Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening. I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic. I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important. This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW. Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations? Thanks in advance. - Javier
This probably won't fully solve your problem, but I run a bunch of Ubiquiti access points and similar -- I suffered a number of lightning related outages, and then started using their TOUGHcable - https://www.ui.com/accessories/toughcable/ (don't forget to also get the special jacks / ends). Since changing to this I've had no more issues. You should also look at https://www.ui.com/accessories/ethernet-surge-protector/- I haven't needed them, but... W On Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 2:23 PM Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW.
Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
- Javier
-- I don't think the execution is relevant when it was obviously a bad idea in the first place. This is like putting rabid weasels in your pants, and later expressing regret at having chosen those particular rabid weasels and that pair of pants. ---maf
+1 on the Ubiquiti surge protectors specifically designed for PoE gear in mind (other brands like Cambium that are outdoor AP or camera oriented may work equally as well). I would also recommend continuing to isolate and protect as much as possible. For example, connecting your outdoor PoE cameras or APs to dedicated PoE switches that connect back to the core or aggregation switches via fiber. The PoE switches powering the outdoor gear could be connected to power on dedicated PDUs that are connected to dedicated circuits. I would imagine that PDUs that provide surge protection or on-line/line-interactive UPS units would be preferred over standby UPS units or PDUs that do not provide surge protection. Would also be nice to keep spare parts on-site or conveniently accessible, but not connected to power (e.g. focus on cold spares before focusing on hot spares). --Blake Warren Kumari wrote on 8/13/2019 1:32 PM:
This probably won't fully solve your problem, but I run a bunch of Ubiquiti access points and similar -- I suffered a number of lightning related outages, and then started using their TOUGHcable - https://www.ui.com/accessories/toughcable/ (don't forget to also get the special jacks / ends). Since changing to this I've had no more issues. You should also look at https://www.ui.com/accessories/ethernet-surge-protector/- I haven't needed them, but...
W
On Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 2:23 PM Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW.
Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
- Javier
On 8/13/19 2:32 PM, Warren Kumari wrote:
This probably won't fully solve your problem, but I run a bunch of Ubiquiti access points and similar -- I suffered a number of lightning related outages, and then started using their TOUGHcable - https://www.ui.com/accessories/toughcable/
While ToughCable isn't bad (especially for the price), if you want something REALLY durable both physically and against electrical transients, I've been very happy with Primus C6CMXFS-1864BK. It costs quite a bit more than the ToughCable but has real water blocking (which means you had better be prepared to deal with "Icky Pic"), heavy shielding with drain, meets or exceeds CAT6 (which means you can push gigE a bit beyond 100m pretty reliably if you've got a tall tower or a hut far away from a tower base), and has 23AWG wire so PoE, especially Ubnt's crummy 24V passive POE, can go farther, too. Be warned it's a bear to terminate. In addition to the waterblock, the cable diameter is too large for typical crimp-on RJ45 ends. You have to either use special ends (which Primus sells, among others) or terminate it to a punch block which, while not usually a problem in a hut, is often problematic up on a tower. Ubnt also makes an outdoor fiber media converter I've found useful for "small cell" style wISP deployments where I can drag my own fiber to the tower/pole and don't want/need a hut or enclosure at the base. Part number is F-POE-G2. That'll let you get your power and signal separated. I do wish they'd just put SFP slots in their radios, but at the price they sell them for, I guess I can't complain too much. I'd put real 802.3af/at PoE higher on the list of wants, honestly. As to actual surge protectors, I see there have been some other suggestions in the list, and I'll defer to them. I've personally had decent luck with just making sure the Ubnt passive POE injectors (which I need since I don't usually use their switches) are well grounded to be mostly sufficient (along with the tower and hut having proper grounding infrastructure). I've not lost any radios, though I've had some lockups requiring power cycle after nearby lightning strikes on some of the lower end WA based platforms. The XC based platforms seem hardier. My sample size isn't huge, though. I'm usually of the impression that, unless you've got carrier (cellular or committed-rate microwave) class wireless gear on the tower or aggressive SLAs you have to meet from a wireless PoP, it's probably cheaper overall to just take reasonable precautions against lightning than it is to try to make things handle a "direct" strike. Figure in the wISP world, tech moves so fast that you're having to put new things on the tower at least every 3-5 years anyway, so as long as an unscheduled trip up to the tower doesn't cost you $ARM+$LEG, it's probably easier to just take a lightning strike that fries everything due to extreme proximity as an unscheduled upgrade than the try to handle it electrically. "Nearby" strikes, static, electrical transients on your utility line, etc. are a different matter. Those you can economically protect against i.e. the protection will not cost as much or more than the gear and service you're protecting. -- Brandon Martin
