MX100 fan noise

[amcamillo]

Hey Community,

I have a customer with an MX100, recently deployed, which its fans are extremely loud (to the point where even within the closed cabinet, we can hear it from a few meters away).

It doesn't have too much traffic in it yet, as the customer hasn't moved its employees to the new site.

Its running firmware v13.33.

I`ve asked meraki what should be the expected dB level for the fan, but I didnt get a response. 

Has anyone experienced this issue with this Model?

[Adoos]

known characteristic with some switch models.

They cranked the speed of the fans up to resolve overheating issues. Not sure if this was carried into the MX100. 

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

I've only used MX100 in computer rooms and DC's, and its noise blended into everything else (so wasn't particularly noticeable).

[amcamillo]

I did measure our DC dB levels and they were on par with what the appliance sounded.

Thanks!

[dvassallo]

We just deployed an MX100 in our facility and it strikes me that the fans have run at one speed from the moment it POSTed. Can anyone confirm that this is normal behavior?

I don't recall any other Meraki hardware, or like appliance, behaving this way. I expect the fans to run at full speed during boot, and then throttle down during normal operation. I ran the MX outside of the rack on a cool, flat, surface for 2 hours before installing it into the rack. The fans have only run at one speed the entire time.

We have an MS120-48P in the rack that is practically silent. The MX100 is screaming loud. Thoughts? 

[PhilipDAth]

The MX100 is definately much louder than an MS120.

[dvassallo]

Thank Philip. In your experience, does the MX 100 operate as I described above, i.e. fans spin at same speed during boot up as normal operation? 

It's almost inconceivable to me that this device operates this way. I literally don't think I've heard anything this loud for what it is. Very frustrating that nobody at Meraki can provide me with high/low fan noise in dB let alons tell me if the fans operate at one speed of multiple speeds. 

[Hovedkvarteret]

Why in earth is this post marked as the "solution" to this issue? Meraki clearly needs to fix the firmware on this appliance and regulate the fan speed.

[Stealth_Network]

Just got the same complaint from a client that just installed one...

[Stealth_Network]

To follow up my post, customer took a video and we opened a case, they RMA'd the MX100 and the new one is just as loud as the old one. The response from support:

It looks like this is an expected behavior then for MX100.

The customer is pissed, now asking to send the box back and go with another vendor...

[CptnCrnch]

Is your customer sitting right next to the device? From my point of view, MX100 is a device that will be installed in a 19" rack in a dedicated server room / data center. Of course it has got fans that are producing noise but as @PhilipDAth said: it will simply blend in to the sound of the other devices located there.

Have you checked if "lower end" device without fans (linke MX67/68) would suffice?

[Stealth_Network]

It is in their data closet, but can be heard from 15 feet away. This is not a DC and to say putting it in a DC fixes the issue in not a helpful response. They need to 100 due to the bandwidth requirements.

We have never had this issue with any lower model

[Nash]

MX84 can be loud as well. The 60 line doesn't have an actual fan in them, which is why they are quiet. Once you get into something meant to be chucked in a rack away from people, it's going to be louder because it's going to have actual fans.

It's unfortunate that your client finds that too loud. You said it's inside a closet. What's the temp in that closet? Is it possible to add sound absorbing material without mucking up the airflow? 

[CptnCrnch]

Just wondering: which competitor would build a device that would suffice your actual requirements and not include fans / make some noise?

[Stealth_Network]

Just spun up an 84 in my office, no noise whatsoever...

I've let the client know they can downgrade (and lose bandwidth) or we can look at a Firepower 1120, but I have no idea if it has the same loud fan issue, plus they would lose all the simplification of the current Meraki environment.

We prefer to stick with Cisco products

[CptnCrnch]

You really think Firepower will be more silent? It's rated as "31.7 dBA @ 25C, 56.8 dBA at highest system performance" (https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/security/firepower-1000-series/datasheet-c78-74246...).

Unfortunately, Meraki doesn't include noise in their datasheet but as @Nash said: as long as you're going 19", it's going to make some noise. It really depends in temperature levels then...

[dvassallo]

First, there are absolutely comparable firewalls that produce less sound. We replaced an SonicWall NSA 3600 with the MX100 and it was noticeably louder in a fully ventilated rack. NSA 3600 is a much more capable device and was running Comprehensive Gateway Security. This is actually what prompted me to post on this thread. Based on my description of the sound Meraki suggested a proactive RMA. The replacement device sounded exactly the same. I have never heard the fans run at a different speed. From the moment it POSTs to normal operation the noise is the same or similar.

---

[PhilipDAth]

>First, there are absolutely comparable firewalls that produce less sound.

Of all the questions customers have asked me over the last 20 years - no one has ever asked about how much noise their firewall will make.  It is not a concern for the vast majority of users, and I doubt Meraki will make any product adjustments - especially in the MX100 family.  These are more of a DC level appliance rather than for use in an office.

