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Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:08 pm
by Executioner
I have a Netgear switch I use to piggy back several Ethernet connections. I've been using it for over 5 years, and it's only turned off when I go on vacation. Most of the time it remains powered on.
The other day I went to my desktop to check for something on the net, and it would not connect. So I looked at the switch and it was powered off with no lights indicating activity. I also noticed a burnt smell, so I disconnected it and removed the board from the container. From my limited electronics experience, it looks like the power transistor took a dump.
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I looked underneath the board and you can see some discoloration on the board indicating it it probably got hot I guess.
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I did find a replacement in Amazon and it looks like a higher quality replacement than what came with the switch even though it's still made in China. Do you think this is something worth fixing by replacing the power transistor as show in the first pic? I'm pretty good with soldering, as I was trained back in the 80's at General Dynamics for a whole week just on soldering. All the other components look OK.

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:02 pm
by FlyingPenguin
I would get a new switch.

Switches are cheap, and modern switches are more efficient than older ones. People don't realize there's more to a switch than meets the eye. It has a processor and memory and each port is completely independent and has to have it's own electronics. The switch does a lot of processing in the background. It needs to remember what device is connected to what port, figure out when you move that device to a different port, and do a lot of subtle tricks under the hood to maximize throughput. It has to do buffering and caching and prediction.

There's a reason why, for a long time, we used dumb network hubs instead of switches. Back then, switches were hideously expensive because they were so complicated, until we could put most of it on a single chip.

A modern switch will be more efficient (and thus faster) and I wouldn't trust that old switch not to have fried something else when that component failed.

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:05 pm
by Genom
So what Bob is saying, is no. it's not worth fixing.

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:25 pm
by Losbot
Genom wrote:So what Bob is saying, is no. it's not worth fixing.
LMAO!!!

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:56 pm
by Executioner
Haha. Thanks. So if Netgear switch is junk, what would be a good replacement? The one I've been using is a 8 port Gigabit Switch. Model GS108. The switch is fine and it still works with the new replacement power supply. It was given to me back in 2014 FREE so I can't complain about the cost.
https://www.amazon.com/NETGEAR-Ethernet ... B00MPVR50A
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Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:07 am
by Genom
Honestly, most any gigabit switch will work great. For basic unmanaged switches, TP-Links ar pretty good and cheap. Something like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EVGIYG?ta ... th=1&psc=1 will do ya fine for less than 20 bucks.

Hell, you can pick up a small 5 port 10G switch for 100 bucks *I am not a fan of Trendnet though).

Lastly, and you mileage may vary, the GS108 is a business switch with lifetime warranty. You can try contacting Netgear for a replacement.

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:14 am
by FlyingPenguin
Are you implying that my answer was somewhat verbose? :)

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:21 pm
by Losbot
I'm sure he didn't mean THAT. Nah. LOL

Re: Is this worth fixing?

Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2020 3:35 am
by normalicy
The issue is that despite the fact that the transistor looks like the problem and could be part of it, there's no saying that there isn't another issue that may blow the new transistor without extensive diagnosis. In fact, transistors are typically pretty hardy. So, it is likely something else that is out of spec that blew it. And by the time all that is done, you may as well have bought a new one.