Lightning Protection circuit for Ethernet

[jcosper]

I need to design a lightning protection circuit for an 10/100 ethernet port. I was looking at some of the guidelines, but wanted some input from the forum on what has worked for them. I was planning on using a circuit suggested from the ST SLVU2.8 datasheet:

http://www.st.com/content/ccc/resource/technical/document/datasheet/98/f5/6c/77/ae/5d/4a/5c/CD00246363.pdf/files/CD00246363.pdf/jcr:content/translations/en.CD00246363.pdf

Thoughts?

[NiHaoMike]

Use a pair of cheap Wifi routers programmed to connect to each other.

[Ian.M]

..... or a pair of cheap fibre media converters and a run of fibre if you need better security or resistance to EMI.

[dom0]

..... or a pair of cheap fibre media converters and a run of fibre if you need better security or resistance to EMI.

+1

100BASE-FX media converters are essentially free today and quite often found for this exact purpose in labs and test stands.

[_Andrew_]

You did not mention the reason you have need for lightning protection for cat5.

There are plenty of general surge solutions out there for rj45 connections

If it is for wifi gear mounted outdoors on a pole, mast or tower then it is a bit more involved as you will need to look at the earthing arrangements for the bit of metal of the structure it is bolted on to. 

This may be a worth looking at https://www.dehn.co.uk/en-gb/lightning-protection-guide