Lightning Season Is Here...is your modem wearing protection?

[Guest thecableguy]

Everyone is quick to protect their other electronic equipment in their houses with surge protection but very few actually think to make sure their cablemodem is also protected.  It's critically important to protect not only the cablemodem power but also the 75ohM cable coming from the outside that provides your cablemodem's signal (remember...your computer is connected to the router bone which is connected to the modem bone....).  If lightning should somehow find it's way to your unprotected modem you will no doubt lose your modem, router and in many cases the nic inside your pc and in very bad close encounters with lightning your motherboard will be toast as well.

Don't just go out and buy a surge protector from your local Walmart.  First contact your ISP and ask them what surge protectors are compatible with their network (as many are not and will cause you signal issues later on....remember...bad signal....bad bandwidth and performance).

Many ISP's offer surge protection products that are certified to run on their networks and include a protected equipment warranty that will replace any connected equipment that gets damaged should the worst happen.  Moreover many also have agreements with the manufacturer (eg: Panamax) of the surge protector that waives the issue of "did you have the surge protector connected properly" so the manufacturer cannot come back and say they aren't going to cover your smoked computer because you didn't have it plugged into their device correctly (this happens alot with these surge protector manufacturers).

So before you go out and spend $49.00 on a decent surge protector with warranty check with your local ISP...they may a better deal not to mention free professional installation and you will never have to worry about the device causing issues with your modem and if the worst happens.....hey....you're covered and you won't get any grief filing your claim and getting your stuff replaced.

[brock01]

ya it sucked last year for us, lighting it our tree in our yard, like 10ft from house, we lost the modem,router,and nic card, just like that

get em protected erbody

[Blunted 2]

if you guys have the money go to www.apcc.com for power backup and surge protection in anyway.  i use some of this equipment and i have to say its amazing how well they work and what they can do.

[Guest thecableguy]

if you guys have the money go to www.apcc.com for power backup and surge protection in anyway.  i use some of this equipment and i have to say its amazing how well they work and what they can do.

Thanks for the info but its very important that BEFORE they invest in 3rd party surge protection to clear it with their ISP's.  Many of these devices will not work properly or will cause substantial loss of signal causing the modem to perform poorly.

[Blunted 2]

maybe but you can use it for just power protection for there equipment and battery backup. <<  i know mine came in handy in the the big blackout on east coast and i had 7 hours of tv and xbox and internet before it died and also keeps it at the correct voltage at all times. 

[php]

I have an APC Smart-UPS 620... quite nice.  I only get a couple minutes of runtime, but that's because I have it about maxed out.

[Blunted 2]

i have 2 rack mount units 

[dn0]

Another option may be with your local electric provider.

http://ww1.oppd.com/prodsvc/resprodsvc/surgeguard.cfm

They install surge protection devices on the CATV, POTS and electric inputs to the home.

I have not heard of many issues with their equipment causing RF problems.

This service also includes $50K warranty.

[resopalrabotnick]

my modem belongs to the isp. its brick is in an unprotected outlet. the coax is unprotected. there is an ethernet surge protector between modem and router. if lightnong strikes, i say burn motherfucker, burn. let the isp replace it...

[tommie gorman]

Hey resopalrabotnick, when it does strike take some pic's. That would be neat! 

[dn0]

my modem belongs to the isp. its brick is in an unprotected outlet. the coax is unprotected. there is an ethernet surge protector between modem and router. if lightnong strikes, i say burn motherfucker, burn. let the isp replace it...

The modem, the modem, the modem is on fire...lol.

I'm with you there, as long as your machine is protected.

[dlewis23]

I'm in Florida and i have to worry about lighting alot, and last year was bad, i just had a surge suppressor, and my pc got shut off almost every day. but this year im ready i got my self 2 of these http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7185306&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08029&id=1112808065313 and can run my pc, 19in monitor, and dsl modem, for 77min.

[Guest thecableguy]

I'm in Florida and i have to worry about lighting alot, and last year was bad, i just had a surge suppressor, and my pc got shut off almost every day. but this year im ready i got my self 2 of these http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7185306&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08029&id=1112808065313 and can run my pc, 19in monitor, and dsl modem, for 77min.

Your DSL modem should have no problems with that....stay safe!!!

[Guest thecableguy]

Hey resopalrabotnick, when it does strike take some pic's. That would be neat! 

