The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Netgear WNR3500L Electrical Whine

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by Azone, Jan 24, 2011.

  1. Azone

    Azone Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I just bought a WNR3500L to replace my old WRT54G and noted that it has been making a high pitched electrical whine. I'm just wondering if this is normal (my notebook's CPU makes a faint whine and my desktop GPU makes an even louder whine but both are normal).

    It's not that annoying, but I know it's there since I'm usually sitting right next to it. I just want to make sure no electrical components are dying.

    Thanks.
     
    Azone, Jan 24, 2011
    #1
  2. hakira

    hakira <3 xkcd

    Reputations:
    957
    Messages:
    1,286
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    It's not normal, but it's "normal". If you are using the 2.4 ghz band and have other devices nearby (microwave, phone ect) they can also be interfering enough to make noise. Could be the power supply, capacitors, who knows; they aren't dying they are just likely using cheap materials.
     
    hakira, Jan 25, 2011
    #2
  3. downloads

    downloads No, Dee Dee, no! Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    7,729
    Messages:
    8,722
    Likes Received:
    2,230
    Trophy Points:
    331
    It happens sometimes with this router. Supposedly it's a very faint sound that most people don't even hear- I've already came across this in some review.
     
    downloads, Jan 25, 2011
    #3
  4. Azone

    Azone Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Sounds good, as long as it's not a capacitor that's about to fail I should be fine with it. Though I might consider exchanging it this weekend if I feel the noise is too annoying. I'll also see if interference is an issue.
     
    Azone, Jan 25, 2011
    #4
  5. Sxooter

    Sxooter Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    747
    Messages:
    3,784
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    106
    Better to exchange it right up front than to wait for a possible future failure. Mine makes no noise whatsoever.
     
    Sxooter, Feb 1, 2011
    #5