Switches are typically fine, they're running a standard chip that can handle up to 250'c perfectly well... parts of the plastic around the ports will melt and deform well before the performance of the switch is impaired.
The issue is more in the things that have compute capabilities, these run small CPUs that run hot (both in utilisation and temperature) and tend to be inadequately cooled. The USG and Cloud Key both stand out for this. However with the Cloud Key... unless you're running their camera software you're unlikely to see any impact as it's not handling traffic at all. It gets hot, it slows down, but zero impact to you as you've already provisioned everything and the Cloud Key is essentially just running stats and who cares if that's a little slow.
So really it all comes down to the USG. The USG Pro has less of an issue as it is actively cooled, so as long as the ambient temp isn't too severe it will be fine. But the USG 3 port is passively cooled... and of course it's the WAN point through which all traffic flows. If the CPU on the USG-3P is too hot then it's going to impact traffic as it's handling traffic. So this one is the issue.
All solutions to the USG-3P essentially involve adding airflow. The solutions are:
Mount/Stand it vertically so that the heat creates airflow over the CPU.
Create airflow by installing a fan outside to direct air through the case.
Create airflow by installing a fan within the case.
I'm kinda doing a 4th... create airflow by removing the case top and jimmying a big fan over the chipset and circuitry.
You are most likely to see overheating with the USG-3P if it's laid flat, on a warm surface, in a warm environment, lacking airflow. In that scenario it's almost guaranteed that you'll have issues.
all 3 (switch, usg, key) are on a small metal shelf in an enclosed storage locker with most of the free space taken up by the rats nest of ethernet cables.. might be a project for this weekend
Switches are typically fine, they're running a standard chip that can handle up to 250'c perfectly well... parts of the plastic around the ports will melt and deform well before the performance of the switch is impaired.
The issue is more in the things that have compute capabilities, these run small CPUs that run hot (both in utilisation and temperature) and tend to be inadequately cooled. The USG and Cloud Key both stand out for this. However with the Cloud Key... unless you're running their camera software you're unlikely to see any impact as it's not handling traffic at all. It gets hot, it slows down, but zero impact to you as you've already provisioned everything and the Cloud Key is essentially just running stats and who cares if that's a little slow.
So really it all comes down to the USG. The USG Pro has less of an issue as it is actively cooled, so as long as the ambient temp isn't too severe it will be fine. But the USG 3 port is passively cooled... and of course it's the WAN point through which all traffic flows. If the CPU on the USG-3P is too hot then it's going to impact traffic as it's handling traffic. So this one is the issue.
All solutions to the USG-3P essentially involve adding airflow. The solutions are:
I'm kinda doing a 4th... create airflow by removing the case top and jimmying a big fan over the chipset and circuitry.
You are most likely to see overheating with the USG-3P if it's laid flat, on a warm surface, in a warm environment, lacking airflow. In that scenario it's almost guaranteed that you'll have issues.