Lightning hit my modem

[Bobbin]

I phoned Neotel to report my Huawei LTE modem is dead on Monday due to a lightning strike. I was at home when it happened, noticed distant thunder then one big strike at my house out of nowhere without much warning, 3 minutes of rain then the "storm" was completely gone again. Lost a few devices. Our complex's DSTV and other neighbours around were also affected.

Anyway after following up each day just to ensure the ticket is on track I still haven't had a single call back from Neotel or an installer to replace my modem (I don't really care if I need to pay for it as it was lightning and not hardware fault). Just a heads up, the LTE product works very well but the after sales support at Neotel seems to be lacking :/

Hope next week fares better

 

[BandwidthAddict]

Ouch. Hope you come right soon.

 

[Bobbin]

I have an older Huawei E5372 LTE mobile modem from Afrihost. It detects full 4G signal from Neotel with the SIM card inserted. Probably a long shot but is there any way to get it to work? I just get DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET. I assume the device needs to be registered for fixed LTE or something.

 

[Thor]

Wait... Did it hit the physical modem?

Where is the modem?

How did lightning enter your house?

We need lightning bars on Windows now?

 

[Bobbin]

Wait... Did it hit the physical modem?

Where is the modem?

How did lightning enter your house?

We need lightning bars on Windows now?

Lol I have no idea exactly where the lightning hit but my PC power supply popped, my monitor is dead, my speakers are dead, my modem won't switch on (all upstairs) and an HDMI port on a laptop downstairs is bust. I was also jolted by a little shock, through my keyboard/headphones I assume. All the voices and commotion outside at the time leads me to believe one of the units next to/under/across mine was also affected. I know the DSTV in the complex was hit too.

Sadly I did not have a surge protector plug , although I'm told those do little for lightning?

I've since had the PC fixed up but now just the modem needs to be replaced (So I am without uncapped Internet ). I've tried a different plug/adapter with same power rating but it didn't work so the modem is definitely gone.

 

[FNfal]

Got 3 of them here that got smacked from the telephone line .

I have about 7 surge plugs on different appliances and computers and it seems to keep the power surges at bay .
It even stopped the 380 the other day from a stolen neutral cable in the substation .
They trip the earth leakage .

 

[Bobbin]

I wish I could get the SIM card to work in my other Huawei modem, but I recall the installer reading out the IMEI number etc... over the phone and I think they were registering the device with the SIM.

Can anyone check the API and username/password details for Neotel LTE? Or does anyone know if this won't work?

EDIT: Ah apparently it won't work. I just called Neotel technical support to find out. Something about CDMA, so the device will pick up signal but that is all.

 

[westom]

Sadly I did not have a surge protector plug , although I'm told those do little for lightning?

Apparently a surge (maybe from lightning far down the street) was incoming to everything inside a house. It seeks earth ground. Since not earthed BEFORE entering, then it hunted for earth ground destructively via all appliances. Were all damaged? Of course not. It found a best connection to earth via a modem (and maybe other appliances). Because you all but invited it inside.

No adjacent protector claims to protect from destructive surges. Those are for surges that are typically made irrelevant by protection inside each appliance. Something that is completely different (unfortunately also called a surge protector) is a 'whole house' protector. Only this proven device makes a less than 3 meter (low impedance) connection to earth. Only this connects a surge to earth. Then a surge is not inside hunting for earth ground destructively via appliances.

Every wire in every incoming cable must connect to that same earth ground. Best protection for a TV cable is a hardwire (and low impedance) from a ground block to earth. Telephone (DSL) and AC electric cannot connect directly to earth. So a 'whole house' protector does what that hardwire does better.

Protection is always about how a surge connects to earth - harmlessly outside or destructively inside.

Protection is not defined by any protector. Protection is done by what harmlessly absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules - single point earth ground. Every incoming wire must connect low impedance (wire without any sharp bends) to this critical protector device - earthing electrodes. Then a surge is not inside hunting for earth destructively via any and all household appliances.

