Power supplies for router

[dave2010]

I've been given a router - Netgear DG834GT to test out, as we suspect the wireless is not working. I have an older Netgear model 834G. To my surprise my older one has a 15V AC power supply, while the one I want to test needs a 12V DC 1 amp supply.

Rummaging around I find I've got a variable PSU which does 12V DC, but only goes up to 500 milli-amps. There's also the PSU on my Squeezebox Boom, which goes up to 2.5 amps. I don't really want to wreck anything, even a PSU.

I could wait until next week, when I think it may be possible to get a better match on this, but I wonder what would happen if connecting a PSU which has a different current rating to a router.

Would the 500ma one limit, and simply not drive the router sufficiently, or could too much current be taken and burn out the PSU? I don't see how that one could damage the router.

With the 2.5A one, I'm guessing it should work, but could it supply too much current, and again cause problems, with either the PSU or the router?

Maybe it depends on what kinds of protection/limiting is in the PSUs - and sometimes pehaps the devices as well?

[bobbasrah]

The current is consumed by, not forced into the device. So long as it is 12v and polarity is correct you're good to go, as you are only testing it. The lower current PSU might struggle if it's only a half amp, but 1 amp sounds high for a router anyway.

[MartinT]

I'd go with the 500mA supply first. You can't do any damage and I'd be amazed if the router needs that much power.

[bobbasrah]

Agreed Martin but I just checked my own wireless router which requires 9V 1A according to the label (surprised there is no mention of wattage on it though). However, I did run that unit for well over 6months on a 500mA before it expired with no ill effect.

[Mark Grant]

I have just measured the mains power drawn by an 834GT and at 240 volts the Netgear 12V DC PSU draws 4 watts which is about 0.017 amps I think.

The 12V DC current draw between router and PSU is 298 mA

So your 500ma 12V DC PSU will power it OK :)

Many older 834GT have faulty wireless and faulty PSU's, you can get a lot better these days if you are looking for fast and longer ranging wireless.

[dave2010]

Thanks for the replies guys. In the end I tried the 500 ma PSU, and got the router started, though it doesn't seem to respond at all. The lights come on, and it seems to recognise ethernet connectivity and do the initial test, but I can't connect to the admin page. Maybe stuffed. Tried resetting, and also a few other IP addresses, but no response.

I'll have a go again later this week. The person who wanted me to look at it has another PSU, and we'll try again.

Not sure that it's really worth spending much time on. He reports that the wireless doesn't seem to work, and I can't get to the admin page to check whether it's on or off and to fiddle around. Looking at other boards suggests that there may be firmware fixes, but overall it may just not be worth the time spent on it. Some routers can take firmware fixes, but then some manage to lose them again almost as soon as they're up and running, or at least within a few days, which tends to indicate that they're stuffed.

Oh - re my PSU - it did seem to smell a bit after being turned on for a while!

Maybe a 1 amp PSU would be a good idea! I don't suppose there's too much damage done though - don't you just love the smell of slightly scorched wiring and transformer windings! It does still work though.

[MartinT]

To be honest, Dave, if it's playing up after performing a factory reset then it's bin fodder and not worth worrying about. The latest Netgear routers are good, as are D-Link (from my experience).

[dave2010]

It came from a recycling bin, so perhaps now we know why. It does power up - we connected a 14.8V PSU across it (on the grounds that it was probably stuffed anyway) and reset it, and we could gain access to the admin pages. The wireless section seems to be faulty. We couldn't detect any wireless either with security turned off, or with WPA turned on.

The latest plan is to open it up and peer inside, and maybe if that doesn't show anything interesting we'll smash it up with a sledge hammer and put the action on YouTube! Or pour petrol on it and set fire to it!

It might have been useful had it worked, but ...

Thanks for the help anyway.

[Mark Grant]

Best to put it back in the recycling bin unless you have lots of time and patience.:)

One of the 834GT I have has failed wireless, not really worth repairing.

many people have problems with faulty capacitors in Netgear equipment:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=netgear+capacitor

(If you are going to take it to bits the screws are hidden under the rubber feet)

I have a spare used for about a week Netgear DGN2000 if it's any use, (for a very cheap price)

I bought a Billion 7800N , not cheap but a bit quicker than the Netgear when moving lots of data to my NAS drive over the network cables and the internet is a little bit more speedy and wireless range and throughput appears much better.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Billion-BiPAC-7800N-Broadband-Wireless-N/dp/B002TOKGL8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326824840&sr=8-1

http://www.billion.uk.com/product/wireless/7800n.htm

[MartinT]

Sounds rather similar to the awful reliability problems with early Thomson Sky HD boxes, which used Xicon capacitors. All of them bulge after a while and require replacement. Once I did that, the box worked fine and very reliably again.