[Snap] Routers affected by lightning?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › [Snap] Routers affected by lightning?

GoneTomorrow

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#140903 24-Feb-2014 10:23

So, during the lightning storm yesterday, there was an extremely close cloud-ground strike. It seems that the transient has made it's way onto the DSL line and into the FritzBox. It now doesn't power on. I tried two different temp modems and neither detected a DSL sync on the line, so the DSLAM seems to be either damaged or shut down as well or (bloody better not) the wiring has been damaged.

Everything was surge protected, except the DSL line as any surge protectors on the line caused issues with the VDSL.

How will Snap! and Chorus handle this?

surfisup1000

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#993179 24-Feb-2014 10:48

Why did you post here before calling snap support to register a fault? Just curious.

GoneTomorrow

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#993180 24-Feb-2014 10:51

Haven't had access to a phone yet.

BTR

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#993182 24-Feb-2014 10:52

Two words, good luck.

Also wonder how you had internet access but not phone access to log a fault, normally people have phone but no internet.

pchs

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#993183 24-Feb-2014 10:54

Generally your contents insurance would cover your router, but Chorus will fix their end - its more than likely causing issues for others so they will be onto it quickly, unless its also fried some of the cable.

wongtop

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#993184 24-Feb-2014 10:59

We had a similar situation (DSL modem wasn't fried, but we lost a TV and a freeview recorder). Called up SNAP and they said that it would cost $150 to send out a tech if no fault was found. I elected to wait until the next day, and the DSL sync was back the next morning.

You'll have to check your insurance excess to see whether it is worth claiming for your FritzBox, if that was the only thing that was damaged.

tardtasticx

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#993187 24-Feb-2014 11:03

BTR: Two words, good luck.

Also wonder how you had internet access but not phone access to log a fault, normally people have phone but no internet.

Could be a USB 3G dongle maybe. Or tethering from mobile which has no minutes or credit left. Many reasons. He posted here for help or peoples experiences with this. Not an inquisition to how he posted.

OP: If other modems aren't detecting a connection then it's definitely something Chorus has to look into. Do you pay the line maintenance fee on your bill? If it's managed to fry just some internal wiring in your home then it will be paid for by Chorus as well but it'll probably be something more serious than that I'd say. Give them a call or get someone to call on your behalf to get the ball rolling, even if they're already aware of it.

Best of luck!

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surfisup1000

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#993194 24-Feb-2014 11:17

GoneTomorrow: Haven't had access to a phone yet.

I recommend finding a phone and calling Snap.

GoneTomorrow

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#993200 24-Feb-2014 11:38

I'm using a WiFi AP to get internet access at the moment. I'll call Snap! when I get to work and report the faults.

InstallerUFB

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#993215 24-Feb-2014 11:55

GoneTomorrow: So, during the lightning storm yesterday, there was an extremely close cloud-ground strike. It seems that the transient has made it's way onto the DSL line and into the FritzBox. It now doesn't power on. I tried two different temp modems and neither detected a DSL sync on the line, so the DSLAM seems to be either damaged or shut down as well or (bloody better not) the wiring has been damaged.

Everything was surge protected, except the DSL line as any surge protectors on the line caused issues with the VDSL.

How will Snap! and Chorus handle this?

Snap will ask Chorus to fix it > Chorus will ask the Local Service Company to Fix It > The local service company will either Prove it into the chorus network & fix it and /or prove that it is your modem/wireing & on charge via Chorus to Snap for their time to fix or test it.

sbiddle

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#993216 24-Feb-2014 11:57

The exchange will probably have lightning protection which has tripped.

As for the modem - you'll have to deal with your insurance company.

westom

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#996980 1-Mar-2014 13:08

GoneTomorrow: So, during the lightning storm yesterday, there was an extremely close cloud-ground strike. It seems that the transient has made it's way onto the DSL line and into the FritzBox. It now doesn't power on.

You have assumed electricity entered a box, had no outgoing path, and then destroyed the box. Electricity does not work that way.

A most common source of that damage is a surge entering on AC mains and incoming to every appliance. Are all appliances damaged? Of course not. Again, both an incoming and outgoing path to earth must exist.

