Connect an external Noctua fan to a 10GbE switch
Connect an external Noctua fan to a 10GbE switch
I decided to upgrade my home in December 2019 with some 10G switches. I invested roughly $3,000 in two Cisco models—one 12-port and another 16-port. The 16-port unit is located in my basement, housing servers and the router, while the 12-port sits in my office closet. In my opinion, it was a smart move. My setup differs from yours, but I’m not easily swayed. Sensitivity to fan noise varies between people, so I can’t rely on others’ opinions. Their hearing doesn’t pick up what mine does, and vice versa. I’m especially sensitive to high frequencies, even at my age (50 now). The noise from the fans is a real issue for me. The replacement units run slower; they spin at a lower RPM but still circulate enough air to keep the heat sinks working. That’s quite warm—about 40°C. It’s much hotter than usual, like in the 60s.
I overlooked mentioning the CRS309 together with the "S+RJ10" transceiver. It's the device being measured and prone to overheating. Despite my setup being labeled "entry level" (CRS309 plus CSS610), I'm already close to the $500 price of an XS708T. It's fully passive, quiet, and includes a few extra 1G ports. I'm considering replacing the S+RJ10 soon and installing a larger, quieter media converter like this one: https://www.delock.com/produkte/1807_Med...anguage=en. It's not something you'd use for all eight ports of the CRS309, but I just need to switch my 10BASE-T input that my ISP router requires (which can't be bridged, *$!?*). My country's ISPs make this tricky.
The MS510TXPP shows a 64°C temperature for the IC while the ambient is around 22°C with the fan running. It doesn’t seem like the PoE is under heavy load or there’s excessive traffic on it.
Well, the 62C is now (for the transceiver, not the switch chipset or CPU). This isn't even at 10G; it's just 1G and light traffic. I'll update this later with a printscreen showing the temperature and fan speed. EDIT: 46C, noticeable difference (with a small fan blowing on it). Still 1G with light traffic.
In short, if someone ends up here, follow these steps: Choose a completely silent configuration and use a 10G media converter instead of a transceiver for the setup (CRS309 + CSS610). This involves 10x SFP+ plus 8x 1000BASE-T, with one virtual combo SFP+/10GBASE-T from the converter. Be warned, the converter costs at least twice as much as the transceiver. You need native NBASE-T ports (2.5G/5G) for your new PC or server, or you can tolerate some interference. If you want only 8 ports total, opt for a MS510 or XS708 from Netgear (the XS708 supports full 10G). If you prefer a mix of silence and native speeds, wait for a future update—perhaps MikroTik will release a 2.5G version of CSS610. In the meantime, keep the converter and CRS309; if you need more flexibility, consider a managed device with direct SFP+ connection and VLAN selection. Your ISP offers 10G internet, but be aware of any unusual authentication methods like those in XGS-PON. You can connect your SFP+ straight to a managed device and simply assign the right VLAN—no need for extra fans or transceivers.