🚀 go-pugleaf

This is a classic conclusion based only on the bottom line - reason
for failure never properly understood.  Telephone lines routinely have
'whole house' protectors installed by the telco - for free.  Modems
are rarely damaged by phone line surges.  Modems even have galvanic
isolation that separates modem for phone line.  But modems have a
direct connection to one AC mains electric wire.

  Surges must first form a complete electrical circuit.  Current
passes completely through everything in that circuit.  Only then does
one part of that circuit fail - become surge damaged.  DAA section of
modem is more often damaged because incoming surge on AC mains found
earth ground through that part.

  Telephone lines already have effective surge protector.  Cable needs
no surge protector because it to makes a connection to surge
protection using direct hardwire.  Notice that surge protector and
surge protection are not same thing.  The one incoming utility, with
wires highest on the pole and most often struck, are AC electric. 
Modem damage made possible because the incoming AC electric did not
have a 'whole house' surge protector connected short, direct, and
independently to surge protection - central earth ground.

  Modem protection means AC electric must have effective protection
that is rarely sold retail.  Only known retail source of 'whole house'
protector is Home Depot - Intermatic EG240RC or IG1240RC, or Siemens
QSA2020.  Many others are available through other sales channels. But
no plug-in surge protector ever claimed to protect modems from the
type of surge that destroys modem.  They simply claim protection from
a type of destructive surge that does not typically exist.

  Classic error message for an AC mains surge that damages modems - No
Dialtone Detected.  Modem will attempt to dial but cannot connect to
phone line - because AC mains surge found earth ground destructively
via that part of the modem.

   Phones that do not connect to AC mains are typically not damaged by
such surges.  No incoming path for a surge from AC mains means phone
is not typically damaged (has nothing to do with phones being more
robust).  But portable phone base stations that connect to both AC and
phone line are also easily damaged when the homeowner fails to install
'whole house' type surge protectors.

"Battleax" <unavailable@thistime.net> wrote in message news:<MbacnfSxUdA-76uiXTWJhg@magma.ca>...
> Even a slight power surge in the phone line can render a modem useless.
> Phones are more robust and shrug it off but between me and friends I've seen
> three modems die this way, right after a lightning storm.
> B