Why? Heat is the number one nemesis of electronics. If the temperatures reach a certain threshold, internal components can be damaged and your gadget might meet its untimely demise. An important but often overlooked component of the home network is your humble router. It’s that one device that acts as your gatekeeper for all the data going in and out of your home.
The unsung workhorse of your home
More often than not, it’s usually tucked away in a corner and unless our internet connections go wonky, we rarely check it. But think about it. Your router is most likely hard at work around the clock, directing and delivering traffic to all your gadgets. What a demanding job! It’s the unsung workhorse of your home.
So do your router a favor and give it the tender loving care it deserves by giving it a thorough cleaning See, if you have had your router for quite some time, chances are dust has accumulated and it is grossly blocking the vents and airflow. This can lead to overheating, which can shorten your router’s lifespan. Common symptoms of overheating are:
dropped connectionsslower speedsunreliabilityhardware failureburnt plastic odor
Clean your router easily with this trick
The best way to clean a router is by blowing out its vents with a can of compressed air. You can purchase compressed air online or at any office supply or electronics store. First, unplug it from the wall and all the cables that are connected to it. Search for your router’s air vents. These are typically located along the sides, the bottom or the back of your router. Make sure the router is OFF. Now, keeping the can upright, aim directly at the vents from about an inch away then spray them with quick, short bursts. That should dislodge all the crud and dust that’s blocking the router’s airflow. Follow this up with a gentle clean up with a small handheld vacuum and a quick wipe down and your router should be ready to use again. It is recommended that you clean your router (and modem) once a month, but regularly check the vents for dust buildup. Clean them out as much as needed.
In other news, cybercriminals are using your router to spread malware
We’ve been warning you about how vulnerable your router can be if it’s not configured properly. Hackers can hijack it to harvest your personal information, commandeer your smart devices, install malware on your computer and redirect your traffic to fake websites. This newly discovered malware campaign does precisely that. If you’re not careful about, cybercriminals can quickly all drain your bank accounts without warning! Read more about this attack.
