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So essentially as the title says, I have read a couple super user ‘articles’ regarding the use of surge protectors with outdoor Ethernet, my question is would a lightning strike be a risk for about 2-3m of Ethernet outside? The cable would be low down to the ground, for some of the run it would be sitting on grass and for the other part it would be on tarmac.
This is the type of cable I’d be using: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I4RA7HM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_H1ZYAbXHBY75N - they also have a foil twisted paid version? Not sure wether to use that or not. I should also be noted that I live in the UK, more specifically nearish Wallsend.
Stamp
Posted 2018-04-09T10:17:45.943
Reputation: 27
3"I have read a couple super user ‘articles’ regarding the use of surge protectors with outdoor Ethernet" which ones? Why do you need Ethernet outdoor? – Máté Juhász – 2018-04-09T10:20:59.003
1There is always a small risk, just as there is of your house being struck. Have you installed a lightning conductor on your chimney? I would think there is probably a much greater risk of tripping over the cable. – AFH – 2018-04-09T11:44:37.673
@MátéJuhász I am opting for Ethernet outdoors rather than indoors because outside makes much more sense for me, inside would require me to get the cable from the living room(ground floor) up to the loft (ground, first, loft), I was originally all for it however, I looked into it yesterday and it seems I would have to do a lot of drilling through wood in tight spaces and a lot of drywall would have to be cut, outside would require a low amount of drilling and it gives me more options. – Stamp – 2018-04-09T11:50:42.660
@AFH, just had a look outside, it appears that we have no chimney - which makes sense actually since we had to have an electric fire, guess I didn’t really think about it till now, it is a new build however, does that help? Maybe some sort of building regulation would state that a lightning conductor is required, unless there is a way to check for one? EDIT: just had a quick look online at it appears that most residential homes don’t have lightning conductors, surely if lightning was to strike it would go for something higher than the Ethernet cable on the ground? – Stamp – 2018-04-09T11:56:07.733
The point of my comment was that hardly anyone in UK installs lightning conductors on residential properties, though the damage caused by a strike to the house would be a lot worse than any likely damage from a strike to your cable. On the other hand, Ethernet protectors are pretty cheap, and they are sometimes built into mains socket blocks, along with power and 'phone line protection. – AFH – 2018-04-09T12:15:04.777
@AFH So essentially what you’re trying to say is that I should buy Ethernet sockets with in built surge protection? – Stamp – 2018-04-09T12:37:46.077
Not necessarily, but something like this will tick most of the boxes.
– AFH – 2018-04-09T12:40:29.510@AFK Huh, with that in mind I may see if I can buy a lightning protector inbuilt to a network switch! Thanks for the advice! – Stamp – 2018-04-09T12:57:45.320
Lightning goes where it wants (path of least resistance to ground), depending how hard the strike is nothing will protect it. – Moab – 2018-04-09T19:52:31.863