Tiny UI feature request - Temperature displayed on the first page

[stevieosaurus]

Please, PLEASE can we have the temperature(s) displayed in the router admin interface first page (Network Map), preferably on the right side (System Status), above or within the CPU status window?

(currently it's in the Administration page, has its own tab "Temperature"), and is quite useless there, with its individual tab.

Also came to brag about bringing the temperature down 40 degrees (C) by just reattaching the stock aluminum cooler with silver paste, rather than the 3 small squares of "thermo-conductive stickers" that come attached between it and the components on the board.
Also attached 1 piece of 90mm fan running on silent (minimum) and cut out all the plastic around it in the back (RT-AC68U), took out the aluminum plate below the antennas, to allow upward air flow exhaust.

 

[E3000]

Please, PLEASE can we have the temperature(s) displayed in the router admin interface first page (Network Map), preferably on the right side (System Status), above or within the CPU status window?

(currently it's in the Administration page, has its own tab "Temperature"), and is quite useless there, with its individual tab.

Also came to brag about bringing the temperature down 40 degrees (C) by just reattaching the stock aluminum cooler with silver paste, rather than the 3 small squares of "thermo-conductive stickers" that come attached between it and the components on the board.
Also attached 1 piece of 90mm fan running on silent (minimum) and cut out all the plastic around it in the back (RT-AC68U), took out the aluminum plate below the antennas, to allow upward air flow exhaust.

Some pics would be nice.

 

[RMerlin]

Please, PLEASE can we have the temperature(s) displayed in the router admin interface first page (Network Map), preferably on the right side (System Status), above or within the CPU status window?

I see zero reason to bloat the web interface with this.

 

[sentinelvdx]

Please, PLEASE can we have the temperature(s) displayed in the router admin interface first page (Network Map), preferably on the right side (System Status), above or within the CPU status window?

(currently it's in the Administration page, has its own tab "Temperature"), and is quite useless there, with its individual tab.

Also came to brag about bringing the temperature down 40 degrees (C) by just reattaching the stock aluminum cooler with silver paste, rather than the 3 small squares of "thermo-conductive stickers" that come attached between it and the components on the board.
Also attached 1 piece of 90mm fan running on silent (minimum) and cut out all the plastic around it in the back (RT-AC68U), took out the aluminum plate below the antennas, to allow upward air flow exhaust.

How thick thermal pads needs to be? 0.5/1/1.5mm? thanks

 

[stevieosaurus]

Some pics would be nice.

Here ya go: improved UI proposal with temp vs. current (ver. 384.18) interface.
@RMerlin notice I haven't used any more real estate in the UI than is currently used, just reduced the RAM window a bit. No bloat, all displayed clean one below the other. In fact, this would completely free up (remove) an entire tab in the Administration page, which is not only useless but cumbersome to reach, and for what? Something that can easily be displayed on the opening page?

 

[stevieosaurus]

How thick thermal pads needs to be? 0.5/1/1.5mm? thanks

No termal pads. Just termal paste, spread out very thin and evenly on the active die parts (not the alu cooler). Also make sure to bend the convex alu plate (due to over-tenson when it was tightened too hard from the factory), into a slightly concave one, then be careful not to over-tighten it when screwed in.

Attached: cut out back, leaving only the screw supports for the board (inside) and two 92mm fans (outside), only one fan pictured here. Anti-dust grill will also come attached over the back of the fans. Second image are thermal paste rankings, from Tom's Hardware reviews.

 

[RMerlin]

The router doesn't need a third location to display temperatures... If anything, people need to spend less time obsessing over their temperatures than they currently are. The vast majority of users don't even know what's the max Tjunc for their CPU, making any analysis of its temperature invalid.

Hint: max Tjunc is 130C, and the router will throttle once it hits 100C, way before reaching that limit.

BTW, that graph will be unreadable for the vast majority of persons as the scale is too small for the little temperature variance between components. I know, I've had to deal with that problem in the past while revising the large temperature graph. Some models have a gap that can be as big as 40C between a radio and the CPU. That means you need a scale that can properly show a range of 20C to 120C. You're not gonna get that out of 40 pixels of height.

 

[stevieosaurus]

Perhaps you are right. With the hardware modifications I made I doubt I'll ever see temperatures rise above 70 degrees C ever again.
Still, I do believe the temp tab in the Admin page is a total waste of UI space, and it would look nicer and more useful on the landing page. Even without the graph, which indeed could be made taller, if needed.
But yes, I might just be way to obsessed with this one thing, as you stated. Thank you for your hard work, I very much enjoy the result of it.

 

[Makaveli]

No termal pads. Just termal paste, spread out very thin and evenly on the active die parts (not the alu cooler). Also make sure to bend the convex alu plate (due to over-tenson when it was tightened too hard from the factory), into a slightly concave one, then be careful not to over-tighten it when screwed in.

Attached: cut out back, leaving only the screw supports for the board (inside) and two 92mm fans (outside), only one fan pictured here. Anti-dust grill will also come attached over the back of the fans. Second image are thermal paste rankings, from Tom's Hardware reviews.