Another copper cable considered a "gold standard" for outdoor shielded + 9th ESD drain and ground wire, intended for long term rooftop and tower installation is Shireen. There's a variety of types. https://www.shireeninc.com/osc/cables/cat6 On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 6:30 PM Brandon Martin <lists.nanog@monmotha.net> wrote:
On 8/13/19 2:32 PM, Warren Kumari wrote:
This probably won't fully solve your problem, but I run a bunch of Ubiquiti access points and similar -- I suffered a number of lightning related outages, and then started using their TOUGHcable - https://www.ui.com/accessories/toughcable/
While ToughCable isn't bad (especially for the price), if you want something REALLY durable both physically and against electrical transients, I've been very happy with Primus C6CMXFS-1864BK. It costs quite a bit more than the ToughCable but has real water blocking (which means you had better be prepared to deal with "Icky Pic"), heavy shielding with drain, meets or exceeds CAT6 (which means you can push gigE a bit beyond 100m pretty reliably if you've got a tall tower or a hut far away from a tower base), and has 23AWG wire so PoE, especially Ubnt's crummy 24V passive POE, can go farther, too.
Be warned it's a bear to terminate. In addition to the waterblock, the cable diameter is too large for typical crimp-on RJ45 ends. You have to either use special ends (which Primus sells, among others) or terminate it to a punch block which, while not usually a problem in a hut, is often problematic up on a tower.
Ubnt also makes an outdoor fiber media converter I've found useful for "small cell" style wISP deployments where I can drag my own fiber to the tower/pole and don't want/need a hut or enclosure at the base. Part number is F-POE-G2. That'll let you get your power and signal separated. I do wish they'd just put SFP slots in their radios, but at the price they sell them for, I guess I can't complain too much. I'd put real 802.3af/at PoE higher on the list of wants, honestly.
As to actual surge protectors, I see there have been some other suggestions in the list, and I'll defer to them. I've personally had decent luck with just making sure the Ubnt passive POE injectors (which I need since I don't usually use their switches) are well grounded to be mostly sufficient (along with the tower and hut having proper grounding infrastructure). I've not lost any radios, though I've had some lockups requiring power cycle after nearby lightning strikes on some of the lower end WA based platforms. The XC based platforms seem hardier. My sample size isn't huge, though.
I'm usually of the impression that, unless you've got carrier (cellular or committed-rate microwave) class wireless gear on the tower or aggressive SLAs you have to meet from a wireless PoP, it's probably cheaper overall to just take reasonable precautions against lightning than it is to try to make things handle a "direct" strike. Figure in the wISP world, tech moves so fast that you're having to put new things on the tower at least every 3-5 years anyway, so as long as an unscheduled trip up to the tower doesn't cost you $ARM+$LEG, it's probably easier to just take a lightning strike that fries everything due to extreme proximity as an unscheduled upgrade than the try to handle it electrically.
"Nearby" strikes, static, electrical transients on your utility line, etc. are a different matter. Those you can economically protect against i.e. the protection will not cost as much or more than the gear and service you're protecting. -- Brandon Martin
You might look at mccowntech.com, they make surge suppressors geared toward the wireless provider market which are pretty good. (not associated, we just use their products). -- Larry Smith lesmith@ecsis.net On Tue August 13 2019 13:22, Javier J wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW.
Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
- Javier
On Tue, 13 Aug 2019 at 19:23, Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
The correct answer is use fiber. If you really, really can't then APC make a single port transient arrestor p/n PNET1GB. I've used these in the past for a PoE phone in a wooden gatehouse hut right on the 100M max length with no power for active kit and they seem to work fine. I'm using one at the moment for a PoE access point in my garden shed. Not sure I would bring an inter building link in copper onto an expensive core switch though. Don't know of anything in higher density than "one port". -- Rob Pickering, rob@pickering.org
The correct answer is use fiber. Not sure I would bring an inter building link in copper onto an expensive core switch though.
Yeah.
Don't know of anything in higher density than "one port”.
