GPEN11 grounding

Hardware MikroTik hardware general
1

Hi there,

I am new to outside networking. I have never created any part of the network with the STP cables or any outdoor AP ever. So I did the unthinkable and consulted AI. It started spewing about grounding the STP cable that comes in into my proposed POE injector GPEN11.

It proposes a running a wire from the RJ45 connector in the GPEN11 to the nearby outlet and coiling it around the grounded parts of the outlet.. like, never have I ever seen such a setup anywhere.

My question would be then, If I will power an outdoor AP, create a cable dripping curve just under the hole and power it via GPEN11 on the inside of the house. Do I even need the “grounding” ?

As I said, I do not have any experience with outdoor networking whatsoever.

Thanks for the responses.

2

Where (and how) exactly (on the RJ45 connector) does AI tell you to connect the ground wire?

Coiling a wire around anything grounded is anyway NOT a good idea, you need a sound mechanical connection (a clamp, a terminal and screw or similar) or a soldered connection, coiling tends to get loose over time.

You can - in theory - derive a ground from an electrical socket, but this might depend on your local electrical codes/laws.
There are - if you are not too familiar with working on mains - special "earthing" adapters, example:
https://aarding.org/collections/grounding-plugs

The dripping curve is good for rain/water, not so much for lightings ...

If the AP is on a pole or mast, the pole itself needs to be grounded appropriately.

AND the use of something like the GESP:
https://mikrotik.com/product/rbgesp
is recommended.

3

AP is on the side of the outer wall. It is nowhere near a pole or anything metallic nor on any type of extended platform. It will be right under the outer rim of the roof.

4

So, likely there is no need to ground anything.

A device under the rim of the roof has very low probability of ever being affected by lightnings.

The GPEN11 does not have AFAIK a provision for grounding anyway.

1 Like
5

That is why it caught me offguard and I started thinking about using other POE injector that has the grounding already in. Thanks!

6

OMG ... AI .... again? Why don't you look yourself for norms to read them and understand the problem.

Lightning stroke is so intensive that any cable you want to use is too thin. That is why grounding is made from metal rods, not cables. The thicker one, the better.
You just need to:

  • not install external GPOE as it needs PSU to provide power to it? Why do you need it installed outside?
  • use PoE PSU in home and pass the power just with cable as you have to connect AP anyway
  • use any additional protector (lightning surge/fuse) somwhere in between and ground it properly at home. There are a lot of them: https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=rj45+surge+protector
1 Like
7

I don't think that any Mikrotik device has provisions to be grounded via metal rod, a PoE injector with ground, has a normal green/yellow wire, probably 2.5 mm2 or so:
https://mikrotik.com/product/gesp_poe_in

8

My heating furnace died when the lightning stroke the tree in my backyard. There was a RJ45 cable going along the metal chimney pipe to boiler room. Disconnected on the roof as ISP WiFi was unused, disconnected on the other side in boiler room. Spare cable left "just for the case if ...". Tree was a few meters next to the building. Furnace was properly grounded with the installation.
Nothing helped, mainboard fried because of induction. Do not want to wonder what could have happend with direct stroke.