Noisy Network Card

rogue-entity

Just something that has been bothering me for a while, and I havent found anything useful on Google.

I rebuild my old desktop to use as a server. It has a Winfast 6150-K8SMA motherboard with integrated Gigibit NIC. It runs Linux, and Samba to work as a file server. Everytime I transfer files two/from the machine, the network card whines/hisses/whistles, its the same sound my Macbook Pro used to make when running on battery power. That high-pitched whine.

It only happens when there is data being transferred over the network card, and its rather loud compared to the rest of the system which runs quietly.

Any idea what causes this whistling noise?

degsie

Could be a dodgy component on the m/b. I know from a long time ago that big decoupling capacitors would whine defore going faulty. Just a thought.

Kali

Are you positive its not the hard-drive that's causing the issues with the excessive reads due to the file transfers? That'd be the near guaranteed problem imo.
I've never heard of a network card emiting any noises before, they simply don't have any moving parts so it's next to impossible for something physical from the nic to be causing the noise. At a bit of a stretch it could be electrical interference with your onboard speaker or soundcard, but that's about it.

Anti

I have a similar problem with one of my pc's atm. I get the noise you are on about when anything 3d llaunches. I thought it was the graphics card at first, but it turned out to be the psu. ITs not broken, its just not grounded very well apparently!

rogue-entity

@Kaili: I am sure, the hard disc is virtually silent, I was transferring files to it from a portable USB hard disc, and it wasnt making this noise, just the usual clicking of the hard discs when data is being written to/read from.

On my desktop, when I open the file server in the network browser, and then browse any of the shares, or if I right click on a file and select its properties, it makes the same noise.

@Anti: That could be a good bet alright. I originally bought the case w/PSU, an AOpen motherboard and the other needed bits to build my first desktop as a project back in 2003. And it used to make the same whistling noise until there was some activity on the USB ports.

It could also because of "dirty" AC power in the house. I have had problems with this before with my monitor making "arcing" sounds when plugged in, even if switched off, and my computer rebooting randomly. Turned out that the fuse for the line my PC was connected too was loose and arcing.

I dont want to go buying a new PSU if the one that I have is working just fine, but I have been meaning to get a good surge protecter/line conditioner, but I could always buy a good UPS instead to protect my electronic gear.

Alun

Kali wrote:

I've never heard of a network card emitting any noises before, they simply don't have any moving parts so it's next to impossible for something physical from the nic to be causing the noise.

All 10(0)-baseT network cards have a small transformer to decouple the outputs and inputs going to the RJ-45 connector, and it's not completely unknown for windings in high frequency transformers to become loose and vibrate causing noise, so it might be possible.