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Security for Survival
When connecting devices to your security system, there are two basic methods used: wired and wireless. In a later article, I will cover the advantages and disadvantages of both systems and when they are appropriate to use. However, the idea for this first installment was created as I had to repair some Ethernet cabling at a customer’s residence. The customer was familiar with Ethernet connectors and had cobbled together a connector when he moved his computer system to another area of the residence. He had lost a wifi radio to a lightning storm when he shouldn’t have, and we discovered the root of the problem was the connector he installed on the cabling.
EMP is a huge concern anytime you are dealing with electronic hardware, and there are some steps that you can take to minimize the risk of your equipment. Everyone knows about installing a quality surge protector for equipment that must be live, storing unused equipment in a Faraday cage, and implementing other such preps, but few seem to realize that the data cable connecting their computer or security system is just as critical. Long wires attached to your computer represent the greatest danger, as they act as antennae to pick up the magnetic energy from an EMP pulse, whether generated by a nuclear, solar, or lightning event, and they turn it into electrical pulses that damage sensitive electronics.
One of the easiest and best methods of protection is to simply provide a better, alternative path to ground for the electrical impulse. Shielded cabling and grounded connectors achieve just such a result. There are many types of shielded Ethernet cabling; the two that we currently use– Ubiquity’s Tough Cable Pro and Tough Cable Carrier– are among the best. We also use Ubiquity’s Tough Cable RJ45 connectors, though you can use any grounded RJ-45 connector. The tools required for these connectors are simple but specialized. Figure 1
Figure 1
is a picture of the tools we currently use. The only one required is the RJ-45 crimper tool on the left. This particular model is an Ideal 30-696 and has a ratcheting feature so you can regrip in the middle of a crimp without ruining the crimp. It’s nice but not necessary. Any RJ-45 crimper will work. You will notice the blue cushioned grips are missing on mine. While the cushions are nice, they tend to slip off as you work the pliers. I eventually got irritated enough that I just pulled them off and threw them away. Despite installing thousands of connectors, I’ve never missed them. You can do without the remaining tools, but they will make your work easier. The yellow plastic tool merely cuts the sheath on the Ethernet cable without nicking the conducting wires. Any model will work, but I prefer one with a ring, as it makes it easy to insert your finger and rotate it around the cable. A pair of sharp snips comes in handy, and I like the Klein 2101-0 snips.
Source: http://survivalblog.com/security-for-survival/