This on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Protector-Lightning-Suppressor-Protection-TP323/dp/B07P3XDXN3/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=apc+PNET1GB&qid=1565722471&s=gateway&sr=8-6 …but I haven’t used it, so can’t specifically recommend. -Bill
You will want to check out these. https://mccowntech.wptstaging.space/product-category/surge-protectors/rack-m... They are made to fit into the 1U APC Chassis PRM24. We rely on them heavily in the WISP Market. I've had equipment on a tower that was physically destroyed by lightening, and the Router Port on the other side of these arrestors was just fine. On 8/13/2019 1:51 PM, Rob Pickering wrote:
On Tue, 13 Aug 2019 at 19:23, Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us <mailto:javier@advancedmachines.us>> wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
The correct answer is use fiber.
If you really, really can't then APC make a single port transient arrestor p/n PNET1GB.
I've used these in the past for a PoE phone in a wooden gatehouse hut right on the 100M max length with no power for active kit and they seem to work fine. I'm using one at the moment for a PoE access point in my garden shed. Not sure I would bring an inter building link in copper onto an expensive core switch though.
Don't know of anything in higher density than "one port".
-- Rob Pickering, rob@pickering.org <mailto:rob@pickering.org>
Are "surge protectors" really of much use against lightning? I suspect not, other than minor inductions tho perhaps some are specially designed for lightning. I wouldn't assume, I'd want to see the word "lightning" in the specs. I once had a lightning strike (at Harvard Chemistry), probably just an induction on a wire some idiot had strung between building roofs (I didn't even know it existed) and the board it was attached to's solder was melted and burned, impressive! More impressive was the board mostly worked, it was just doing some weird things which led me to inspect it...oops. My understanding was that the only real protection is an "air gap", which a piece of fiber will provide in essence, and even that better be designed for lightning as it can leap small gaps. Check your insurance, including the deductibles, keep spares on hand. P.S. My grandmother would tell a story about how what sounded like the ever-controversial "ball lightning" came into her home when she was young. Good luck with that! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | bzs@TheWorld.com | http://www.TheWorld.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: +1 617-STD-WRLD | 800-THE-WRLD The World: Since 1989 | A Public Information Utility | *oo*
Think surge protectors will protect against strikes that is far away, and the residual surge it creates. A direct strike? Don't think there's anything that will really protect against that. On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 7:29 PM <bzs@theworld.com> wrote:
Are "surge protectors" really of much use against lightning? I suspect not, other than minor inductions tho perhaps some are specially designed for lightning. I wouldn't assume, I'd want to see the word "lightning" in the specs.
I once had a lightning strike (at Harvard Chemistry), probably just an induction on a wire some idiot had strung between building roofs (I didn't even know it existed) and the board it was attached to's solder was melted and burned, impressive! More impressive was the board mostly worked, it was just doing some weird things which led me to inspect it...oops.
My understanding was that the only real protection is an "air gap", which a piece of fiber will provide in essence, and even that better be designed for lightning as it can leap small gaps.
Check your insurance, including the deductibles, keep spares on hand.
P.S. My grandmother would tell a story about how what sounded like the ever-controversial "ball lightning" came into her home when she was young. Good luck with that!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
-- -Barry Shein
Software Tool & Die | bzs@TheWorld.com | http://www.TheWorld.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: +1 617-STD-WRLD | 800-THE-WRLD The World: Since 1989 | A Public Information Utility | *oo*
-- Regards, Chris Knipe
On Wed, 14 Aug 2019, Chris Knipe wrote:
Think surge protectors will protect against strikes that is far away, and the residual surge it creates.
A direct strike? Don't think there's anything that will really protect against that.