Interesting mod.

This also an option



https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0721SYYTF/?tag=smallncom-20

 

[RMerlin]

Perhaps you are right. With the hardware modifications I made I doubt I'll ever see temperatures rise above 70 degrees C ever again.
Still, I do believe the temp tab in the Admin page is a total waste of UI space, and it would look nicer and more useful on the landing page. Even without the graph, which indeed could be made taller, if needed.
But yes, I might just be way to obsessed with this one thing, as you stated. Thank you for your hard work, I very much enjoy the result of it.

That page was already there, it was implemented by Asus back when they were using a fan to cool the RT-N66U (which was dropped in the final revision), so it didn't require any real development time on my part to re-enable it, beside the tweaks I've done over the years. And it's tucked in a separate tab, so it doesn't overcrowd existing pages.

 

[stevieosaurus]

Interesting mod.

This also an option



https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0721SYYTF/?tag=smallncom-20

Yes, that design is where I drew my inspiration from
However, if you notice the two fans are smaller (80mm), thous more noisy and less efficient, no dust filter, and they blow air ABOVE the alu cooling block inside rather than directly onto it, leaving the warm air leaving your router nowhere to exit but BELOW the fans, which gets sucked in by the fans yet again - thous creating a constant vortex of ever-warming air that you rotate into you router, just for the sake of not cutting out the back plastic - which BTW has air access notches thinner than the human hair and you still have to ruin when screwing in the above 80mm fans.

Also, you use up one USB port from the router, on which I preffer to run Entware + SkyNet + Diversion + Unbound. On the USB 3.0 I want to use as a NAS, attaching a 1TB SSD, on which I will torrent directly from the router, with no VPN (other connections all go trough OpenVPN), thous faster.
Also I do believe my solution is much cheaper. The two 92mm fans were $3 each (already had them), add to it the $9 MOLEX power supply - I run multiple fans (6) not just to the router but some small servers + also had a fan controller I had laying around connected between them.

 

[K-2SO]

Also, you use up one USB port from the router, on which I preffer to run Entware + SkyNet + Diversion + Unbound. On the USB 3.0 I want to use as a NAS, attaching a 1TB SSD, on which I will torrent directly from the router, with no VPN (other connections all go trough OpenVPN), thous faster.

Prepare for surprises. Your scripts will eat the USB stick and your USB 3.0 SSD will interfere with your router's basic functions. You'll find out quickly why. The router is not a NAS. This 1TB SSD is a waste of money attached to a router. You destroyed the router, BTW. There was no need to cut anything. This aluminum plate below antennas was there in purpose. I don't like destructive "improvements" for no reason.

 

[stevieosaurus]

Your scripts will eat the USB stick.

That's what the 2.0 stick is there for! Just for the scripts & logs.
I have plenty of similar USB sticks for cheap, so don't care if they get ruined in time. So far the current USB stick lasted me 5 years, and still going!

...your USB 3.0 SSD will interfere with your router's basic functions. You'll find out quickly why.

Could you please be more specific? Interfere how? Because I previously had a 500GB 2.5" HDD connected to the 3.0 USB running a media server (MP3 collection & playlists on MediaMonkey) + network shared storage, all working fine. I doubt switching to a SSD will make a difference in interference.

You destroyed the router, BTW. There was no need to cut anything. This aluminum plate below antennas was there in purpose. I don't like destructive "improvements" for no reason.

The router runs perfectly, in fact it runs better than before. No damage whatsoever has been done to the electrical components, just my fingers (only had a rotor-saw I could work with, slipped at the last moment. No tendon damage.)
No throttling, no overheating even in the summer, even when running at full capacity for a prolonged time, still completely quiet & dust proof. Also it will objectively last me longer than any of the "stock" routers which easily heat up to 100 degrees C just by running on basic settings in the shade.
Believe it or not, I can even sell it at a higher price than what I bought it for, as an upgraded/overclocked unit, since the cutout in the back is nicely covered by the two fans + dust filters, and from the front it looks exactly the same, everything is hidden and fits seamlessly in the back.

P.S: you might be right about the alu plate. Or not. Will keep testing further, thanks for the tip in any case.
So far there is no detectable wifi interference with the board below, which, I assume, is it's only purpose.

 

[K-2SO]

No throttling, no overheating even in the summer

I had two of those in the past. RT-AC1900P version with 1.4GHz CPU. This specific router is perhaps the most reliable one Asus ever made. No extra cooling is required except if you live in extremely hot environment with >40C ambient temperature. I don't know how much you plan to extend the life of a 7 years old router. How did it survive first 7 years with no invasive surgery? The result is super ugly and unnecessary. Poor thing, it had better days.

Believe it or not, I can even sell it at a higher price

Not to me. Not to any of the SNB members reading this thread. I'm positive about it.