[PhilipDAth]

What about using an accoustically dampened rack?

Do they perhaps have a roof space a small wall mount cabinet could go into?

What about a room that might contain other services, like an elevator or air conditioning service room?

Do they perhaps have a store room?

[dvassallo]

Really? The MX100 is pretty far from an enterprise class product. I don't know what you qualify as a datacenter but in a city like New York where high speed fiber is ubiquitous we have plenty of branches offices where MX100 in a small wall-mount rack in an equipment closet is not uncommon. 

My objections are: a) this appliance generates a tremendous amount of noise relative to competitive products. Considering the spec I expect the MX100 to be in small branches more than I do in an HQ's data center. b) Cisco Meraki does not publish spec on sound like you would expect from Cisco general.

[Stealth_Network]

Our rep got a hold of me regarding this, and it's the first he's heard of it. They are working on coming up with a solution to make the customer happy so we'll see.

Does anyone know if the 250's have this issue?

[dvassallo]

We recently installed 2 x MX250 configured for warm spare failover. They are racked in consecutive rack spaces in sound proof MDF. The MDF contains 6 racks so there is quite a bit of noise now, but the MX's were installed before anything else and I don't recall them standing out to me as inordinately loud. I also recall that they POST with the fans on full speed and then throttle down unlike the MX100 which just seems to run at one speed all the time. 

[cmr]

Indeed the MX100s are in my opinion faulty, the fans needlessly run at full speed even in low temperatures.  I think that either the firmware must be broken and failing to regulate the fans, or perhaps the hardware is actually faulty.  Does anyone remember if they ever worked like the MX84s and MX250s where the fans operate at an appropriate speed once booted?

[Aaron_Wilson]

I agree, the MX100s are WAY too loud. I had bought a set for a portable rig and regretted it. What's funny is the MX400 isn't anywhere near as loud. When I was setting up the MX100s in my basement, I could hear them on the second floor!

[Dudleydogg]

I had a Old Dell Switch that sounded like a Hovercraft, if you disconnect the Fans you get Alerts so what I did was order replacement Fans took out the 15,000 RPM fans and put in 3500 RPM Fans.  Silent and did not overheat due to it being in a public Area with AC.

This will void warranty but thought I would mention due to I am in Same boat as you guys and considering this for the MX100.

[Nick]

This is definitely still an issue

The MX100 seems to be as people have said dispraportionally loud. It starts up and the fans run full chat consistently. 

Even if it is sitting in a 16 degree room. 

I made another post earlier in the week about the MX100 and MX84 needing a refresh, but really the fan noise needs looking at. 

We have them deployed in medium offices and do receive complaints about them. I have one internally in a sound proofed cabinet as its unbearable otherwise.

Installed a new one last week with 9 MS switches. The MX 100 is louder than the lot of them. I am not exaggerating either. You can tell when its powered off or on. In that instance its not a problem, but we tend to find in most cases the MX100 is too loud for its environments. 

Has anyone that has RMA'd their device got one back that behaves any differently? 

[Dudleydogg]

I am currently no longer using the MX100 due to the Noise issues. Hoping some solution comes across soon, maybe this fix is tabled in with IPV6 which is decades behind.

[cmr]

@Dudleydogg  🤣 I wish I could give you more than one kudos for that!

[MerakicostsWHAT]

@Dudleydogg  I see from your post that you replaced the MX100 altogether. But when you were looking at going the replacement fan route did you ever find a quiet fan that would be compatible? I.E., would fit inside the MX100 & run quietly, all the while keeping the MX100's internal sensors (both fan and temperature) happy?

[Stealth_Network]

Wouldn't that void the warranty?

And why should a customer or partner have to do it, when it has already been brought to Meraki's attention?

[Dudleydogg]

the MX84 is a practically identical Router and its Silent.  Not sure what Defect they feel the fan needs to be Full speed all the time.  Must be some part defect and instead of recall they just jack the fans up in firmware.

your correct why should we have to fix our selves when Meraki should address the issue.

meanwhile, My router sits on a shelf and I use Alternate device 

[Dudleydogg]

I looked over the device and decided I did not want to even open it up.  Did not come apart like a typical switch I believe its glued or has one way tabs.

yes it would void the warranty.  Still not using the device when IPV6 is working I will deal with the noise then.

[Red-Five]

Just chiming in that a new MX100 in April 2021 is still running fans at full speed after boot, with 0 load and in a 68 degree room.  So, still louder than expected in an office environment (65db at 1ft away) and firmware 14.53 doesn't control the fan speed after boot.

[Dudleydogg]

I was wondering if it got any better, waiting for the IPV6 Beta so I can get my MX100 off the Shelf and try it out again.  I wasted over a year of licensing since we cannot use it due to the IPV6 limitations.