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Specifications are subject to change without notice.  is a registered trademark of TP-Link Systems Inc. Other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

No part of the specifications may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative such as translation, transformation, or adaptation without permission from TP-Link Systems Inc. Copyright © 2025 TP-Link Systems Inc. All rights reserved. http://www.tp-link.com

Intended Readers

This guide is intended for network engineers and network administrators.

Conventions

When using this guide, please note that the figures are used for demonstration only.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made in the preparation of this document to ensure the accuracy of the contents, but all statements, information, and recommendations in this document do not constitute a warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. Users must take full responsibility for their application of any products

1. Introduction

Lightning is a violent discharge phenomenon that occurs in the Earth's atmosphere and can cause severe natural disasters. With the advancement of science and technology, a larger communication network has been built by computers, various networks, and communication devices. As the network scale expands, the threat of lightning to network equipment becomes increasingly prominent. It not only causes direct damage to devices but can also lead to the interruption of the entire network system, resulting in incalculable economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to understand lightning and correctly install and use network equipment.

This manual will introduce the basic knowledge of lightning protection for rack-mounting installation of TP-Link network products, including the overall principles, methods, and precautions of lightning protection, and provide detailed explanations on lightning protection measures such as proper cabling, correct grounding, equipotential bonding, and the use of lightning arresters.

1.1 Scope of Application

This manual applies to the following products: TP-Link rack-mount devices.

This manual is for technicians who install, use, and maintain the above products.

1.2 Conventions

This manual uses the following formats to highlight special messages:

1.3 Overview

Chapter 1: Introduction to the manual.

Chapter 2: Overview of lightning protection. This chapter will briefly describe the hazards of lightning and the basic principles of lightning protection.

Chapter 3: Proper cabling. This chapter will help you properly cable your devices for lightning protection.

Chapter 4: Grounding requirements. This chapter will briefly describe the grounding requirements and provide on-site grounding solutions.

Chapter 5: Equipotential bonding.

Chapter 6: Using lightning arresters.

1.4 Related Standards

This manual has referenced the following standards:

· IEC61643-21:2000 Surge protective devices connected to telecommunications and signalling networks – Performance requirements and testing methods

· ITU-T K.27 Bonding configurations and earthing inside a telecommunication building

· ITU-T K.35 Bonding configurations and earthing at remote electronic sites

· ITU-T K.46 Protection of telecommunication lines using metallic symmetric conductors against lightning-induced surges

· ITU-T K.66 Protection of customer premises from overvoltages

· IEC62305-1 Protection against lightning –Part 1: General principles

· IEC62305-2 Protection against lightning –Part 2: Risk management

· IEC62305-3 Protection against lightning –Part 3: Physical damage to structures and life hazard

· IEC62305-4 Protection against lightning – Part 4: Electrical and electronic systems within structures

· IEC 60364-5-54 Electrical installations of buildings – Part 5-54 Selection and erection of electrical equipment – Earthing arrangement, protective conductors and protective bonding conductors

2. Overview of Lightning Protection

This chapter will introduce the characteristics of lightning, explain the hazards of lightning strikes to network equipment, and propose the main principles of lightning protection.