usb storage on CGN3

[Datalink]

@josh_assad what version of CGN3 modem do you have, as seen by the product sticker at the back of the modem?  It will be one of:  CGN3, CGN3ACR, CGN3AMR, CGN3ACSMR.

Its possible that you may have come across an undocumented firmware bug.

[josh_assad]

Hi @Datalink, the model says CGN3.  No other letters.

To confirm whether or not this might be heat related, I'm going to point a fan at it tonight and start transfering some large files to see if it reboots.

I chatted with a Rogers tech last night and he recommended exchanging it for a newer 'rocket' modem.  I'll likely do that but figured I'd run this test first...

[Gdkitty]

Do you have the unit standing straight up? Or on its side?

There have bee reports in the past on overheating with it on its side.

[josh_assad]

Hi @Gdkitty,

The modem is upright.  I posted details about that yesterday when @BS mentioned similar stories of overheating.

I have an update:  I pointed a fan at the modem and started another large file transfer.  It proceeded without any problems for over 15 minutes.  In all of my other tests the modem would reboot in less than 5 minutes.   I shut the fan off and 2 minutes later the modem rebooted.  It was somewhat unexpected as there wasn't really any heat coming out of it yet, but I suppose if the CPU or some other component got hot enough it would reboot regardless of the overall temperature.

I'm going to get a replacement.  I have this modem pretty much out in the open on my desk (I've moved things around so it has plenty of space all around it).  I also blew it out as best as I could.  Seems to overheat with 'normal usage'.

[BS]

@josh_assad Glad you were able to troubleshoot that - definitely overheating.  Makes sense to get it swapped out. Unlike my laptop, you can't exactly pull it apart and do a solid dusting of the board, any heat sinks, all vents.

My daughter has a real neat feature on her Lenovo laptop.  You can set the fan to "cleaning option", which runs the fan at highest speed for 30 seconds and it is always amazing what gets blown out of there.  Because of the continuous high speed at low temperatures, it also uses convection to pull air through the whole unit pulling all the dust out.

Ah the ongoing enemy of everything electronic - dust.

Hope that solves the problem.

Bruce

[Datalink]

I do believe that there is a heat sink on the processor which is fairly large, hence the large case.  Perhaps the heat sink isn't properly seated on the processor, or perhaps the thermal transfer material between the heat sink and processor isn't doing its job.  Swapping the modem will hopefully resolve the issue.  If not, then this might be a modem model issue.

[BS]

Thanks @Datalink  I have been inside my fair share of computers where I have seen exactly what you describe, but I have also seen bad CPU's and other chips that just failed over time, and then found out that they were reoccurring on many of the same devices.

All good thoughts for people to consider.

I hope that thw swap resolves it.

Bruce

[borford]

Just remember the adapter output for this modem is 12 volt and 2.0 amps. I've seen the wrong adapter cause rebooting many times. Even if the modem was installed by a Rogers installer. Rocket modem should have an adapter with 2.5 amps, but have been seeing the rocket and standard gigabyte released with 3 amp adapters.

[BS]

Good thing to know - never thought about the power output of the adapter. There are so many modems and adapters out there at the moment, I could easily see them getting mixed up with returns and repackaging.

Bruce

[josh_assad]

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@borford wrote:

Just remember the adapter output for this modem is 12 volt and 2.0 amps. I've seen the wrong adapter cause rebooting many times. Even if the modem was installed by a Rogers installer. Rocket modem should have an adapter with 2.5 amps, but have been seeing the rocket and standard gigabyte released with 3 amp adapters.

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That's good to know...but if power was the problem wouldn't the modem have reset during my 'active cooling test'?