Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is the sudden and momentary release of electric current that results from a voltage difference between two physically connected points. This is potentially harmful to a network because it can result in damaged hardware, or even unexpected data loss.
To maximize protection against ESD:
- Use shielded cables (STP), especially when installing devices outdoors.
- Use surge protectors throughout your network.
Shielded Cables
In addition to reducing interference between nearby wires, Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cables contain an interior foil shielding and a drain wire to balance voltage potentials and prevent ESD.
We recommend using our official UniFi Outdoor Cable and Outdoor Patch Cable.
Surge Protectors
Surge protectors are capable of absorbing electric surges before they reach your networking devices. They are very similar to standard AC power strips, except they are made for ethernet devices that a powered through PoE.
We recommend our official Ethernet Surge Protector for maximum protection.