Lightning struck the house via an internet cable, destroying the computer and router

Lightning turned the internet connection into a destructive weapon

In Texas, one resident of an apartment building witnessed a storm discharge that slammed thousands of volts onto his unit. The strike traveled through a coaxial cable connected to the internet network and destroyed the router as well as the motherboard of a personal computer – damage is especially noticeable around the network card.

The victim shared details of the incident on Reddit. In the posted photos, there is an extensive scorch trail along the walls and melted cable outside the apartment, as well as a ruined router. The strike occurred at night, causing serious distress among residents.

Comparison with other cases

Reddit also recalled similar incidents:

* In one case, a user lost internet after a storm and only later noticed that the LAN Guard protection block on the motherboard had detached – clearly it too did not withstand the lightning.

* In another incident, the Ethernet port on a Sony PlayStation 5 console was damaged, most likely through the network cable.

Computer owners usually use power strips and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for protection. However, lightning can penetrate through a coaxial cable, modem, router or switch, bypassing protection designed only for AC outlets.

Protection recommendations

Modern consumer equipment rarely provides reliable protection against such strikes. Therefore it is recommended:

1. Ground coaxial lines.

2. Ensure grounding for both power and data transmission.

3. Whenever possible use special splitters with built‑in surge protection.

This approach will help minimize the risk of damaging equipment during a storm.