DG834GT No power - Only Port Lights

Hi guys,

I have a problem with my DG834GT.

Over the last couple of weeks, it has been acting strange - freezing, losing sync and not syncing again when my silly HH has no problem. Only the Port lights, light up now when I plug in the power. No other lights, light up. The port lights flicker as usual when I plug in a ethernet cable.

We have tryed replacing the 2 - 1000uF 16V capacitors but that didn't do anything. We tested the other capacitors with a meter to make sure voltage was ok - it was.

Any ideas? I have tryed resetting the router but it doesn't work. The power light, ADSL, Wireless & Orange tick don't light up.

I have tryed several other power supplies.

Thanks for your help

I'd guess the next thing is to find a replacement from eBay!

Thats where I got this one from lol.

Me not being an electronics expert - Do capacitors still pass current, even when they are failed? My point being - When I tested for voltage on the other (TEAPO) Ones, There was still voltage going through them?

If yes, shall I try and replace the others aswell?

Thanks

I have no idea if a broken capacitor would still be conductive, I suppose it might depend on how it broke. I applaud your initiative though and hope you get the router working again!

Thanks, John. I've just tried replacing the other 3 capacitors but there is still no difference. If you keep unplugging it and pluging it in, you can see a faint flash of the top lights (Power, Orange Tick, Wireless & ADSL). Dunno what else it could be. The router was new a couple of weeks ago (Ex Sky off ebay).

I don't know if the recovery utility works with the GT but it may be worth a try.

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/263/kw...

John.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Do capacitors still pass current, even when they are failed?

Capacitors shouldn't pass any current at DC which is how I suspect you are testing them. Testing in circuit won't work either.

Yes but I first need to get it powered up - So I can access it.

In a simillar situation, after a seeming power surge, which appears to have domed the two 16v 1000uF capacitors, the 470uF 16v capacitor, 470uF 25v capacitor, the 1000uF 6.3v capacitor - all TEPCO capacitors, suprise suprise...

It may have something to do with the CFE (firmware) booting sequence.... whilst only the LAN lights remain lit, the LAN lights do not blink, there is no network traffic.... and the broadcom likes get hot, so not advisable to keep it plugged in...

My device is version 3 of the DG834GT so yes its got the , I've had it for 5 years and hasnt had a breather, so it has done well... what I do miss is the ability to use iptables at gateway level for network filtering, so I am in the process of making a serial port, to see whats going on... using a MAX3232CPE chip (from maplins) and also 5x (above 0.1uF) capacitors and a collection of 10x 100mm jump leads... which I managed to connect it all up to the chip wrongly, doh!!! although I dont believe anything to have been harmed, we'll see...

Wasnt clear in the following circuit diagram, or maybe I wasnt reading it correctly and didnt match it up with the annotated pinout for the chip, so check, check and check again if you decide to go down the path of adding a serial port....:
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/forum/technical-discussion/...

I'm also looking into building a parallel jtag port, so... 4x100ohm resistors and more veroboard here I come!...

Also if u manage to meter test the capacitors using a 10A fused (taking note of the polarisation) it somehow sends the board into some mad flashing frenzy and even into recovery mode (which doesnt work with any available ports), even if its economically unfixable, at least it would be useful for mini disco lights...

Koolie

If you want to hook up to your router's serial port, Nokia CA-42 phone cables are readily available on ebay, for around £2 - 3 delivered and contain a usb to TTL serial chip, so just need to cut off the phone plug and work out which wire is connected to which pin, and download the correct driver. See http://buffalo.nas-central.org/wiki/Use_a_Nokia_Seri...

If you can, get one of the non-genuine 3 wire ones, as the (I believe) genuinely, genuine nokia ca-42 one I got, was the five wire variety, which requires power from the router, and a nokia modem driver, rather than a com port driver (often Prolific I believe), which is a pain - putty won't find the com port until the ca-42 is powered up, and hyperterminal wouldn't use the modem driver's com port at all. I got around that by quickly turning the router's power button off then on again after starting putty to make the router reboot, so I could get into the cfe.

I've got an oldish dg834gt myself, mine locks up if I transfer large files via wifi, so I guess the wifi card is overheating, and on its way out.

Edited by AbandonShip (Wed 20-Apr-11 16:27:54)