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[dkannegi]

Region: Located in Canada (router is a Canadian variant)

Thanks FurryNutz for the welcome, I will peruse the links provided.

Back to the router, its ceramic block was removed along with its TIM (Thermal Interface Material).  I put another TIM on the chip for the copper heatsink to have good contact. TIMs don't have as high of a heat conduction rate as grease, but they remain stable through their life - and I need to limit the variables for this test so thermal grease is out of the question at this time.  So far the router has past the 24 hours test without a crash, the clock continues to tick.

[FurryNutz]

To get good heat xfer between the chip and heat sink, Thermal compound should be used as not having it will reduce the heat transfer and not help you in limiting the variables.

FYI, I had a DAP-1533 which died on me in the same way. The LAN ports died. The DAP-1533 and DIR-835 are the same HW and when I got both of them in, both units exhibited a defect in placement of the ceramic ship. One was just sitting on the ship and only the TIM was holding it in place. I removed all the ceramics and put in metal sinks. Of course the DAP died anyways. I still have the DIR-835 and seems to be ok. I may break into it and check the LAN port chip.

Any pictures of your unit and the heat sink mods would be appreciated if you posted them:
Adding Screenshots In A Post

Moving forward on new generatioin router. D-Link has taken steps to ensure that good sinks are used and better ventalation is put in after I made them aware of these issues.

Region: Located in Canada (router is a Canadian variant)

Thanks FurryNutz for the welcome, I will peruse the links provided.

Back to the router, its ceramic block was removed along with its TIM (Thermal Interface Material).  I put another TIM on the chip for the copper heatsink to have good contact. TIMs don't have as high of a heat conduction rate as grease, but they remain stable through their life - and I need to limit the variables for this test so thermal grease is out of the question at this time.  So far the router has past the 24 hours test without a crash, the clock continues to tick.

[dkannegi]

Router continues to operate without a crash.  Got my cable internet connection repaired also, turned out to be an issue at the NOC.  Incidentally though, got a modem swap again, this time to an Arris DG2470A fresh from the manufacturer.  The good old password of the day generator doesn't work, but I figured out a new way into the modem's tech menu and complete SNMP dump - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHVge3SkIoo

I will get photos of the DIR-835 mod later today if my kids give me some space... (dislike opening up electronics when the kids are up)

[FurryNutz]

 

[dkannegi]

Today was military policy research and phone calls day... grr... supposed to be away from work November (but it involved relatives).  Anyhow, here are a couple pics of the router's heat sink 5-minute ghetto mod.  Parts were what I had on-hand in my parts bin, and this was experimental as I was prepared to toss this thing into electronic recycling.  The copper heatsink is almost burning to the touch, and is the hottest surface within the router - but it is rated to handle a 100W MOSFET's heat dissipation in tighter confines.  I suggest a chipset heatsink and maybe some high grade thermal epoxy.

Router still hasn't crashed!  So if you have a router on the way out... try reflowing and go get a southbridge/ICH chipset heatsink for it.  If it is still dead, the chip may have burned internally, as I doubt it has a thermal throttle.

Originals:
http://imgur.com/thRzQXZ
http://imgur.com/SbFLirA

Preview:

[FurryNutz]

Awesome.

Heres what I did for the DAP-1533 which is the same HW:
http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=56166.msg220434#msg220434
The DAP still failed since I was using it as a bridge on 5Ghz. It was stood up on end when it failed so I presume that maybe it failed due to still not having enough heat dissipation possibly. I did this same mod to my 835 however when I do use it, or any router, I place it on a laptop cooler for additional ventilation. You might install one just as precautionary step. The DIR-835, DAP-1533, DIR-827 and 857 saw similar heat issues using the cheaper composite heat chips. I also saw that when these chips were used, if they were not fixed to the IC chip fully, failure seemed to happen more often then not. It was the 1533 I bought new from fleabay and I opened it up and found that the composite chips were more just sitting loosely on the ICs rather than stuck on. I new then this would lead to failure at some point sooner than expected. 

Anyhow, anyone with a DIR-835 or DAP-1533 is recommended to add additional cooling and if you can, make the modifications for adding new and better heat sinks. This will help keep the routers from failing. I made D-Link aware of this however since these units are not being supported anymore, we'll have to use the mod's and laptop coolers as an alternative work around. D-Links newer generation routers do have better metal heat sinks now and don't have this heat problem anymore. Someone did something at least. LOL> 

[dkannegi]

Nice mod to your DAP-1533, but man those internal antennas suck.  D-link usually does a good job for their external ones.

Another mod would be finding the VCore voltage for the switch chip and possibly dropping it... but that is for another day.  If a volt reduction mod was successful by even 0.05v or more... the power reduction could be enough to reduce the chip's TDP.  High heat density + bad heatsinks + RoHS Lead free manufacturing leads to bad things...


When my TP-link unit arrives it will be promptly disassembled and inspected for this sort of nonsense.  The DIR-835 will serve as a secondary AP on the 2nd floor until it decides to blow smoke.

[FurryNutz]

Ya range isn't quite as good as externals. Same thing with the DIR-657, 827 and 857 routers alone with the cylinder style case routers they produced. Even though the 868L series is a great router and has great range for internal antennae.

Ya, I think there could have been better heat design work on some of these routers. I think D-Link has learned though. The 880L is a larger DIR-867 case and with better ventilation in the bottom portion of the 880L now and no longer using composite heat sink chips...stability is good now:
http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=59563.0

Live and learn I guess.

[isunktheship]

Ah, this just happened to mine.. uh.. help?

Edit: I see I need to contact D-LINK for an RMA.. is this possible on an older unit?

[FurryNutz]

http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=64099.0

Ah, this just happened to mine.. uh.. help?

Edit: I see I need to contact D-LINK for an RMA.. is this possible on an older unit?