https://imgur.com/a/dzTVw5a has been posted lately here in a swedish fiber-related facebook group. So even though you might have fiber coming in, remember that both the power grid and copper network cables are conductors and can make the lightning strike jump between devices. So the OP of this thread is right in wanting to protect both the network cables and power cables. PS. I don't have more details about this specific case. -- Mikael Abrahamsson email: swmike@swm.pp.se
This. Very little will protect you from a direct strike. Working for a WISP for a long time as a past life, I've seen radios physically split in half. Chunks of concrete taken out of walls near the equipment. Black ethernet ports that have functionally soldered themselves into the jack. Six figures worth of lost gear over the years (Does sound like much, But at ~$80 a pop for cheap wisp gear. That's a lot of equipment.) Outside of a direct strike, You can still melt gear left and right. The fix is no one solution, But multiple. 1. Shielded Ethernet with proper shielded and bonded ends. 2. Proper Grounding 3. Ethernet Surge Suppressors. 4. Proper Grounding. 5. Proper Grounding. The key is to make your sensitive electronic equipment a higher resistance path instead of your grounding system. You're going to get inductance build up on cables you just have to get it to ground through something that isn't your site switch/router. And it's going to get there one way or another. Sometimes this can be harder then one might think. Even considering sinking your own ground rod, And replacing it every few years. As a ground rod becomes less and less effective with every strike (Depending on what it's sunk in). Ethernet Surge Suppressors CAN help. But only in assisting in getting whatever was already on the cable to ground. And don't forget ground potential differences between different grounding systems. Doing the above will get you through most near by strikes. But all bets are off on direct strikes. The above can also help you with a ton of other interference. Like a giant FM transmitter running at 100KW a stones throw away from your equipment but that's another story for another thread. On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 1:34 PM Chris Knipe <savage@savage.za.org> wrote:
Think surge protectors will protect against strikes that is far away, and the residual surge it creates.
A direct strike? Don't think there's anything that will really protect against that.
On Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 7:29 PM <bzs@theworld.com> wrote:
Are "surge protectors" really of much use against lightning? I suspect not, other than minor inductions tho perhaps some are specially designed for lightning. I wouldn't assume, I'd want to see the word "lightning" in the specs.
I once had a lightning strike (at Harvard Chemistry), probably just an induction on a wire some idiot had strung between building roofs (I didn't even know it existed) and the board it was attached to's solder was melted and burned, impressive! More impressive was the board mostly worked, it was just doing some weird things which led me to inspect it...oops.
My understanding was that the only real protection is an "air gap", which a piece of fiber will provide in essence, and even that better be designed for lightning as it can leap small gaps.
Check your insurance, including the deductibles, keep spares on hand.
P.S. My grandmother would tell a story about how what sounded like the ever-controversial "ball lightning" came into her home when she was young. Good luck with that!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
-- -Barry Shein
Software Tool & Die | bzs@TheWorld.com | http://www.TheWorld.com Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: +1 617-STD-WRLD | 800-THE-WRLD The World: Since 1989 | A Public Information Utility | *oo*
--
Regards, Chris Knipe
The university I worked at used ITW Linx surge arrestors for years, never had any issues. https://www.itwlinx.com/products/surgegate-modular-communications-surge-prot... The model above will work with POE+, careful of their cheaper CAT5-POE and CAT6-POE models as they are not designed for POE+ and did not work well with Cisco POE. Never had issues with the CAT6-75 model, worked perfect with Cisco equipment. We also used the CAT6-LAN models where POE was not needed, as they clamp to 16v vs the 75v of the CAT6-75 model. Thank you, Kevin McCormick From: NANOG <nanog-bounces@nanog.org> On Behalf Of Javier J Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 1:22 PM To: nanog@nanog.org Subject: Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening. I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic. I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important. This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW. Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations? Thanks in advance. - Javier
Could you use a transceiver for the 1000Base-T? copper <-> fiber <-> copper that will create an ‘air gap’ on the data circuit. You still run the risk of a lightning strike entering through the transceiver power. You could filter that through a -48VDC power supply, rectifier/inverter pair. From: NANOG <nanog-bounces@nanog.org> on behalf of Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 2:23 PM To: "nanog@nanog.org" <nanog@nanog.org> Subject: Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening. I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic. I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important. This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW. Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations? Thanks in advance. - Javier
I would try to isolate it with something like the RBFTC11 or similar if you can. They’re great boxes, but as with all things lightning you usually can’t protect from everything. I’ve had a lightning hit cause some major issues before at a tower site. You do what you can and keep suitable spares at the ready. You never know why there will be a failure. - Jared
On Aug 13, 2019, at 7:56 PM, Matthew Crocker <matthew@corp.crocker.com> wrote:
Could you use a transceiver for the 1000Base-T? copper <-> fiber <-> copper that will create an ‘air gap’ on the data circuit. You still run the risk of a lightning strike entering through the transceiver power. You could filter that through a -48VDC power supply, rectifier/inverter pair.