 

[thecheapseats]

The router doesn't need a third location to display temperatures... If anything, people need to spend less time obsessing over their temperatures than they currently are. -snip-

yes, the cpu(s) have plenty of thermal headroom for their intended application.... but the radios? - after my first ac88 fried one, don't, and aren't as forgiving... the ac88 does/did run much hotter than the x88(s)...

 

[stevieosaurus]

...except if you live in extremely hot environment

EXACTLY! And as others have mentioned, the radios fry faster, being more sensitive.

how much you plan to extend the life of a 7 years old router. How did it survive first 7 years with no invasive surgery?

You misunderstood, my friend. This is a brand new router. I did the modifications as soon as I got it, and I expect it to last me as long as possible, longer than the manufacturers intended, longer than any stock router, at full capacity, with minimal modifications seen here.

The result is super ugly and unnecessary.

The results are:
- 40 degrees lower temperatures
- more stable performance over time
- less dust accumulation
- longer lasting components, less degradation of chip transistors over time in increased heat and thous:
- higher performance over time

Modifications I made are invisible, indistinguishable from any stock model even when viewed from the back, as the two fans+dust filters completely cover the cutout, looking brand new.
What you're looking at in the picture I posted are the guts, specifically exposed so people here can see the cutout and how the fans are positioned over the cooler inside. This all is hidden when everything is mounted.

 

[stevieosaurus]

Not to me. Not to any of the SNB members reading this thread.

I don't remember ever trying to sell you anything. You came here for what I had to offer, not the other way around.
Please don't assume to speak in other people's name, just yourself. So far your arguments were not only exaggerated, unfounded but instantly conclusive, even when lacking any knowledge of the final look ("super ugly"), not to mention purely emotional ("I don't like") and thous, they are subjective and apply only to you. Nor have you chosen to articulate any of your previous, ambiguous statements ("You'll find out quickly why."), even when pressed to expand on them. BTW, I would still be interested to hear their explanation, as long as they come backed by arguments, not fears, threats & feelings.

I didn't come here to convince you of anything, sell you anything or change your feelings about your unusual emotional attachment to electrical equipment. I am confident of my modifications objectively making a great product better and just wanted to share with others interested here (not you @K-2SO ), the results. Do with it what you will.

 

[K-2SO]

This is a brand new router... with minimal modifications seen here

What about the warranty? The modifications are pretty visible to me. I still don't understand the efforts. I had those routers for 3 years and never noticed any performance issues. Summers are pretty hot here too. In a >40C environment though I would probably die before the router.

even when pressed to expand on them

I told you already. You'll find out for yourself. The fans won't help. BTW, I see your intentions to run OpenVPN client on the router. I guess, you know already this router can't do much on OpenVPN. Expect ~50Mbps speeds. No AES support on this CPU and OpenVPN uses single core only.

 

[r0bbieNZ]

I don't remember ever trying to sell you anything. You came here for what I had to offer, not the other way around.
Please don't assume to speak in other people's name, just yourself. So far your arguments were not only exaggerated, unfounded but instantly conclusive, even when lacking any knowledge of the final look ("super ugly"), not to mention purely emotional ("I don't like") and thous, they are subjective and apply only to you. Nor have you chosen to articulate any of your previous, ambiguous statements ("You'll find out quickly why."), even when pressed to expand on them. BTW, I would still be interested to hear their explanation, as long as they come backed by arguments, not fears, threats & feelings.

I didn't come here to convince you of anything, sell you anything or change your feelings about your unusual emotional attachment to electrical equipment. I am confident of my modifications objectively making a great product better and just wanted to share with others interested here (not you @K-2SO ), the results. Do with it what you will.

I agree - stevieosaurus is showing us his mod - there is nothing wrong with that

 

[stevieosaurus]

What about the warranty?

Oh, that one is clearly gone, even if you just install (screw in) the after-market product @Makaveli mentioned above, without cutting anything:

Interesting mod.

This also an option



https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0721SYYTF/?tag=smallncom-20

For this, I have actually bought 2x AC68 routers (they were on sale): one black RT-AC68U, one white RT-AC68W, in case I f.up. I didn't, and since both were functional on arrival, while also having no moving parts, chances are the warranty will not benefit me anyways.

The modifications are pretty visible to me

Because you haven't seen it yet with both fans + dust filters mounted. I will take a picture for you, if you want. It looks just like the commercial pic from Amazon linked above by @Makaveli , except without the shiny grills (they are even less visible). From the front it looks exactly the same as it came in the package originally. Noise is practically undetectable - running on lowest speed setting <18 Db.

The fans won't help.

They clearly and objectively do: 40 degrees cooler is a significant reduction. No commercial chip is made to run constantly at above 90 degrees and have the same performance, last as long as the same chip at ~50 degrees.

Expect ~50Mbps speeds. No AES support on this CPU and OpenVPN uses single core only.

I get 160-230 Mbps trough OpenVPN with KillSwitch active. Eastern Europe. Don't know what to tell you, it's probably @RMerlin 's & the rest of the dev team's merit. Here are the results from my spdMerlin (v3.6.1) script that runs on the USB 2.0 stick Entware: