[NTLUG:Discuss] lightening!

[Kelledin]

On Tuesday 15 July 2003 01:00 am, kbrannen at gte.net wrote:
> So learn from my errors.  Find a network surge protector, or
> use the RH45 port on your UPS (if it has one).  No guarantees,
> but it will probably help.

Yikes, man!  All your computers got fried?  Ouch. :(

A couple of things...

1) Usually any RJ45 port on your UPS isn't really for Cat5 surge 
protection, it's for remote management. ;)  I've yet to see many 
surge suppressors or UPS devices with an RJ45 protective 
pass-through.  I'm sure they exist, they're just not that easy 
to find...

2) About point of entry: in a normal Category 5/6 wiring job, I 
would think the only way lightning should be able to reach your 
Ethernet cables would be through a networked device (i.e. 
lightning strikes your hub) or through an improperly exposed 
cable (i.e. indoor RJ45 cable run outdoors).  IMHO that's why 
there aren't many Cat5 surge suppression devices--you can 
protect your network cables simply as a consequence of 
protecting any network-connected devices (this includes the 
little things like hubs and powered repeaters).  That normally 
just involves protection on power, phone, and cable lines, 
because those are typically the only practical methods of 
ingress for lightning. (BTW, has anyone ever seen surge 
suppressors or UPS units that handle TV cable lines?)

Of course, I could be wrong on this.  I don't have any real 
training that specifically covers this, I'm just flying by what 
I'd consider common-sense knowledge about electricity.

If you need to run RJ45 cable outdoors for some reason, a few 
companies like Avaya (http://www.avaya.com) carry outdoor RJ45 
cabling supplies and entrance protection devices.  And of 
course, it helps to know the building and electrical codes when 
wiring your house for Cat5--or at least know the consequences if 
you find it necessary to fudge. ;)

3) Whyever did people stop using lightning rods?  It seems to me 
that a properly set up lightning rod would be a very simple 
protection feature to have on a building.  But they seem to have 
lost a lot of popularity.

-- 
Kelledin
"If a server crashes in a server farm and no one pings it, does 
it still cost four figures to fix?"