Once that surge is permitted inside, then it goes hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Apparently it found a best outgoing path via the DSL line. Damage is often on the outgoing side - the DSL line. Described is why modems are most often damaged. Incoming ona AC mains. Outgoing to earth via that phone line.

What did that protector do? Being adjacent to electronics, it must somehow block or absorb the surge. Good. View numbers since any conclusion without numbers is classic junk science. That 2 cm part inside a protector will stop what three kilometers of sky could not? Many believe that.

How many joules does that protector claim to absorb? Will its hundreds of joules absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? Of course not. Adjacent protectors typically give a surge even more paths incoming to adjacent electronics. Sometimes make damage easier. And only claim to protect from surges that typically cause no damage. Dont take anyone's word for it. Read its specification numbers.

A surge that was only hundreds of joules would be made completely irrelevant by protection already inside that DSL modem. If a protector is undersized, then a surge too tiny to damage the modem can sometimes destroy a grossly undersized protector. That gets junk science reasoning to assume, "A protector sacrificed itself to save my modem." Nonsense. The modem saved itself. A grossly undersized protector failed - as manufacturer specifications said it would. Failure get the naive to recommend that grossly undersized protector.

Apparently you did not earth a 'whole house' protector. So a surge was all but inviting to go hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Learn from the damage. And read those manufacturer specifications. How many joules did it claim to absorb?

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GoneTomorrow

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#997069 1-Mar-2014 14:36

westom:
GoneTomorrow: So, during the lightning storm yesterday, there was an extremely close cloud-ground strike. It seems that the transient has made it's way onto the DSL line and into the FritzBox. It now doesn't power on.

You have assumed electricity entered a box, had no outgoing path, and then destroyed the box. Electricity does not work that way.

A most common source of that damage is a surge entering on AC mains and incoming to every appliance. Are all appliances damaged? Of course not. Again, both an incoming and outgoing path to earth must exist.

Once that surge is permitted inside, then it goes hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Apparently it found a best outgoing path via the DSL line. Damage is often on the outgoing side - the DSL line. Described is why modems are most often damaged. Incoming ona AC mains. Outgoing to earth via that phone line.

What did that protector do? Being adjacent to electronics, it must somehow block or absorb the surge. Good. View numbers since any conclusion without numbers is classic junk science. That 2 cm part inside a protector will stop what three kilometers of sky could not? Many believe that.

How many joules does that protector claim to absorb? Will its hundreds of joules absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of joules? Of course not. Adjacent protectors typically give a surge even more paths incoming to adjacent electronics. Sometimes make damage easier. And only claim to protect from surges that typically cause no damage. Dont take anyone's word for it. Read its specification numbers.

A surge that was only hundreds of joules would be made completely irrelevant by protection already inside that DSL modem. If a protector is undersized, then a surge too tiny to damage the modem can sometimes destroy a grossly undersized protector. That gets junk science reasoning to assume, "A protector sacrificed itself to save my modem." Nonsense. The modem saved itself. A grossly undersized protector failed - as manufacturer specifications said it would. Failure get the naive to recommend that grossly undersized protector.

Apparently you did not earth a 'whole house' protector. So a surge was all but inviting to go hunting for earth destructively via appliances. Learn from the damage. And read those manufacturer specifications. How many joules did it claim to absorb?

Oh for gods sake man, is this really the best thing you have to do on a Saturday? This thread isn't about the how's and why's of lightning damage, just about the quickest way to get back online and how ISPs deal with this situation.

westom

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#997141 1-Mar-2014 15:53

GoneTomorrow: Oh for gods sake man, is this really the best thing you have to do on a Saturday?

Why waste bandwidth telling all that you want to remain ignorant? Apparently you hate knowledge. Others can learn from such events.

Learn what was damaged, why damage has happened, and how to avert future damage. Adjacent protectors did not protect that DSL modem. Electricity does not enter on a DSL line and then stop. Without a 'whole house' protector, future and unnecessary electronics or DSL damage is probable.

Sideface

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#997182 1-Mar-2014 17:06

westom:
GoneTomorrow: Oh for gods sake man, is this really the best thing you have to do on a Saturday?

Why waste bandwidth telling all that you want to remain ignorant? Apparently you hate knowledge ...

Play nicely children :)

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