Linksys WRT54GS Fan Mod Question.

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CLock3

Gawd
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Oct 9, 2007
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Hello. I was just curious if anyone has modded their Linksys routers to add a fan to help cool it? I'm just curious because I currently have a WRT54GS running DD-WRT firmware, which allows you to bump up the Signal output. I'm not planning on bumping it up too much, but I figured any cooling besides the stock passive cooling would be good for it anyways. I've seen some things about it on the net, but I can't really find any solid info. Basically, I have an 80mm fan sitting around and I figured I would put that on the top of the router where the venting holes are already, and have it pull air out of the router. Does anyone have any experience with anything like this? From what I've seen you just solder the fan to the points on the PCB where the power input for the router is. I'm just wondering if putting the 80mm on that will make it unstable or anything by drawing too much power. Thanks in advance for any help. Also, moderators, sorry if this is in the wrong section. It was kind of a toss up between here, the overclocking & cooling section, or the networking section, haha. Thanks again.

EDIT: This is basically what I'm looking to do:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeqWYXs3P5s (except not with an LED fan)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5Fva9_6I8is&feature=related

Thanks again.
 
IIRC, that router is rated to pull 1A, and a typical 80mm fan will draw an additional 250mA or so. If the onboard regulator can handle the additional load, then sure, you can do it. Keep in mind, though, that the onboard voltage is likely to be 5V or 9V, which won't be spinning any fans very fast. You could conceivably attach the fan to the input voltage (probably 12V) as well. Make sure the wall wart can take the load. Before adding a fan, though, I'd personally just put more/bigger ventilation holes in the case to see if that provides enough cooling by itself.
 
y not just slap a copper heatsink on it, one of the biggest ones thatll stick through the case...

i've seen it done on here before by someone.
 
I could do that i suppose, but I'd have to go out and buy one, and I'm not really sure what one I would have to get and how I would secure it down. I just figured I could do the fan, cause I was thinking about it, googled it and saw that people have done it, and I have the fans sitting around.
 
Well, I ended up working on it today. Came out just as planned. I dig it. Is it completely necessary? Not really, haha, but hey, electronics never mind some cooling, and it probably helps with the xmit power boosted a little bit. Anyways, here's some pics I took while working on it:

Here's after I got the holes cut out. I decided to throw a switch on it to turn the fan on and off. I figured why not:


Here's with the switch in:


and wired up:


Here's the bottom of the board showing the spot on the 12V input where I soldered the fan and switch to:


And here it is all wired up and ready to be put back together:


All done:


Fan in action and working wonderfully:




View from the back to show where the wires go.
 
does the positive goes straight to the fan??? cant tell from pics.
or is it positive>board>fan----negative>board>fan
 
The positive goes from the 12v input on the board -> switch -> fan, and the negative just goes from the fan to the 12v input on the board. Here's the layout I saw before I set mine up.
 
Where's the cool air coming in from? Hole on the bottom?

Yeah, un-necessary, but isn't that what modding is all about anyway? :)
 
Yeah, there's venting on the bottom of it. It has those little holes on the bottom just like what was on top. I've placed my hand on the bottom and I could feel the air being pulled in, so I'm sure it's good enough as it is without having to cut more out.
 
CLock3 said:
The positive goes from the 12v input on the board -> switch -> fan, and the negative just goes from the fan to the 12v input on the board. Here's the layout I saw before I set mine up.
Click to expand...

cool. thanks for the link bud!
 
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