If your modem needs protection, then everything else needs this protection. No 'magic box' (adjacent) device provides this. Read its specification numbers. Protection is always about connecting a surge (ie lightning) to earth BEFORE it enters.

 

[SideWinder]

The Neotel LTE SIM should work on any (FDD LTE) modem. So the 593 Telkom one will not work (TDD LTE).
Newer CDMA services with SIM can use any (CDMA) device, but older services that do not use a SIM, needs Neotel intervention to get it to work again. The need the MAC address.

BTW, I was hit by lightning a few months ago, LTE modem survived, but a indoor unit did not! So must have been a much more direct strike!

 

[Bobbin]

Well since Monday 23rd November (When I logged the ticket with Neotel) I am yet to receive a single phonecall from Neotel or an installer for replacement Despite me following up with Neotel every day.

When I phoned yesterday I was assured the installers are due to be at my house today (And to expect a call at the latest this morning). Thus I've opted to work from home on 3G today. Still no call yet. Apparently the Neotel service desk has no direct contact with installers and can only keep modifying the ticket and involving their supervisor.

I've already informed them I'm going on leave this Friday so if I'm unlucky this is going to carry on into the new year. It's 4pm now, maybe they will still phone? :erm:

 

[Bobbin]

Apparently a surge (maybe from lightning far down the street) was incoming to everything inside a house. It seeks earth ground. Since not earthed BEFORE entering, then it hunted for earth ground destructively via all appliances. Were all damaged? Of course not. It found a best connection to earth via a modem (and maybe other appliances). Because you all but invited it inside.

No adjacent protector claims to protect from destructive surges. Those are for surges that are typically made irrelevant by protection inside each appliance. Something that is completely different (unfortunately also called a surge protector) is a 'whole house' protector. Only this proven device makes a less than 3 meter (low impedance) connection to earth. Only this connects a surge to earth. Then a surge is not inside hunting for earth ground destructively via appliances.

Every wire in every incoming cable must connect to that same earth ground. Best protection for a TV cable is a hardwire (and low impedance) from a ground block to earth. Telephone (DSL) and AC electric cannot connect directly to earth. So a 'whole house' protector does what that hardwire does better.

Protection is always about how a surge connects to earth - harmlessly outside or destructively inside.

Protection is not defined by any protector. Protection is done by what harmlessly absorbs hundreds of thousands of joules - single point earth ground. Every incoming wire must connect low impedance (wire without any sharp bends) to this critical protector device - earthing electrodes. Then a surge is not inside hunting for earth destructively via any and all household appliances.

If your modem needs protection, then everything else needs this protection. No 'magic box' (adjacent) device provides this. Read its specification numbers. Protection is always about connecting a surge (ie lightning) to earth BEFORE it enters.

This is very interesting info, thanks! I guess from now on I'm going to check the weather report every day to be safe.

 

[westom]

This is very interesting info, thanks! I guess from now on I'm going to check the weather report every day to be safe.

Much safer is to earth one 'whole house' protector. Facilities that cannot have damage suffer direct lightning strikes. And nobody even knew a surge existed. Properly earthed 'whole house' protection is how this stuff was done over 100 years ago. It is also a least expensive solution.

Surges also come from linemen errors, rodents, and stray cars. A weather report says nothing about them. More reasons why a 'whole house' solution was routine even 100 years ago.

 

[blowdart18]

Surges also come from linemen errors, rodents, and stray cars.

Stray cars ?

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

Remember this?

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/431915-Bloody-Racist-Lightning!!!

 

[Bobbin]

So ... still stuff all contact from Neotel or an installer since 23rd November.

I phoned again on Monday and started threatening no payment as it is getting a tad ridiculous now. I don't know what else to do.

 

[Bobbin]

Finally got the modem replaced yesterday afternoon. Wow what a wait :/

Apparently my ticket was raised with the incorrect account holder, but a few facts didn't add up for me i.e. why they didn't call me anyway when they had my number on the ticket... Anyway at least I am back online now