tom8888
join:2009-11-05
Beecher, IL
| Can thunder destroy the computer (via wireless radio/antena)
I've just been reading this thread: »www.justanswer.com/questions/27n···-service
(Note: click on the "Read more" link to read the whole thread on that linked page.)
Is it possible that a thunderstorm could destroy a computer connected via wireless Internet (especially that it supposedly had surge protector)? |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·AT&T Midwest
| If lightning strikes the wire that connects the antenna to the WiFi card, yes that could damage the computer.
I am doubtful that it would be damaged only indirectly from the electrical noised picked up by the antenna.
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AT&T Uverse; Zyxel NBG334W router (behind the 2wire gateway); openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.15 |
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tom8888
join:2009-11-05
Beecher, IL | reply to tom8888
I wonder if that happens often that lightning strikes the wire..? |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T Midwest
| Statistically, not very often. But if you (or your equipment) is hit, it is going to seem to be too often. It's my impression that lightning striking the overhead electrical wires or telephone wires in the street is the more common source of damage to equipment. Rooftop TV antennas are sometimes hit, and installation instructions usually advise on minimizing the risk. Presumably one should take similar care if using a rooftop WiFi antenna. For more usual WiFi installations, I would think the risk is pretty small.
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AT&T Uverse; Zyxel NBG334W router (behind the 2wire gateway); openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.15 |
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tom8888
join:2009-11-05
Beecher, IL | reply to tom8888
So it means that buying expensive and more powerful surge protector wouldn't help in that case...? |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL
·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T Midwest
| A surge protector only protects against the main electrical power and lightning strikes on that. It won't help with an antenna strike.
You can probably by a lightning bypass for antenna wiring, though I would think that solid grounding of the coax sheath should be sufficient in case of coax cabling. But even that, or a surge protector, might not be able to absorb the energy of a local direct lightning strike.
And then there's the risk that lightning will cause your house to burn down 
Sorry, not meaning to be scary there. These are mostly low risk.
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AT&T Uverse; Zyxel NBG334W router (behind the 2wire gateway); openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.15 |
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KUppiano
Karl Uppiano
join:2003-02-02
Ferndale, WA
| reply to tom8888
Lightning can damage anything that is physically connected to power, telephone or networking equipment. Lightning damage is very unpredictable. At very close range, it is possible for lightning to damage things that it doesn't hit directly just via powerful electrostatic/electromagnetic pulses, including sensitive radio receivers.
The average lightning strike can carry currents of 20,000 amperes. There is no consumer surge protector that can withstand that kind of current. Even ground wires on TV antenna masts will vaporize instantly when hit directly (starting house fires in rare cases). Grounding is important (»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_···cautions) |
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DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs:
 ·Charter Pipeline
·AT&T Southeast
| reply to tom8888
I love those people that think that being on a cordless phone during a lighting storm is dangerous. LMFAO. Thought I heard it all!
But no, no damage will occur to wireless equipment unless a strike hits the POWER(or cable, phone) lines connecting that equipment.
Ive seen strikes hit the ground outside a home and cause damage to the buried lines coming into the house.
But if your sitting on the couch with your laptop using your wireless network and lighting hits the wireless modem, ONLY that modem will fry and anything directly connected to it via a CABLE. Your laptop will never know that anything has happened until it cannot reach the internet.
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DrStrange
Technically feasible
Premium
join:2001-07-23
West Hartford, CT
·Stephouse Networks
 ·magicjack.com
·EarthLink
| I would buy the cordless phone argument it we were talking about a 1980 cordless with a 4-foot telescoping antenna [stone-knife-and-bearskin full duplex; base transmitted on 1.7Mhz, phone was on 49MHz].
With modern cordless phones operating on much higher frequencies and using much smaller antennae, I don't buy it.
I think the reasonable caution regarding the older phones became an urban legend applied to the new ones. |
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