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how do I remove the warning that my airport extreme may be overheating "this device may be overheating"? It is triggering the Airport utility regularly. The device is working perfectly, although in the summer it did get quite hot which I'm sure triggered the message in the first place. I do not want to restore factory defaults if it can be avoided.
Thanks, Chris
The problem is that the fan is located at the top of the case inside the AirPort Extreme. In the past, I have tried to vacuum the unit and also blow compressed air into the unit to try to get at the dust, but this has never worked.
Keep in mind that even if you replace the fan, that this is no guarantee that heat problem will be solved if the electronics themselves are starting to age. I was suggesting a clogged fan as a possible cause of the over heating, not as a sure fire remedy.
The problem is that the fan is located at the top of the case inside the AirPort Extreme. In the past, I have tried to vacuum the unit and also blow compressed air into the unit to try to get at the dust, but this has never worked.
Keep in mind that even if you replace the fan, that this is no guarantee that heat problem will be solved if the electronics themselves are starting to age. I was suggesting a clogged fan as a possible cause of the over heating, not as a sure fire remedy.
I have a small tower unit
Just to clarify, there is only one "tower" version of the AirPort Extreme. It looks like this:
If your AirPort Extreme looks more like a small pizza box, that is a completely different matter.
Make sure that the AirPort Extreme is located in an open space with plenty of ventilation. You may need to add a small whisper fan to direct more air at the AirPort Extreme.
If the frequency of overheating messages begins to increase, this is a sign that the power supply inside the AirPort is starting to fail and that it is time to start looking for a new Wi-Fi router.
Thanks for the information Bob, but the problem is that I can't get rid of the existing error message to see if its recurring? The unit is certainly not overheating at the moment as its environment is about 14c.
I would like to clear down the message to see if it recurs.
Power off the AirPort Extreme for a few hours, then start it back up again. Or, if possible power down the AirPort Extreme late at night and let it sit overnight.
If you have the "tall" or "tower" version of the AirPort Extreme, the cooling fan inside the unit tends to get clogged with dust after 3-4 years of use. This reduces the cooling efficiency of the fan and the internal electronics on the AirPort Extreme start running hotter, even though the outside of the AirPort might seem barely warm to the touch.
It is a really tough job to replace the fan, but it can be done.
Hello Bob,
I took your advice and replaced the fan. it now works perfectly. So the Apple error message is a bit misleading. it should say "The device may be overheating due to the fan not working". I'm sure Apple could easily fix this with a minor software update.
Thanks for your help. Best Regards, Chris
Thanks Bob, I have a small tower unit. Looks like it's time to vacuum out the little rascal!
Nice work!
how do I remove the warning that my airport extreme may be overheating "this device may be overheating"?
