Hi again, @davetheoilguy - My recommendations for LAN isolation instead of surge protection is from this article.
As I understand it, the author argues that LAN surge protectors encourage surge voltages to find a path to ground through them, which of course causes large and damaging upstream currents as well. By isolating the equipment instead, a lightning voltage must find a local pathway instead, which while still damaging, now localizes the problem instead of letting it spread downstream.
Let me use my own situation as an example. I have about 50’ between my router and home entertainment system.
I use a LAN isolators for the Ethernet cable that feeds that system at the stereo end. This increases the breakthrough voltage from the normal Ethernet (1.5kV per side) from 3kV to ~ 7.5kV.
However, if I put in a LAN surge protector at my living room, I am reducing the breakthrough voltage to ~1.5kV because it’s now just 1 Ethernet jacks isolation and the surge "protector" which is under 100V. That’s what causes the damaging current flow. I potentially now have melted Ethernet in my walls.
With an isolator anything less than a 7.5 kV surge has to find a path in my data closet, probably through the router power supply, or the incoming coax, a much safer and much more localized event than spreading that current through my home.
Of course, I’m not actually a surge scientist, I’m just sharing how I understand the article to read and why I avoid LAN surge protection inside the home. OTOH, if I had say, outdoor fiber which converted to Ethernet through my exterior wall I’d definitely want to consider a LAN surge protector outside. Also, I do use a coaxial gas discharge tube for the cable modem outside, and air-gap the cable modem from the rest of my system via fiber. I’m the paranoid kind. :)
