM - 24-Port 10-Gigabit/Multi-Gigabit Ethernet Smart Managed Plus Switch
And I think the fans are going insane. They rests for like 10 minutes, then the fans go full speed in 2 minutes. And this continues the whole day, on and off, on and off... Very very annoying. Since we are a small office - they noise is very noticeable! The noice outworks our computers with i9 processors and double 3080 graphics cards running at full speed....
Does anyone know if I can do anything making it less noisy? Can I replace the fans? Can you modify it somehow?
Or could you recommend any other product from Netgear (or other) that have a 24 port 10Gbit that has no or much less noise? Are there fan-less alternatives even?
It does sound like we've got similar environments in terms of temperature, 10G clients etc. but opposite manifestations of a fan issue. It could be faulty hardware or it could be a quirk of the way this firmware version interprets the sensor data.
Either way, the periodic fan ramp-up does not appear to be intended behavior.
In my case, there's some doubt as to whether some fans will selectively spin down under standard ambient temperature in an attempt to prioritize noise reduction over cooling. This is what I've been told directly by Netgear technicians, even though it seems bonkers. But that approach would make your XS724EM's jet engines the very thing they're trying to avoid.
I'd call Netgear support, as your device should be fully warrantied, and ask them to replace it or issue firmware to correct the issue.
Another potential solution is for Netgear to give the admin more visibility and control over fan speeds and temperature. If you wouldn't mind, please upvote my recommendation to that effect.
7 Replies
Sounds like you've got the opposite problem to me, which is that 2/3 fans on my XS724EM aren't spinning at all after boot. Yet there's no indication of a fan error. It's blissfully quiet, but I'm worried about its cooling performance.
Unfortunately, I'm stumped as to causes. Maybe there's a bug in this firmware to do with cooling and how the sensors inform the fan profiles. Or just faulty sensors.
A couple of questions that might help a little with troubleshooting.
- What firmware version are you running?
- Is the Fan LED on the front panel illuminated?
- What's the general ambient temperature of your operating environment?
- Could the fans be spinning up in response to heavy 10G data traffic?
I'm not aware of a fanless 10G switch and I'm not sure I'd trust one if I were. A known byproduct of 10G copper is significantly more heat than 1G/2.5G connections.
Thanks for your questions!
- What firmware version are you running?
The latest I believe, Firmware Version 1.0.2.0
- Is the Fan LED on the front panel illuminated?
No, its not. Not even when it runs in "High Noise" mode.
- What's the general ambient temperature of your operating environment?
A normal Office, around 22 Celsius - its mounted in a rack, with lots of empty space over and below.
- Could the fans be spinning up in response to heavy 10G data traffic?
Yes, probably. But only running only 4 ports with 10G for now (since all clients doesn't have 10G cards installed yet)
And running our Server with double 10G bit Linked Aggregation. (Synology server)
It does sound like we've got similar environments in terms of temperature, 10G clients etc. but opposite manifestations of a fan issue. It could be faulty hardware or it could be a quirk of the way this firmware version interprets the sensor data.
Either way, the periodic fan ramp-up does not appear to be intended behavior.
In my case, there's some doubt as to whether some fans will selectively spin down under standard ambient temperature in an attempt to prioritize noise reduction over cooling. This is what I've been told directly by Netgear technicians, even though it seems bonkers. But that approach would make your XS724EM's jet engines the very thing they're trying to avoid.
I'd call Netgear support, as your device should be fully warrantied, and ask them to replace it or issue firmware to correct the issue.
Another potential solution is for Netgear to give the admin more visibility and control over fan speeds and temperature. If you wouldn't mind, please upvote my recommendation to that effect.
I found a very simple solution to this problem. I placed an old and small oscillating fan I had in my garage next to the intake vents of the switch and turned it on and it worked. The outside box of the switch is much cooler and those dang fans are not constantly revving up :) The noise the oscillating fan is not much and is actually pleasant.
I've done a very similar thing by placing one of those cheap desktop USB-powered fans next to the switch's intake. It runs constantly but more quietly than the switch's internal fans and keeps the device markedly cooler.
This is a simple DIY solution but an inelegant one that should be unnecessary. This is a switch that's retailing for $2,200 right now. It's like buying a high-end luxury car and then having to strap a window AC unit to it because the cabin gets too hot.
I tried that USB-powered fan but it did not work for me. The oscillating fan is doing a great job at keeping the thing quiet and cool. I agree with you on this being unnecessary. Bye
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