From: NANOG <nanog-bounces@nanog.org> on behalf of Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> Date: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 at 2:23 PM To: "nanog@nanog.org" <nanog@nanog.org> Subject: Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW.
Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
- Javier
Subject: Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes Date: Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 02:22:12PM -0400 Quoting Javier J (javier@advancedmachines.us):
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
If lightning comes so close that it will break things inside the same facility because they are connected by structured cabling, two things typically have failed; * The building as such is not adequately protected. * There exist too large potential differences within the electrical system inside the building. For #1, telecoms regulations on site grounding and protection give good, albeit expensive advice. The most important part is that all cabling enter the facility with its screens at common potential. The reason is that most blown equipment comes from in-ground potential difference between different cables. (I've poured shattered IC's out of a poor ADSL router after such a strike. ) If that potential difference is cancelled upon entry in the facility by bonding all grounds the risk is minimised. For #2, it is mostly solved by fixing #1, but it is proper to fix it by mesh-connecting grounds on all equipment together. If there is a 10mm^2 (around AWG7) bonding conductor parallel to the 0,14mm^2 (AWG25) drain wire in the foil screen, which way will the current take? Do note that star grounds are popular, but they're impossible to maintain and typically don't work at high frequiencies, which will lessen their efficiency against fast-rising transients. Mesh grounds are better at conducting high frequencies and are easier to maintain. Having several power utility feeds into same facility will of course exacerbate the problem, which is one of the reasons it is illegal in Sweden. If you need to cross between two buildings, copper should be rejected. Fiber is so much better. And pays for itself immediately upon first strike survived. /Måns, has 6 pairs 9/125 between garage and house at home. -- Måns Nilsson primary/secondary/besserwisser/machina MN-1334-RIPE SA0XLR +46 705 989668 I feel partially hydrogenated!
Subject: Re: Protecting 1Gb Ethernet From Lightning Strikes Date: Wed, Aug 14, 2019 at 02:01:01PM +0200 Quoting Bjørn Mork (bjorn@mork.no):
Måns Nilsson <mansaxel@besserwisser.org> writes:
/Måns, has 6 pairs 9/125 between garage and house at home.
Now you made me worry that my single OM4 pair to the garden shed might be insufficient ;-)
I have but one comment: "Friends don't let friends run multimode." -- Måns Nilsson primary/secondary/besserwisser/machina MN-1334-RIPE SA0XLR +46 705 989668 Yow! I'm having a quadrophonic sensation of two winos alone in a steel mill!
hi, have seen and suffered from same. nearby strikes can cause enough surge to fry things. best solution - air-gaps where possible between devices (eg fibre to link switches), surge protectors on ethernet cables where needed (eg feeds from Access points) - and if the APs have external antennae then use lightning arrestors on the coax cables. why main wireless vendors still don't do SFP/SFP+-based APs I don't know... (would mean only the AP cooks and the edge switch isnt the victim.... alan
I would begin by referencing the grounding section here: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.p... Of utmost importance is that everything is bonded to the same potential. This means that if they have stuff on a roof, outdoor antennas or APs, whatever, it ground needs to be bonded to the building's AC electrical service entrance ground, ufer ground if one exists, and so forth. This is probably the lowest cost ohm meter that is suitable for real world use: https://www.amazon.com/Extech-382252-Ground-Resistance-Tester/dp/B00390G3YA The WISP community has over the past twenty years of painful experience learned to use a combination of high quality ethernet surge protectors (previously mentioned McCown Tech suppressors or their competitors) and comprehensive grounding. On Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 11:23 AM Javier J <javier@advancedmachines.us> wrote:
I'm working with a client site that has been hit twice, very close by lightening.
I did lots of electrical work/upgrades/grounding but now I want to focus on protecting Ethernet connections between core switching/other devices that can't be migrated to fiber optic.
I was looking for surge protection devices for Ethernet but have never shopped for anything like this before. Was wondering if anyone has deployed a solution? They don't have a large presence on site (I have been moving all of their core stuff to AWS) but they still have core networking / connectivity and PoE cameras / APs around the property. Since migrating their onsite servers/infra to the cloud, now their connectivity is even more important.
This is a small site, maybe about 200 switch ports, but I would only need to protect maybe 12 core ones. but would be something I could use in the future with larger deployments. it's just a 1Gbe network BTW.
Hope someone with more experience can help make hardware recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
- Javier
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