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Posted: Sat Feb 14 @ 4:51 am Post subject: Project: Linksys Mod
A short while back a friend that was moving gave me a rack that I started using in my room. A few weeks later browsing Goodwill Computers, I found a Linksys 8-port gig switch for $20. The only thing "wrong" with it..."its too loud." I have some rack mount 10/100s, but no gigabit. I started looking for and finally found a really cheap rack mount 10/100 for $5 this week. The plan, to use the case from teh 10/100 and mount the linksys in it.
The first thing I did was rip out the guts of both switches.
Next using a heatgun and soldering iron, I removed all of the components, save the led arrays, from the scrap switch. There was a few reasons for this. I wanted you use the board as a mount for the linksys, the LEDs were already where they needed to be, and well i was having fun pulling the chips off the board...I know I am easily ammused.
The problem with working with masive solder globs in your bedroom with no table, is that its very easy to tip the board you are working on. I ended up with a solder blob over half of the board, and this was the one I wanted to use! Luckly I was able to clean it up with little effort.
After getting the LED arrays off of the Linksys, I started wiring it up to use the LED arrays on the old switch board. This was probably the worst part of the project, mainly because teh cable i was working with was so small. I used a 80pin IDE cable as it was easily available to me.
Next came power and mounting for the board. The old 10/100 switch used a 5V supply and the Linksys used a 12. I had an extra 12V supply sitting around, so I cut the cable and soldered it directly to the board. I then used a drill press and regular computer standoffs to mount the Linksys on the old switch's motherboard.
Next I cut one of the center supports on the front of the old switch box so that the new switchs ports were all available.
The final step was to make a new face plate to cover the unused holes. For this I used a Corel draw and a laser cutter.
The finished product:
There are still a couple minor things that still need to be done. I need to make some rack mount ears, and I forgot to includ port numbers above each port when I cut the faceplate. Other than that, its up and running nicely! _________________ http://www.bf2s.com/player/43396712/
Last edited by Mr.Red on Sat Feb 14 @ 5:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sat Feb 14 @ 3:02 pm Post subject: Re: Project: Linksys Mod
Yeap:
Lancer, Red, and I had a little laser party here at the house. last night. Red left at about 2am. Lancer at what; 12:30am?
I think it turned out right nice; the only thing we really shoulda done is powder coated the thing black; sadly - I dont have a big enough oven. _________________ Worklog: ATTN2Detail
Worklog: RPM Flow Sensors for Liquid
Joined: May 14, 2005 Posts: 2632 Location: Austin, TX
Posted: Sun Feb 15 @ 10:42 am Post subject: Re: Project: Linksys Mod
Yeah it was good I left when I did. Melissa went to a pay phone to call me because she couldn't find her phone Thanks a lot for your help guys, she loved it. _________________ Recent Projects:
Harmony PNY CES 2007
Joined: Jul 19, 2005 Posts: 1955 Location: Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far, Far South Austin Down Under
Posted: Sun Feb 15 @ 4:01 pm Post subject: Re: Project: Linksys Mod
That looks awesome Red, glad the rack proved useful as well! Damn I miss these kinds of get togethers. Some black powercoat will sweeten the deal... I laughed pretty hard about the blob of solder, glad you got that sorted! _________________ I just love Steam sometimes, dont you???
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Thanks a lot for your help guys, she loved it.
