Re: NANOG Digest, Vol 43, Issue 53

[Greg Ihnen <os10rules () gmail com>]

On Aug 13, 2011, at 11:28 AM, Dorn Hetzel wrote:

> On Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 11:41 AM, Greg Ihnen <os10rules () gmail com> wrote:
> On Aug 13, 2011, at 7:23 AM, Dorn Hetzel wrote:
>
> > I live on a farm and I have a number of data runs between buildings that are
> > copper ethernet pulled through buried conduits.  (It was what I could afford
> > when I put it in).  We have trouble from time to time with damage from
> > lightning. (I've taken to using an intermediate "throwaway" 5-port switch
> > after the surge suppressors on the cable after building entry, but still
> > stuff gets blown up now and then.  The longer runs of outside ethernet have
> > one or more toadstools with small switches used as repeaters in the middle.
> >
> >
> > Well, I would like to convert the whole outside mess to fiber to eliminate
> > this problem, and the per-foot price of 6 or 12 strand single mode cables is
> > pretty reasonable nowadays...  But, I'm not very current on the most
> > economical methods for splicing and terminating the fiber, which of course I
> > would need to do on a "personal" sized budget.  Any suggestions?
>
>
> This is somewhat off topic but have you tried any ethernet surge protectors? I use them here in the jungle with lots 
> of lightning and it works good if your overall install is sound. Also you have to have your electrical ground tied to 
> the conduit so it all stays at the same potential. But still fiber is the way to go. You could also go wireless with 
> a pair of Ubiquiti Nanostation M2's
>
> Greg
>
> Greg,
>
> Yes, that's the part about "5-port switch after the surge suppressors on the cable after building entry".
>
> Immediately after building entry I use HyperLink HGLN-CAT6 Lightning Protectors  (See: 
> http://www.l-com.com/item.aspx?id=22171 )
>
> Then I connect to a "throwaway" 5-port switch (whatever was on sale last time I ran out).  This switch is connected 
> to it's own throwaway UPS, which is plugged into a separate power circuit from everything else.
>
> [[[ Note: If I could find cheap enough switches with an optical interface I would be switching to optical at this 
> point! ]]]
>
> Then I connect from the throwaway switch to the real switch.
>
> But STILL I lose ports on the real switch from time to time.  So converting the outside plant to fiber is a real goal.
>
> And the fiber prices are darn reasonable nowadays for 6 or 12 strands of 9/125:  (Example 
> http://www.showmecables.com/viewItem.asp?idProduct=10493  )
>
> But outside plant fiber was never my thing, and I have no decent idea about how to get it spliced and terminated for 
> reasonable costs, or really even what would be reasonable.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> -Dorn

Dom,

        If you're still losing the switches then you've got issues that would be cheaper to solve with fiber or 
wireless instead of grounding.

        The folks on with Wireless Internet Service Provider's Association (WISPA) www.wispa.org do these kinds of 
installs all the time, doing short fiber runs up towers etc. If you put out a message there I'm sure you'll get all 
kinds of help.

Greg