Wireless Card

[MDman]

Ethernet card for my desktop got fried by a storm over the weekend. Came in through the router (which was fried too, but phone company has replaced).

Service guy recommended a wireless card for the desktop instead of the ethernet card, that way if lightning comes through the router again, it wouldnt fry the ethernet card or computer.

Wireless router is only a couple of feet away from the tower.

Any suggestions for a wireless card?

[Idlewild]

Wireless "card" ?? ....for a desktop? Do you mean you are using a wireless router in order to surf with your "laptop"? I'm a bit confused....but that aint tough to do.

[millero]

you'll be better off getting the wired card and take your chances. if you have to have wireless, either go with the brand of router that you are using or get a linksys.

[Redleg Camo]

i used to use a USB wireless adapter made by Netgear. Seems like it was around 30.00. Simply plug it in the USB, run the software and you're done. It worked pretty well. I could pick up any neighbor within 75 yards or so, so being that you're right next to the router you'll be golden.

[kquinn]

I would not go wireless. 2 feet or 20 feet- it still a wireless signal and won't be as fast as a piece of cat 5. I would leave your setup as is and spend money on a surge device.

[SCLAND&TIMBER]

Or just unplug during a thunderstorm. I'd like to get around doing this but haven't found a good solution. I have fried more than one modem even with using a surge protector.

[MDman]

Thanks for the help. Will probably go another ethernet card.

what i cant figure out is that the router, tower, monitor, 2 scanner/fax printers, and another printer were all plugged into the surge protector and nothing was messed up except the router and ethernet card.

Could it have come through the phone line?

[Palmetto Bug]

I can't tell any difference in download speeds with my laptop if I'm using wired or wireless. The 100 mb ethernet link to your switch/router is faster than the cable modem or DSL uplink. It's possible that you could tell a difference if you are doing something on the local net like writing a big file to a server, but I doubt it.

[millero]

Thanks for the help. Will probably go another ethernet card.

what i cant figure out is that the router, tower, monitor, 2 scanner/fax printers, and another printer were all plugged into the surge protector and nothing was messed up except the router and ethernet card.

Could it have come through the phone line?

the phone/cable line is exactly where it came in.

[millero]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...ill-_-33166004

[Redleg Camo]

MD, i've been hit 3 times in the last year. every time it came in on the DSL line. last time my computer guy gave me a piece that was supposed to blow before it got the computer but it still got the computer. i hate lightning. what good does it do?

[lethal_injection]

i run a wireless card in my desktop and it picks up just fine and it is just as fast as if it was connected with a ethernet cable. I run a belkin router and a belkin wireless card

[Bub]

Invest in a good surge protector and run the dsl through it before going to the modem / router.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[willyworm]

I worked for time warner cable for 6 years. After lightning storms we knew the "Internet out" trouble calls were fried ethernet cards every time. I'm not sure why, but thats just the way it goes. Weakest link I guess.

Don't get the wireless card. Hell they cost 5 bucks, more secure, faster, and its just plain simpler.

If you have an open port on the router terminate that to a surge protector that has one of those data ports. All electricity wants to do is find ground through the path of least resistence. That'll give it the ground that it will be looking for.

[MDman]

willy,
will try that. thanks for the help