Tommie unless its a direct hit it's pretty much a non-event....most people have no idea that their modem suffered any damage except that they have no connection to the internet. 

[dlewis23]

Your DSL modem should have no problems with that....stay safe!!!

it should'nt have a problem, but it is florida, the lightning capital of the world, and lightnig usially hits my house or hits very close to it, about once a year.

[Guest thecableguy]

it should'nt have a problem, but it is florida, the lightning capital of the world, and lightnig usially hits my house or hits very close to it, about once a year.

The scary thing is that people think that it won't happen to them.  Starting any day now we see hundreds of them a day.....and that is no lie.  Most are nothing more than fried modems and nic's but a few are really sad cases because they just didn't know and whats worse most ISP's in lightning prone areas have programs in place to protect their customers affordably.  Most never think to ask....it really does pay and the one time it happens to you...there will be no regrets after the fact if you are prepared.  It's much easier and cheaper to replace that surge protector than your entire investment of the ultimate gaming box.

[justinlay]

I have all my electronic equipment on a surge protector, I have one computer on a 15 min back up battery. I also live in tornado allie and a hill

[CaptainSauce]

pfff you guys got nothing. i go LAN in lightning storms. I thought lightning would just super charge my internet and computer and make it run 892842389 times faster? UItra OC?

[justinlay]

Be sure you send us some benchmarks

[cholla]

I have dial -up I use a surge protector the the phone lines plug in also.I get better than average speed for my distance from the CO.So I think my surge protector is compatable.I did put in a 6 foot coper coated ground rod that goes to my NID the phone company had it grounded to my water pipe. The NID also has two lightening arresters inside.For those that don't know these are behind the bolts that your service line connects to.If you are having phone or modem problems with dial-up & maybe DSL have you phone company replace the arrestors or the whole NID if it has been there a long time.

[Swimmer]

I personally have never had an issue with lightning..  But I still see power outages.. so I have an APC batter backup for all of my gear.. i get about 20 min which is enough to finish what I am doing and then shut down.

thecableguy..  Have you ever recommended to anyone to install one of these.. I know I brought this up back when you first joined..

CAT5 http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/al-cat5w.php (Outdoor)

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hgln_cat6.php (Indoor)

Or coax.. http://www.dxengineering.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=99&SecID=48&DeptID=19

[cholla]

This is a link to Grounding & soil resistence.It might be a little on the spamming side but not by me.

http://mrtmag.com/mag/radio_ground_zero_2/index.html

[dlewis23]

I personally have never had an issue with lightning..  But I still see power outages.. so I have an APC batter backup for all of my gear.. i get about 20 min which is enough to finish what I am doing and then shut down.

thecableguy..  Have you ever recommended to anyone to install one of these.. I know I brought this up back when you first joined..

CAT5 http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/al-cat5w.php (Outdoor)

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hgln_cat6.php (Indoor)

Or coax.. http://www.dxengineering.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=99&SecID=48&DeptID=19

the only problem with this stuff and any battery back up or surge suppressor is, if your house is directly hit by lightning, like mine was once, none if this is going to help protect you at all, everything is going to be gone.

[Guest thecableguy]

I personally have never had an issue with lightning..  But I still see power outages.. so I have an APC batter backup for all of my gear.. i get about 20 min which is enough to finish what I am doing and then shut down.

thecableguy..  Have you ever recommended to anyone to install one of these.. I know I brought this up back when you first joined..

CAT5 http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/al-cat5w.php (Outdoor)

http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hgln_cat6.php (Indoor)

Or coax.. http://www.dxengineering.com/ProductDetail.asp?ID=99&SecID=48&DeptID=19

Well my concern with those is the cost...plus they really need to get your ISP's blessing.....your ISP's has this group of guys kept in a dimly lit room, fed stale coffee and donuts 24 hrs a day to do nothing but try and blow things up so you don't have to.  They also test every combination of everything just to make sure they all play nicely with each other.....very important when it comes to modems and signal.  Since I have no experience with those specific devices I cannot say one way or the other on them....plus the cost is the less if you buy your ISP blessed surge protectors and they install them for free which keeps the replacement warranty valid.

[Guest thecableguy]

the only problem with this stuff and any battery back up or surge suppressor is, if your house is directly hit by lightning, like mine was once, none if this is going to help protect you at all, everything is going to be gone.

Yea but that replacement insurance from the surge protector mfr will help alot.  Many homeowners policies exclude computers and such unless you have purchased a rider for them.....