Please include links if possible the various options online are confusing me.
Defines will be effective solutions and outright scams. An effective solution says where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. So that a surge current is not anywhere inside a building. Direct lightning strikes without appliance damage has been routine for over 100 years. Previous discussions will say how modems are damaged and what is necessary to have protection (in "Lightning hit my modem"):
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/784743-Lightning-hit-my-modem?p=16623869&viewfull=1#post16623869
In another discussion, a Sears was destroyed because is was protecting other appliances. Because ineffective protection was used. Simply replace the word "Sears" with your modem so that it applies to you (in " Re: I need house surge protection after tonight"):
https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/showthread.php?65347-I-need-house-surge-protection-after-tonight&p=632758#post632758
Modem protection has been routine for longer than PCs have existed. An AT&T forum discusses how this is done and what mistakes can even make damage easier (in "DSL Lightning Protector"):
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/474588-DSL-Lightning-Protector?p=9148490&viewfull=1#post9148490
Numerous manufacturers provide effective solutions including Keison, Clipsal, General Electric, Siemens, ABB, Erico, etc. Names associated with responsible electrical equipment. Anyone buying Belkin, Tripplite, APC, Monster Cable, etc all but want to be scammed. Protection is always about how a surge makes a low impedance (ie less than 3 meter) connection to single point earth ground. If that does not exist (ie if using ineffective plug-in protectors), then expect more destroyed modems.
The majority will recommend that ineffective products with obscenely high profit margins. Most only learn from hearsay and advertising. Most also ignore what is critical - spec numbers. A minimal 'whole house' protector is 50,000 amps so that 20,000 amp lightning strikes do not damage a protector. That number defines protection over many surges.
Most critical is a single point earth ground and a low impedance (ie less than 3 meter) connection to those earthing electrodes. That defines protection during each surge. Again, protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. That is single point earth ground. Every wire in every incoming cable (TV cable, phone, well pump, satellite dish, AC electric) must make that connection before entering. Any recommendation (and its source) that does not define that solution is best ignored as naive or a scam.
This should vastly eliminate the many myths. Should leave you only with proven and effective solutions.
