Another modem dead thanks to god.

Grimspoon

Grimspoon

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As the titles suggest my 2nd Netgear DGN2200 dead thanks to lightning. FML. So sick of coughing up R800 ever summer. I normally unplug everything, this time I learnt my lesson.

Seriously, I am thinking of buying the cheapest load of crap modem and I will just replace it every time I forget to unplug the bastard and that way won't give a hoot.

My first question is: Is there any merit in buying a expensive modem? My mate has the Netgear N600 which is like R1700, seriously? Why?

2nd Question: Why are modems so damn sensitive to damn lightning strikes? Normally its the only thing that dies. Ok in today's jolt it also buggered up the monitors on my camera surveillance system.

3rd Question: Can modems be repaired?

Thanks and kindest regards,

Mr Grimspoon (grumpy grimspoon)
 
Not worth it to repair them. I also just go for the R500 to R700 Jobbies like Billion or whatever.
But I've been lucky so far to avoid strikes, touch wood.
You can ask your electrician to install special lightning protectors straight into your DB board.
 
Garyvdh said:
Not worth it to repair them. I also just go for the R500 to R700 Jobbies like Billion or whatever.
But I've been lucky so far to avoid strikes, touch wood.
You can ask your electrician to install special lightning protectors straight into your DB board.
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I am so mad right now. It amazes me that every other electronic device survives but its always the modem that dies. I think it is a master plan of theirs to sell more modems.
 
Modems with electro-mechanical DAA's are less susceptible to lightning strikes. But I'm certain most modems these days contain these. Might be mistaken.

Actually I think most use solid state DAA's these days. No idea, not opened my books in a while.
 
Last edited:
abzo said:
Modems with electro-mechanical DAA's are less susceptible to lightning strikes. But I'm certain most modems these days contain these. Might be mistaken.

Actually I think most use solid state DAA's these days. No idea, not opened my books in a while.
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Ok interesting. A mate just told me the Netgear N600 has built in surge protection. I am going to research that. If so I will buy one.

I wonder if its worth the HEFTY price tag though.
 
Shame man, ever thought of additional lightning protection. Many modems struck by lightning may still be repairable. Depends what went. Hove you still got all those damaged?
 
Grimspoon said:
Ok interesting. A mate just told me the Netgear N600 has built in surge protection. I am going to research that. If so I will buy one.

I wonder if its worth the HEFTY price tag though.
Click to expand...

Netgear is worth the price. To ease your pain let me get you a price tomorrow, I will charge you cost You give me the stuffed ones..
 
Secure the modem with lightning protection for power and but also protect the adsl line. Sometimes people forget that the telephone line can also damage your devices!
 
Grimspoon said:
I am so mad right now. It amazes me that every other electronic device survives but its always the modem that dies. I think it is a master plan of theirs to sell more modems.
Click to expand...

The strike most likely came down your home telephone line.
 
wily me said:
Shame man, ever thought of additional lightning protection. Many modems struck by lightning may still be repairable. Depends what went. Hove you still got all those damaged?
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I have, but I don't know to much about it and the only problem I have ever had is with my modems. I hear that a surge protector can cost anywhere up to 2K :eek: I have 2 damaged DGN2200 lying here.

wily me said:
Netgear is worth the price. To ease your pain let me get you a price tomorrow, I will charge you cost You give me the stuffed ones..
Click to expand...

Ok. Let me know what you can do on the N600. My mate swears by it in terms of wireless capabilities.

webtailor said:
Secure the modem with lightning protection for power and but also protect the adsl line. Sometimes people forget that the telephone line can also damage your devices!
Click to expand...

I am guessing it was the telephone line that caused the damage. How would one protect the ADSL line?

ChilliGirl said:
The strike most likely came down your home telephone line.
Click to expand...

Yeah think so although the portable phone and the phone line itself is still working.
 
Grimspoon said:
I have, but I don't know to much about it and the only problem I have ever had is with my modems. I hear that a surge protector can cost anywhere up to 2K :eek: I have 2 damaged DGN2200 lying here.



Ok. Let me know what you can do on the N600. My mate swears by it in terms of wireless capabilities.



I am guessing it was the telephone line that caused the damage. How would one protect the ADSL line?



Yeah think so although the portable phone and the phone line itself is still working.
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There are RJ11 surge protectors on the market
 
You lucky its just a router and not a TV ( 3 of ours got fried a few years back).

PS: Unplugging just the power wont stop if from getting fried, you must also unplug it from the phone jack in case the phone pole gets hit.
 
Rickster said:
PS: Unplugging just the power wont stop if from getting fried, you must also unplug it from the phone jack in case the phone pole gets hit.
Click to expand...

