Broken power button

[wouterv]

The user is new here and offers meaningful help in his first post... yours is post 1081.

OE

The lesson should be that he gave an answer that was already posted 3 posts before, it indicates he just jumped in and fired an answer.
Forums like this are to learn from, learning by reading other's issues and other's answers.

 

[OzarkEdge]

The lesson should be that he gave an answer that was already posted 3 posts before, it indicates he just jumped in and fired an answer.
Forums like this are to learn from, learning by reading other's issues and other's answers.

He shared his experience and bumped a long running discussion. He doesn't need a lesson nor a lecture. He deserves encouragement to contribute another 1080 helpful posts.

OE

 

[Andy Shiekh]

From what pictures are here the problem seems to be with switches that have blue stems.

Mine is fine (albeit blue) but having got this far I decided to order one (non-blue) from Digikey; hopefully it is the right one.

PN12SJNA03QE C&K | Switches | DigiKey

Order today, ships today. PN12SJNA03QE – Pushbutton Switch SPDT Standard Through Hole, Right Angle from C&K. Pricing and Availability on millions of electronic components from Digi-Key Electronics.

www.digikey.com

They also stock a cheaper (blue stem) version, but that just didn't seem like a very good idea to me.

 

[Andy Shiekh]

Just to report I got the C&K switch from Digi-Key (black stem) and it works just fine ($7 with postage).

 

[Jacques Assert]

Another switch failure with an RT-AC66U (1 of 20). It's one of the newer units, was wall mounted and untouched for years. Failure occurred during a power outage. (!?)

Will likely report switch cover and block opening. While there is enough information here to source the part and resolder, the switch seldom (never) gets used so no loss of functionality if removed.

 

[webroxau]

I had this same issue where the power button wouldn't stay pressed in, not allowing my RT-AC88U to power on.

I bought a can of contact cleaner and opened the router up. I gave the power switch a decent spray (aka lots) and after letting it dry properly, the power switch now works as good as new.

 

[dlandiss]

I had this same issue where the power button was stuck out and wouldn't press in, not allowing my RT-AC88U to power on.

This is a bit different from the issues reported by other users. The most frequent problem is that the power button would not STAY in once pressed, apparently due to a fault in the latching mechanism. I drop of superglue fixes that -- the router can always be turned back off by unplugging it.

 

[webroxau]

The most frequent problem is that the power button would not STAY in once pressed, apparently due to a fault in the latching mechanism.

My bad. That's exactly what the button on my router was doing as well. I can see that what I wrote gave the impression it was different. I've edited my first post.

 

[wouterv]

The common 3 step solution, requires you to open the router:

 

[Xbanderradio]

I have a new RT-AC68U Ver-4 that was manufactured in 2021. It has a slide type power switch instead of the push-button style. I did the initial configuration and firmware update and cycled the power switch maybe 2-3 times, no problems. A few days later when I went to the neighbor's place to install, I slide the power switch ON and no lights. Check the AC outlet, the 12V on the adapter and both OK. When I was sliding the switch on-off-on it did not feel OK, no click or anything. After a few cyles it just jammed in the center position and no power on. Back to Amazon for a replacement. When the replacement arrives that switch in going On and a small piece of electrical tape is going over that slider switch. Will go back to the brute-force way of turning off the power, pull the AC adapter connection. Can't fix this one with a toothpick like on the older RT-AC66 with the push-button power switch that does not lock in the On position. RT-AC68U Slider Power Switch Failure

 

[wouterv]

I have a new RT-AC68U Ver-4 that was manufactured in 2021. It has a slide type power switch instead of the push-button style. I did the initial configuration and firmware update and cycled the power switch maybe 2-3 times, no problems. A few days later when I went to the neighbor's place to install, I slide the power switch ON and no lights. Check the AC outlet, the 12V on the adapter and both OK. When I was sliding the switch on-off-on it did not feel OK, no click or anything. After a few cyles it just jammed in the center position and no power on. Back to Amazon for a replacement. When the replacement arrives that switch in going On and a small piece of electrical tape is going over that slider switch. Will go back to the brute-force way of turning off the power, pull the AC adapter connection. Can't fix this one with a toothpick like on the older RT-AC66 with the push-button power switch that does not lock in the On position. RT-AC68U Slider Power Switch Failure

It is sad to read about that experience.
From electrical point of view I can imagine that this sliding "switch" is not worth the name switch.
Possibly it is just a piece of plastic with a metal strip embedded that slides over the printed circuit board and in On position connect two traces of the printed circuit board. A real solid switch would probably be 1/3 of the total router cost. The power switch is an odd regulatory requirement.

 

[Tech9]

The popular AX86U has the switch in a wrong place.

Most people will hide the power cable behind the router and since the plug is 90° angled it goes right on top of the switch.

 

[wouterv]

Those consumer routers are a result of compromises and power supplies are probably purchased from a department that has no clue about the device it has to be used with and only looks for output voltage / power, DC connector type and AC plug type (for the different regions).
The angled plug saves depth for the total router location

The RT-N66U has the same issue where the angled power plug covers the power button (the other way around, the antenna is in the way):

In addition the power plug is of very tiny thin fragile type, the story of the power button is known.

 

[Tech9]

The same push switch is used on AC86U, but at least on the right place.

I don't see failed switch complaints on AC86U. The router fails before the switch.

 

[wouterv]

The same push switch is used on AC86U, but at least on the right place.

View attachment 42203

I don't see failed switch complaints on AC86U. The router fails before the switch.

The RT-AC68U switch is of a different kind then the RT-N66U / RT-AC66U, from the outside the knob looks the same though.

RT-AC68U:

RT-N66U see post #169

EDIT: RT-AC68U / RT-AC86U ... I still have trouble to read the difference

 

[dosborne]

I've switched (get the pun) over to an extension cable with a power switch for a number of my devices that either did not have one originally, had one that was problematic or was inconvenient to access with the device in place.

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0895NVJLF/?tag=smallncom-20

 

[wouterv]

My technical or green concern is that with either solution of switch in the router or switch in the cord, the power adapter stays powered and keep consuming a little of energy.

 

[dosborne]

In my case, I only use it to power cycle the device, it stays on 24/7. You could couple if with a smart power bar that shuts off the port unless a minimum draw is present or a "smart switch" which also comes in handy under certain circumstances.

also use something like this to control the power brick fro devices that typically stay powered off (manual backup offline NAS for example), although the ones I have fit right into the existing socket (no "cable" portion) but perform the same way?

 

[Darkje]

Put a switch on the power plug then the adapter looses power also. Since there is no proper shutdown procedure on the Asus routers like shutdown... It don't makes any difference in how to cut the power.

 

[wouterv]

I never power cycle the router, and when there is a need I can unplug the power adapter.
The requirement for a switch in the router does more harm than good.
And I agree: if you feel need to save power, use a power bar with a switch to totally cut off the power.