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Randy The Tech Professor

August 27, 2010 at 5:11 pm

What To Do If Your Modem Is Overheating

Hello everyone,

About a month ago I wrote this post about a computer repair experience I had with an overheating modem. Since that time it has come to my attention that the overheating modem issue is far more common than I had imagined.

In this post I will show you six great ways to keep your modem cool which will allow your Internet connection to remain strong:

1) If nothing more, raise the modem up so that there is airflow both top and bottom (or turn it vertically if possible).

2) A nice small fan positioned accordingly (photo top right).  

3) Put the modem on top of one of those laptop computer coolers.

4) If possible, remove the top cover of the modem case – you’ll have an ugly modem but it will stay cool!

5) If you’re really a geek, attach an old chipset heatsink to the modem board (photo bottom right).

6) For the adventurous types, put a few ice cubes into a watertight Ziploc bag, place within another Ziploc bag, and put the bag on top of the modem (check once in a while for condensation).                

Professor Randy says: A modem that is overheating will drop your Internet connection and wear out before it’s time. Avoid this problem by considering the simple suggestions listed above!

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  • Darius
    7:58 am on May 30th, 2016 1

    6) terrible idea there is a way to use evaporative cooling for electronics BUT the water source and the electronics in question need to be seperated by a wall….

  • Mark Camacho
    4:40 pm on July 15th, 2016 2

    Peltier cooling anyone? -As long as you are using chipset heatsink and/or taking the cover off. (just sayin’)

  • alice
    12:35 pm on September 12th, 2016 3

    Do you leave the fan running all the time?

  • Randy Knowles
    10:22 pm on September 12th, 2016 4

    Hi Alice,
    If your modem is overheating, set up a fan next to it and keep it (the fan) running all the time.
    Best wishes,
    Randy Knowles

  • Larisa P. Hidalgo
    10:13 pm on March 23rd, 2017 5

    Will turning off our modem when not in use help to prevent it from overheating?

  • SVortex
    5:32 pm on November 13th, 2017 6

    Yes it would, but it may still overheat when you use it when it’s on. If you have guests over, it won’t get a break. Just put a fan on or next to it. A mostly silent fan or a computer fan. Always best to solve the problem

  • Marcus PW Heydrich
    12:12 pm on March 19th, 2021 7

    Our modem/router (rented from Rogers) had an internal fan (but it wasn’t working) Roger’s replaced it no questions asked. A temporary fix was an aluminum foil origami, near the vents, as a heat sink.

 

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