Not to be pedantic but lightning actually very rarely strikes the phone lines/pole directly, and even if it did, there's not much protection that will save your devices. It usually just strikes nearby and is induced onto the lines.
 
Get a decent "WAN router", or potentially just a WiFi access point. Front that with a R200 Dlink 2500U as your ADSL modem, and if it gets taken out by a lightning strike, you're only out R200.

I'd definitely recommend a surge protector. Relatively inexpensive ones that plug into the mains and shunt surges off to the building's earthing system should be ok for most purposes.

My setup is as follows:

Telkom line <-> surge protector <-> DLink 2500U (in bridge mode) <-> TL-WR1043N <-> all my devices.

The WR1043N is a decent WAN router (supports OpenWRT!), and handles the PPPoE/DNS/DHCP/wifi/ethernet, etc, etc. The DLink simply bridges Ethernet to ADSL, and allows the WR1043 to talk to the PPPoE server.

While I have had a direct strike in the past that came in on the phone line, and caused a lot of damage, that was before I installed the surge protector. I have had no problems since then . . . Touch wood.
 
Telephone grids act as large antenna's that pick-up on the large electric pulses given out during an electric thunderstorm. It is not even necessary for a direct phone line strike for your ADSL equipment to be taken out.

ADSL equipment have very sensitive (and mostly unprotected) amplifiers and receivers which can be damaged.
 
semaj said:
My modems always get struck through the phone line, seems to jump from whatever gets struck into the phone cables pretty easily and there is no protection between the line and the device unlike the mains which go through a grounded DB. A R80 RJ11 surge protector from Sybaritic has saved me so far this summer http://www.sybaritic.co.za/store/product_info.php?products_id=11602.
Click to expand...

Thanks will invest in one of those.

wily me said:
There are RJ11 surge protectors on the market
Click to expand...

Ta

Rickster said:
You lucky its just a router and not a TV ( 3 of ours got fried a few years back).

PS: Unplugging just the power wont stop if from getting fried, you must also unplug it from the phone jack in case the phone pole gets hit.
Click to expand...

Agreed, happy it was only the modem and the CCV cameras :(

I normally unplug everything, line, power and Ethernet cable.
 
Grimspoon said:
As the titles suggest my 2nd Netgear DGN2200 dead thanks to lightning. FML. So sick of coughing up R800 ever summer. I normally unplug everything, this time I learnt my lesson.

Seriously, I am thinking of buying the cheapest load of crap modem and I will just replace it every time I forget to unplug the bastard and that way won't give a hoot.

My first question is: Is there any merit in buying a expensive modem? My mate has the Netgear N600 which is like R1700, seriously? Why?

2nd Question: Why are modems so damn sensitive to damn lightning strikes? Normally its the only thing that dies. Ok in today's jolt it also buggered up the monitors on my camera surveillance system.

3rd Question: Can modems be repaired?

Thanks and kindest regards,

Mr Grimspoon (grumpy grimspoon)
Click to expand...

I also have the N300 / DGN2200. The router is quite expensive, yet does offer the USB port on the back, and Wireless N and offers good range. A cheaper router may not have wireless N and therefore your range might be reduced somewhat, take this into consideration depending on your distances. The Billions are quite good at lower prices, however I had one that packed up so replaced it with the DGN2200

Had a DGN834GT which got struck four times, and each time only the LAN port blew, so now there are no LAN ports left but it still works on WiFi.

Get yourself one of those Ellies Combination RJ11 + 220V surge protectors. They cost less than R150 and I haven't had any problems since then. If you REGISTER the surge protector when you buy it you get up to R10 000 cover against lightning and power surges.
 
SpoonTech said:
I also have the N300 / DGN2200. The router is quite expensive, yet does offer the USB port on the back, and Wireless N and offers good range. A cheaper router may not have wireless N and therefore your range might be reduced somewhat, take this into consideration depending on your distances. The Billions are quite good at lower prices, however I had one that packed up so replaced it with the DGN2200

Had a DGN834GT which got struck four times, and each time only the LAN port blew, so now there are no LAN ports left but it still works on WiFi.

Get yourself one of those Ellies Combination RJ11 + 220V surge protectors. They cost less than R150 and I haven't had any problems since then. If you REGISTER the surge protector when you buy it you get up to R10 000 cover against lightning and power surges.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I have a fairly big house so range is quite important. I struggle at the moment on occasion to get a decent connection from my bedroom, so maybe the cheaper option is not a good option.

I will definitely get one of those surge protectors if they offer that kind of cover! WTF didn't I do this before? :(
 
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