Ethernet surges are generally minor and often harmless, but they can indicate underlying issues that need attention.
Ethernet surges are generally minor and often harmless, but they can indicate underlying issues that need attention.
Hello, I’m not the most experienced with PC builds, but I’ve invested a lot in my main desktop—custom loop water cooling—and I’m confident it will run smoothly. I keep it connected via an Ethernet cable. I’ve seen others lose their whole systems because of Ethernet power spikes. Online research shows surge protectors for Ethernet cables available from $6 to $80. What’s the difference? Is the cheaper option sufficient? Do Ethernet surges actually pose a significant risk, similar to regular power surges and surge protection? Is the chance so low it’s negligible? Also, does a basic 5-port TP-Link switch offer any defense against these issues? What do people think?
I’ll try to help you better. In 37 years I haven’t managed it either—it’s too low voltage for the job.
Your home internet connection appears to be coming through copper wiring instead of fiber or wireless, with no additional protective measures between your router and your computer. It might be beneficial to protect the cables (especially older routers) from surges and ensure all connected devices receive stable power. Unless otherwise noted, these precautions are recommended.
Unless it's a PoE switch, this should only become a real problem if something goes wrong. For instance, my family's second laptop stopped working after a lightning strike hit the house. In theory, a lightning strike on your switch could also damage a connected computer, but you'd just as likely hit the computer directly, leaving nothing to save.
It seems like you're trying to understand how frequently this issue occurs. The example of your neighbor losing their laptop gives a real-life context, but the overall frequency might be low enough that it doesn't pose a major concern.
The situation seems unusual. It’s not typical for a neighbor to lose a laptop simply by connecting an Ethernet cable. There might have been another factor involved—like a storm, dropping the device, or electrical issues. His home’s grounding isn’t confirmed, and there’s no evidence of a child mishandling a sock on carpet. This doesn’t usually happen with PCs or laptops over time.
even with a PoE switch, network ports use transformers to filter out DC signals. essentially only AC waveforms between two pairs pass through the circuitry. even if you connect the entire cable to 100 volts suddenly, in theory it shouldn’t affect anything... and this applies to your PC’s ports, any network switch’s ports, modem connections, etc. was it, by chance, also linked to a charger? it seems highly improbable that a laptop was connected via an Ethernet cable instead of a charger. basically, by the time something reaches the Ethernet port, you either have: - a lightning strike specifically on your network cable (which would be a massive problem for your network) - a strike so severe that everything would already be destroyed by other means.
Nooooooooooooooooooo. You're asking about a surge protector for the main incoming line and power strips, plus whole-house installation—sounds like a solid plan. Just remember, it’s not necessary to have everything at once; you can start with the basics and build up later.