Recently built a detached garage about 250 ft from the house and ran several runs of cat5 cable to it. One for network, one for security alarm bus, one for phone or whatever else. Had a really strong storm Saturday night with 4" of rain and some really close lightening. Killed a number of things on the network - a couple routers, a silicon dust network TV tuner, not sure what else as I am still checking things out. Didn't get the vonage box or the main uverse box, the wired PCs, or the main wireless router so it could have been a lot worse. Think it might have gotten in via a vehicle sensor at the garage wired to a raspberry pi board at the house or the sprinkler controller, also a pi. The alarm bus and ethernet between buildings wasn't hooked up yet.
A couple outside motion sensor lights quit working - haven't check if it is the LED bulbs or the fixture. Not hooked to the network, just power.
So now thinking of ways to harden things. Have had the sprinkler system and everything but the detached building stuff for years with no issues.
I can make the Pi boards wireless which would break the connections between long outside runs and the network. Only remaining connection would be power.
Could make the ethernet run between building wireless on the shop end. Or either end really - might make sense to isolate the cable at the house end as I have more equipment there to protect. I have some camera traffic so wireless may be a limitation although now just one 3 MP camera. Have seen some ethernet surge protectors.
Not sure what to do about the Caddx alarm bus.
Might also put a whole house electric panel protector in. I have two panels off the meter base at the house and a subpanel in the garage. Thinking one at each building.
Any suggestions?
A couple outside motion sensor lights quit working - haven't check if it is the LED bulbs or the fixture. Not hooked to the network, just power.
So now thinking of ways to harden things. Have had the sprinkler system and everything but the detached building stuff for years with no issues.
I can make the Pi boards wireless which would break the connections between long outside runs and the network. Only remaining connection would be power.
Could make the ethernet run between building wireless on the shop end. Or either end really - might make sense to isolate the cable at the house end as I have more equipment there to protect. I have some camera traffic so wireless may be a limitation although now just one 3 MP camera. Have seen some ethernet surge protectors.
Not sure what to do about the Caddx alarm bus.
Might also put a whole house electric panel protector in. I have two panels off the meter base at the house and a subpanel in the garage. Thinking one at each building.
Any suggestions?