Effective surge and spike protection for computers?

"Tim Edwards" wrote in message
u...
Hi,

I'm looking for information on the best ways to protect my computers from
power problems. I've got 2 questions:

1)I recently lost a network card to a lightening strike. My computer's
power
was connected to one of those $50 powerstrips and it was undamaged. The
network card was connected to a 10 metre cat5 network cable that runs
under
the house on the underside of the floorboards to the switch in the other
room. None of the other computers or networking equipment were damaged.

Why would my network card be the only component damaged? I thought at
first
it was because it was the only part not connected to the surge protector.
But if that was so why wasn't anything in the other room (including the
cable modem - the only external connection on the network) damaged? Could
it be because the power board simply shunted the surge voltage and it went
into the computer and down the net cable as a path of least resistance to
ground?

2) As the great Australian summer approaches with lightning storms, strong
winds and even bushfires which cause sustained power brownouts and surges
as they burn under high-voltage lines I'm looking for the best way to
protect my computers and network.

I've read in a lot of newsgroups that plugin surge protectors are useless
as
they have offer no real earth ground - at least not one that is lower
reistance than the computer or device itself.
What do people have to say about this?
Even if this is so are they worthwhile for protecting against brown outs
and
subsequent surges caused by non-lightning events such as wind blowing
powerlines over or bushfires burning under them? (a very real problem in
this part of Sydney during bushfire season)

Thanks

Tim Edwards

The correct method of protection for surges and spikes is done zones. The
first is network class, this is the utilities responsibility. They have some
but it is set to protect their equipment. The next zone is at the service.
You can buy these from Square D, Cutler-Hammer and other manufactures. I
have the Ch one on my home. It connects to two poles of a CB that does not
turn off. I happened to have a spare 2 pole breaker so I used that. This
device has a place to plug in your cable TV and phone. The protector is in
series with those services. Last zone is the plug strip.
Each zone has a let through voltage and if you read the specs on the one you
have you will be amazed. Something like 330 volts is the let through on
mine.

Lightning is an interesting subject. As an example only, Cows die from
lightning not because they are hit it is because their feet are more than 1
meter apart. Has to do with different paths and where the lightning strikes.
My guess is that your Ethernet line was in the right place at the wrong
time. Put the Ethernet wire in metal conduit, that is grounded on both ends
and you may not have any more problems. I have heard of some enet cable that
is grounded, have never seen it nor have I installed any. The only other
idea I have is to get a plug/surge strip with enet connections and run the
enet through the plug/surge strip. I have never seen any of these, just
telephone and cable.
just my quick thoughts I am sure others will have better ideas