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Lightning strikes and Ethernet port

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  • Lightning strikes and Ethernet port

    My second unit has lost its Ethernet connection due to a lightning strike. About a year ago the first unit I had (From FlightRadar24) stopped working. It was determined that the Ethernet port was defective and a new unit was shipped to me. At the time I suspected that a lightnnig strike, close by, may have damaged it.

    About a week ago this unit stopped working as well and I can trace it to the exact moment two very powerful, but fairly distant, lightning strikes hit. Again, the Ethernet port is dead.

    I am getting a new unit and a grounding plug for the antenna, but my question is way would, of all things, the Ethernet port stop working? It is on the actual Rasphberry board while the antenna is on the receiver board. Granted the two boards are connected with many connectors, bit I would expect something on the receiver board to fry long before the Ethernet port on the second board.

  • #2
    Lightning strikes create lightning surges on the Overhead Power lines. These surges travels on power line and ultimately reaches the consumer wiring, damaging the electronic devices. The surge on power line can damage any component of electronics.

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    • #3
      If it is airbone static as a result of lightning, it will take the path of least resistance. And that may be the ethernet port on the way out. While damaging it on the way.
      Posts not to be taken as official support representation - Just a helpful uploader who tinkers

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      • #4
        Voltage Surges Created on Power and Communication Lines by Lightning.

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        • #5
          I understand the theory. The problem, with my setup, is that I am in an apartment building. No nearby power lines. Power comes from underground. All my electronic equipment is running off a surge protected UPS. During the electrical storm no other devices were damaged, nor was the FR24 power supply damaged. The only thing that was damaged was the Ethernet port on the FR24 receiver. I suspect that this came via the antenna and not the power path.

          But, what I was really trying to understand is why would the Ethernet port be damaged when it is on the main board, and the antenna is connected to the receiver board, effectively a separate component in the unit. If anything, I would expect the receiver board (ADS and GPS) to be damaged before anything on the main board.

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