[geeks] Lightning question

[Sridhar Ayengar]

Phil Stracchino wrote:
> wa2egp at att.net wrote:
>>> Anyway, when I got in my car the day after the storm (I keep my car on the 
>>> driveway about 100-150 feet from the tree that was struck) my clock was set to 
>>> 00:00. I guess there was a massive electromagnetic field that included the car 
>>> when the tree was struck. The clock is fine in the car, but here is my question:
>>>
>>> Would it make sense that my 100-150 foot Cat5E cable run from my den to my 
>>> basement switch would "kill" a switch port?
>> In a word, yes.  If the car clock reset with semi-shielded wires no longer than 
>> six feet (a lot shorter I would guess) then that 100 foot cable made a hell of
>> an antenna and could have had quite a voltage induced on it.
> 
> Personally, I wish my entire network was fiber instead of copper.  maybe
> someday I'll be able to spare the money to do it.

This is exactly why I use FDDI, 100BASE-FX and 10BASE-FL for absolutely 
everything.  For devices where I *need* to use 100BASE-T, I use a media 
converter near the device and a fiber run to the switch.  The only 
copper runs I have that are a little long are the telephone lines 
running to the DSL terminators.

Peace...  Sridhar