ADSL modem and lightning

K

koffiejunkie

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Hi guys,

I'm just wondering. My experience with normal 56k modems are that it takes very little lightning to make it go pop - even expensive 3com Courier modems.

But after pretty much supporting clients with ADSL since it came out here, last week is the first time that I saw lightning damage to an ADSL modem. It is a D-LINK D300, and while it most certainly got damaged (it now emits a loud buzz) it still works.

Our offices used to be at a house in Randburg - old house with the phone line hanging off the post into the roof. We got hit directly by lightning - the house was damaged and the line was physically burned off. Just about everything in our network - network cards, switches - was damaged. But the modem (where all the current came through) is still going strong. It's one of those old Telkokm POTS ethernet modems.

I'm seldom home when there are lightning storms, and I've had my Telkom Venus phone popped by lightning (and you know how tough they are). But my Netgear DG632 ADSL modem survived that just fine.

So my question: why is it that ADSL modems seem so much tougher than ordinary analog modems?

Thanks
K
 
well, from what you saying it seems that they just pass through the current to your PC and blow up everything else :D

I will rather have the modem blow up rather than everything else though :D
 
heheh I wish ADSL modems were as tough as you say they are. 3 weeks ago my Netgear DG834GT was struck and was totally fried, there was even smoke coming out with a terrible smell. Not only that, my network card is also dead along with the PCI slot it was in. I think if anything modems are more sensitive because it and my network card were the only things in my house affected.
 
My experience is "unplug the modem" when lightning appears.
Last year, lightning fried my router, network card and notebook.

My router seems very delicate - even power spikes can cause damage - now down to 1/4 working ethernet ports...
 
Similar experience here (all behind ac lightening protectors) -
Old alcatel adsl modem - working perfectly
ADSL router (wan port + 2 lan ports), ethernet switch (2 ports), 1 onboard lan port - all fried.
 
Even lightning and surge protectors wont, because if that spark can jump thru 5kms of air, then nothing's gonna stop a direct strike...

Surge protectors will be helping (probably) should the big white bird decide to lay its eggs in your neighbour's yard, or a bit further away... :D

So it's safer to pull out the modem and drink a cup of kawfee than having a fried modem, pc, network and so on... ;)
 
hey you know what my ADSL modem also blew sometime back ain't that wierd?
 
The_Unbeliever said:
Even lightning and surge protectors wont, because if that spark can jump thru 5kms of air, then nothing's gonna stop a direct strike...

Surge protectors will be helping (probably) should the big white bird decide to lay its eggs in your neighbour's yard, or a bit further away... :D

So it's safer to pull out the modem and drink a cup of kawfee than having a fried modem, pc, network and so on... ;)
Click to expand...

Got to agree with this post. Been my experience that nothing will protect from a direct strike.
Was just trying to make the point that based on what was damaged in my case, it would seem that there was a fairly remote strike on the telkom line side (I.e. should have to go through the modem first) yet the modem survived and a lot of stuff further downstream got fried.
 
koffiejunkie said:
Hi guys,

I'm just wondering. My experience with normal 56k modems are that it takes very little lightning to make it go pop - even expensive 3com Courier modems.

But after pretty much supporting clients with ADSL since it came out here, last week is the first time that I saw lightning damage to an ADSL modem. It is a D-LINK D300, and while it most certainly got damaged (it now emits a loud buzz) it still works.

Our offices used to be at a house in Randburg - old house with the phone line hanging off the post into the roof. We got hit directly by lightning - the house was damaged and the line was physically burned off. Just about everything in our network - network cards, switches - was damaged. But the modem (where all the current came through) is still going strong. It's one of those old Telkokm POTS ethernet modems.

I'm seldom home when there are lightning storms, and I've had my Telkom Venus phone popped by lightning (and you know how tough they are). But my Netgear DG632 ADSL modem survived that just fine.

So my question: why is it that ADSL modems seem so much tougher than ordinary analog modems?

Thanks
K
Click to expand...

kiepie said:
So about two weeks ago, here was a heavy lightning storm in the area and I wasn't at home during the worst part of it. I dreaded the worst and I was right as I noticed my router wasn't working.

I switched it off and back on again and it had this high pitch mosquito noise and I thought it is toast for sure. The lights started flashing but no WLAN or DSL Link flashing. I switched it on and off for about 10mins when it connected to the DSLAM! :eek: :D

So my router is still working, but this high pitch mosquito noise is the most annoying and painful noise ever! :(

I have no idea how it still works, but surely some lightning played a part as there was NO noise before the storm. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Mine did the same thing, only lasted 3 weeks after that.

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=143891
 
I'm on my fourth modem... but now that I've cut down the lightning conductor in my front yard, things have been better. ;)
 
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