ADSL router and lightning

TofuMofu

TofuMofu

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So, I just lost another router (4th now) due to lightning damage.

Flatmate didn't unplug the router during the lightning storm in Pretoria.

How can I protect my router from lightning if I'm not there? Is there a sort of lightning protector that I can use for the ADSL line and the power that won't cost me an arm and a leg?

This is starting to get a wee bit annoying.
 
rrh said:
I have switched to an Astraphobe which, if anything can be a little too protective :)

When the unit detects a storm it disconnects the telephone line.

I'm very happy with the unit.

http://www.astraphobe.com/

http://www.takealot.com/astraphobe-lightning-protection-system/PLID34169960

Or (as per moklet's post) from Makro
Click to expand...

What is this sorcery!!!??? I want one!


Surge protectors work, however usually once lighting strikes, they need to be replaced. Same with UPS with jacks, if lightning fries it stops working. (All from experience)
 
Rivin said:
Wouldn't a UPS do the trick too, lots of them have RJ11 in/out jacks to run the phone line through.

Something like this: http://www.nivo.co.za/buy~rct.2000va.line.interactive.ups~p33678
Click to expand...

I tried that for a while, only to find that the "protection" is a couple of resistors that blow (permanently) if they absorb a strike. Which leaves you having to get your UPS fixed afterwards, or bypass the protection.

My current method of choice is a simple plug from NTSA which plugs into the wall, takes a phone line in and out, and then allows me to plug something else (in my case, my UPS) into the device. It also has some lights that indicate whether the device is still working or able to protect the line any more. IIRC, it was about R300, so a bit pricey, but I see it as an insurance policy. If it takes a strike, I replace only that device, and move on.
 
Method said:
So, I just lost another router (4th now) due to lightning damage.

Flatmate didn't unplug the router during the lightning storm in Pretoria.

How can I protect my router from lightning if I'm not there? Is there a sort of lightning protector that I can use for the ADSL line and the power that won't cost me an arm and a leg?

This is starting to get a wee bit annoying.
Click to expand...

Are you going to hold your flatmate responsible?
 
Lost a brand new Archer D7 on Sunday night. Got a problem with TP-Link routers and lightning. Been my fifth one. Yes my good old trusty Telkom router I got back in 2007 lived through many storms without taking a hit. This time round my whole PC got fried from my PSU to my motherboard, CPU, RAM, graphics card (GTX980), bluray writer, DVD writer, H100i and a Seagate HDD. As well as my HDMI switch and a very rare DVR. All been connected to the Archer D7.
 
Tango said:
Found it - Tenda W300D
Click to expand...

that is a really good router, we have sold loads of them, only one or two over the years gone faulty after lightning, but all were still replaced under warranty by supplier
 
I was just lucky today, we had a massive storm here in Doringkloof with some serious strikes (Even a tree which caught fire.) I was away and when I came back I disconnected everything. Later on I connected everything and no internet. So I thought my brand new Adsl modem got fried. Lucky after some unplugging and checking with a phone it was a small surge protector (which I one day found in my spares box think it was for my fax/printer) which i used which took the hit. Time for an Astraphobe. (Stormy season is almost over maybe they go on sale)
 
If you have much more expensive equipment connected to your ADSL's LAN (like consoles, TVs, gaming PCs etc) and need a sure way that absolutely no surge passes onto that segment you can use media converters to introduce a short fiber connection between your router's switch interfaces and the rest of the devices. This will 100% ensure your devices are protected as the surge will never be able to jump over the fiber, but then your router and one media converter will still be prone to damage , but at least you would have saved everything else. Can be used in conjunction with the other mentioned methods for max security
 
if you do as suggested above, or install an Astraphobe to unplug your line automatically, be sure to keep your incoming cabling neat. Do not let the incoming line lay over other lines / cables, i.e. keep the incoming line separate to prevent any arcing through the wire to other equipment.
 
Just watch out guys. I used to use a phone line protector that was part of my surge protector but it was causing noise on my line (and ADSL disconnects because of it) so I stopped using it. All of these solutions will add a bit of noise so just make sure you have a decently stable line before getting one
 
The Astraphobe does not interfere with the line - it will not affect latency / bandwidth / the connection at all. It simply passes signal straight through, and disconnects it completely when storm nearby.
 
Jorgen said:
if you do as suggested above, or install an Astraphobe to unplug your line automatically, be sure to keep your incoming cabling neat. Do not let the incoming line lay over other lines / cables, i.e. keep the incoming line separate to prevent any arcing through the wire to other equipment.
Click to expand...

Going to recheck my cables as well just to make sure the incoming is not in contact with anything else
 
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