my TP-Link ER7206 Router emits some smells

[Bruce Patin]

Two things cause smells: burning dust and burning insulation. If dust, shake and/or vacuum and/or spray with electronics cleaner. If burning insulation, you should be able to tell the difference, return it. If it is unfamiliar, try burning some insulated wire on the stove and you'll then recognize it.

[Jan Holst Jensen2]

My advice is to return it. Those volatile compounds that it emits are best avoided. I had the same issue with a D-Link router a few years back. Smelled terrible. I got it replaced and the new unit had no issues. I have a bunch of Raspberry Pi-s. Some of them are odorless, others smell like hot electronics even after weeks of burn-in. So it depends on model, batch, assembly line, etc. Sometimes you just get a unit that has residual whatever on it and that residue will evaporate ever so slowly when used. May take weeks or even years.

[Roger Wright]

Southmountain wrote:

it uses low voltage

So do arc welders. Low voltage doesn't mean low risk, and operating voltage has nothing to do with a smelly router. I'd definitely contact the manufacturer.

Will Rogers never met me.

[Ki Sabisu]

New electronics equipment can be smelly indeed. Depends highly on the soldering process and the (over) use of flux most of the time. Routers usually don't have cooling fans to get rid of those smells quickly. Suggest to place a fan in front of the ventilation openings to blow or suck away the left-over evaporating molecules. Our new "talking" rice cooker is also smelly. Happily these things have cooling fans ;)

To Bug or not Debug that is the Q.