AirPort Extreme Dual Audible Noise

[klmckenzie03]

Hello,

I just installed my new AEBS dual band yesterday and I have both a dedicated 5 GHz N network and a 2.4 GHz B/G running. I have my DSL modem patched into the WAN port on the AEBS and a LaCie 2-Big NAS hooked into a LAN port. The first thing that I noticed caught me a little off guard. I noticed that the AEBS was making a very faint ticking noise as if something inside was turning on and off. I have had a few AirPort products in the past including the UFO style base station as well as the first generation of this new style AEBS that only allowed a single band. I have never heard any of these devices make noise of any kind.

The thing that concerned me even more is that when I plugged another patch cable in to configure my AirPort Express the AEBS starting to make a very audible "sizzling" or "static" sound. I left the patch cable plugged into the AEBS and removed the other end from the Express but the noise was still present. The noise however does go away when the patch cable is completely removed from the AEBS. I have tried all LAN ports and have the same result. The only thing I could think of was maybe some kind of interference? The patch cable I have running to the LaCie is shielded but the one running from the AEBS to the DSL modem is not. Neither of these are producing any noise.

Is this just a bad cable, or some sort of interference? I am a little leary and afraid this could be some sort of fire hazzard. Is anyone else experiencing any of these noises with their AEBS dual?

[rgarjr]

I have 2 dual AE (one is the 09 model) and none of them make any noise.

[systimax]

I have the same problem what have you done?

Mine buzzes without cat5 cables

what happens if you turn wireless off does it still sizzle or static?

look here
http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9246930#9246930
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9249872

[klmckenzie03]

I will have to turn the radios off when I have an opportunity and plug the patch cable back in and see if I get this "sizzling" noise. Initially I was going to return this unit but now it seems as though maybe everyone is having this problem.

[JasonR]

How loud is it, and how close do you have to be to hear it? Mine's 5 feet away from me and I can't hear a thing.

[klmckenzie03]

Well the ticking noise can only be heard if you put your head within a few inches maybe 12" max from the unit. The sizzling noise I get when I plug the patch cable in can be heard from across a room, I'd say at least 10 - 15 feet away. I yet to turn the radio off and see what happens when I plug a patch cable in. It has been a busy week and my sister relies heavily on the internet for college. I should be able to test this sometime this weekend and see what happens.

[systimax]

Any updates on your findings?

[MadMacxxx]

You can add me to the list... just discovered this yesterday. I knew I should've went with Linksys.

[angemon89]

WTF, mine is making noise too. At first I thought it was my hard drive but no, it's the dual band airport. I wonder why.

[kruehl326]

Ok, I know it looks like a Time Capsule...do you think it really is, just the firmware shuts off the hard drive?

It sounds like a laptop hard drive in there...when I'm doing file transfers from one machine to the other over wireless it definitely makes noise like a hard drive....

[hyxal]

Anyone?
Having the same problem here. I do have a lot of warranty left but wouldn´t mind having it fixed at home in case it´s easy. AEBS is about 6 feet away from me and I can hear it buzzing every time I use the web, very annoying.