Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!vsi1!octopus!pete
From: pete@Octopus.COM (Pete Holzmann)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: Wanted: Advise on a modem for my PC.
Summary: Get the Curtis SPM-15 for low cost modem line protection
Message-ID: <1990Nov2.153831.6383@Octopus.COM>
Date: 2 Nov 90 15:38:31 GMT
References: <1249@bilver.UUCP> <1990Oct28.175259.5849@druid.uucp> <1990Oct30.013136.11985@cbnewsk.att.com>
Reply-To: pete@octopus.COM (Pete Holzmann)
Organization: Octopus Enterprises, Cupertino CA
Lines: 23

> In article <1249@bilver.UUCP> bill@bilver.UUCP (Bill Vermillion) writes:
> [ suggesting external modem as lightning protection ]

If you want something to help stave off electrical surges coming in via
a modem line, it is much cheaper to put a surge protector on the modem
line than to use a modem for this purpose! There's a little-advertised
protector made by Curtis (I believe the SPM-15) that does the trick.
The nice thing about it is that it is cheap (around $10-15) and it only
needs a ground line (so it works in both 120 and 240 volt environments).

On the other hand: If your phone line takes a real lightning hit, you
can probably say goodby to anything that was directly connected to
the line! The best thing I know of to avoid this problem (other than
disconnecting the line or moving to the Sahara :-)) is an opto-
isolator. Haven't seen (nor investigated) availability of these things
for modem lines; we've occasionally built them up by hand for various
serial lines in campus settings. Does anybody know of a source for
optically-isolated phone connectors and/or RS-232 connectors?
-- 
Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises   |(if you're a techie Christian & are
19611 La Mar Ct., Cupertino, CA 95014 |interested in helping w/ the Great
UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete     |Commission, email dsa-contact@octopus)
DSA office ans mach=408/996-7746;Work (SMI) voice=408/985-7400,FAX=408/985-0859