Simple Mod to Quiet an Ethernet Switch
I found a nice old Intel Express 510T ethernet switch in my favorite dumpster a few weeks ago, it was just the right thing to replace the 4-port Netgear hub in my office. However, when I got it home and plugged it in I found that the fans were WAY too loud for use in a home office setting.
Now I've seen many, many switches installed in un-ventilated and hot communications closets so I figured that the fans that come in the unit are probably way over-kill for a nice home office environment.
When I opened the switch I found a PC style power supply with both 12 volt and 5 volt rails. I know that most fans in electronic equipment made for 12 volts will run just fine (and very quietly) on 5 volts so I simply un-plugged the fan connectors and spliced them into the 5 volt rails. I applied power to make sure the fans turned and closed up the switch.
The result is nearly silent and cools just fine in a
home office environment.