If you’re not familiar with an RJ45 surge protector let’s start by identifying what the RJ is. RJ is an acronym for Registered Jacks. These are the flat, fat Ethernet cable plugs that fit into the backs of computers which allow you to connect to the Internet. It’s basically a modem line. A standard phone line cable is represented as RJ11. The RJ45 identifies the pattern of wiring that differentiates it from the original phone line plug. I won’t get into specifics about the wiring. What you really need to know is that power surges can get into these lines when they can’t find another route and will destroy your equipment.
Electromagnetic, electrostatic and RFI caused by high powered machines, surges in power lines and other devices that affect Ethernet cables are a major source of consternation for company networks, but these problems can also exist in your home if you have an Ethernet modem hooked into you computer. These interferences can disrupt and damage transmissions, causing data loss and Ethernet equipment damage.
An RJ45 surge protector will stop surges that reroute from normal power lines and enter through your Ethernet and phone lines. A surge in power has to be strong enough to force its way into your phone lines so as you can probably guess this is a safety feature that will protect your data lines from lightning strikes. The best way to use RJ45 surge protectors is to have them as close to the equipment as possible. Having the surge protection device in front of your equipment is the most effective use for them since the line coming in is usually of some length and the surge may subside some before it reaches the surge protector. Although the surge travels in an instant, the diodes in the surge protector reacts in less than 1 nanosecond to stop any and all surges coming in through the line.
Another feature of these surge suppressors is the line noise reduction. Line noise comes in the form of electromagnetic interference of through radio wave interference (RFI). On your RJ45 cables line noise can compromise your data and cause loss of performance. A surge can disrupt incoming information altogether, causing unexpected data loss. Having an RJ45 surge protector will protect incoming data and reduce line noise at the same time. Reduced decibels and a wider range of frequency across a line will give you clearer information and better filtering.
You can opt to purchase an RJ45 surge protector as a stand-alone device or find a computer surge protector that has RJ45 jacks installed as an additional feature. Either way works, the important thing is to be protected.
