Beneficial to keep modem cool? If so, how to?

[liquidsense]

I'm currently using a Motorola Surfboard as my modem (See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1).

I have it positioned inside a very small Leviton media enclosure in my garage. (See http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00.../dp/B00022749G

Is it important to keep a modem cool? Does it have a material impact on the strength/consistency of my internet connection? If so, how should I go about covering the enclosure? The front panel is made of thick steel that pretty much seals the enclosure. While the enclosure itself has some holes for wires and screws, it has no airflow or exposure to ambient air. Should I just leave the cover off and let everything remain exposed?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Make sure that it is cool with solution. Preferably Gatorade.

 

[Fardringle]

Normal room temperature ventilation is usually adequate for a modem. Just don't put it in a tightly enclosed place where it would get too hot. A metal box in a hot garage is not a good idea.

 

[LPCTech]

Just because I have never heard of it happening doesnt mean it cant...but I have never heard of a modem/router overheating.

 

[Dahak]

Just because I have never heard of it happening doesnt mean it cant...but I have never heard of a modem/router overheating.

I have, one example where out customer has a dsl modem and out security XTM box/router. when we had them side by side they where fine, but then for some reason they put the dsl modem on top of the xtm box and the xtm box was warm enough to cause the dsl modem to overheat causing issues with the office-to-office vpn and general internet.

moved them back side to side and worked fine

This was in a fairly standard office os it can happen.

OP: I am sure there is some operating temperature specs for the device you could double check that against the temperature in the garage and if its lower it should be fine

 

[sm625]

My Motorola Surfboard doesnt even get that hot. Does yours get warm/hot when just sitting in the open?

 

[liquidsense]

I have, one example where out customer has a dsl modem and out security XTM box/router. when we had them side by side they where fine, but then for some reason they put the dsl modem on top of the xtm box and the xtm box was warm enough to cause the dsl modem to overheat causing issues with the office-to-office vpn and general internet.

moved them back side to side and worked fine

This was in a fairly standard office os it can happen.

OP: I am sure there is some operating temperature specs for the device you could double check that against the temperature in the garage and if its lower it should be fine

I'm guessing that, unlike a processor, there is no loss in efficiency as heat increases, right? Based on your story, I get the sense that the modem might stop working at a threshold temperature, but until then, it should run steady.

My Motorola Surfboard doesnt even get that hot. Does yours get warm/hot when just sitting in the open?

Not to my knowledge. For a while, I had it sitting beside my desk and I never noticed any substantial heat. That said, it has ventilation holes all across one side, suggesting that the heat it generates needs to be vented, so I just thought that putting it in a small enclosed metal box (14"x14"x 4") in a garage in the summer might be a bad idea.

 

[gbeirn]

Water cooling is probably the best solution. I would get Corsair H60, maybe a H40 would work and splice it into the AC adapter for the modem. You can then zip tie the cooling block to the modem.