Fiber Optic Internet

Hey,

So on that end, protection from surges is a big deal, so pay attention to what actually bridges the outside of your home to the inside. If it’s any form of copper, get an Ethernet isolator (about $40 or less) at the very least. The Ether-Fiber-Ether bridge is also a good idea and one that I use but not for improving audio. :-) I’m just paranoid about surges taking out a significant chunk of my home network.

I have a coax based Internet and so I use a gas discharge tube on the outside, that goes to the modem, and then a custom made E-F-E bridge. It’s basically an air-gapped lightning protection.

PS - Avoid Ethernet surge protectors that have ground wires.  They dont' work as well as the isolators.

@erik_squires - surges over optical, I didn’t consider that.

A quick search on Amazon brought me to this. Is this what you are suggesting Eric? And where in the system do you put it?

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Protector-Cabinet-Gigabit-1000Mbs/dp/B078NKGPJC/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3K4YD17PZ4MZZ&keywords=ethernet+isolator&qid=1668093642&sprefix=ehternet+isolater%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

Raw bitrate for stereo 384 kHz / 24 bit is ~20 Mbps so even the cheapest plan would be fine for streaming audio. $60 for gig speed is a good deal - especially if you'll have multiple people streaming content / downloading games.

Most likely the technician will install a optical network terminal (ONT) which will convert the optical signal to wired Ethernet. You don't need to worry about isolation since Ethernet is transformer coupled. Power surges could be a problem, but I've never had a network interface die on me through various blackouts / brownouts. If you're truly paranoid, it might be better to use wi-fi.

@yage - 20 Mbps, wow, that’s great. It’s only me streaming music, no gaming either.

I prefer to be hard wired so possibly an isolator as Eric has suggested would do the trick.

There has been some mention about the dependability of this particular company. I’ve also heard their customer service isn’t so great either. All stuff to consider as well.

T think you may have your 100 MB / 5 MB figures backwards.  Downloading (i.e., receiving data) almost always has the higher speed compared to uploading (your PC sending outbound data).  That was done to make people running web site servers pay for a business internet plan instead of the cheaper ones for home users. 

For some ISPs, that's gone by the wayside. My ATT fiber plan gives me 1 GB up and down with no data caps.  My setup is as @yage describes above which converts the optical signal into ethernet which then goes to my ATT router. I've got Qobuz and it all works great with the hi-rez material without any special equipment. 

I was going to optically isolate the signal from my router to my streamer with a set of fiber media converters (FMC), but I’m thinking that this kind of internet service would eliminate the need for the FMC’s?

Just having fiber internet service does not obviate the need for further isolation downstream.  You’ll still need to deal with noise from the router, etc.  We switched from Fios (fiber) to T-Mobile because the former was way too expensive and the latter was offering 1-gig speed for only $50/month and we’ve been very happy and don’t miss Fios one bit.  FWIW. 

OP:

You can’t really get surges over fiber. What can happen though is that they will run fiber to a box OUTSIDE your house, and then transition to Ethernet from outside to inside, and that’s a potential surge source through EM coupling. That coupling is worse the longer the Ethernet cable is. If you have a 5’ run that’s probably OK, but if it’s 20’ or longer it may be worth having an Ethernet isolator.

From what I have read, but now can’t find, the latest thinking on surge protection for Ethernet is to isolate, not ground, surges. The research on Ethernet protection I read is saying that if you ground a surge inside a building (via a MOVs or gas discharge tubes) you actually cause more damage by creating an easy path for high current, and when that lightning flows things melt, including wires and gear on the other end of the "protection." Some research even points to systems that might otherwise survive instead  fail specifically because of Ethernet surge protectors creating a ground path. Because of this, inside a building you want to avoid any Ethernet surge protection which provides a ground path on surge.  Do your grounding outside.

To reduce the chance of lightning induced surges over Ethernet you want one of these instead:

or the significantly more expensive version from Trip Lite:

I have about 60-80' between my router and my entertainment system.  Plenty long to get an induced lightning surge with a little bad luck so I am using the cheap one there.

I should point out that there is also a potential surge path using F-E-F conversion, and that is through the power strip.

Imagine a surge enters your first F-E converter, that then travels to the power strip... :-)

So, nothing is perfect, and this scenario still requires a pretty large strike to bridge the Ethernet AND the power supply to damage elsewhere, but just saying...

Interesting. In my development it is all Fios. Even in ground.

@mlsstl - opps, you are correct, I have the up & downloads speeds reversed! 

@soix - OK, that makes sense to me.

@erik_squires - Thanks for the links to the isolators. My router/modem are a single unit and will be on the same shelf as my audio equipment. I'll purchase one and put it on the line between my router and my streamer.  

FYI, I use Frontier’s FIOS Internet in SW Florida. I have been a customer for 15 years.  Great service.  Signed up for their new plan 500Mbps up/500Mbps down.  $44.99 a month using autopay.  No contract or installation fees.  

@sfseay - I renewed with Comcast for another year. I think I'll wait for some feedback from others who sign up with Ziply, but thanks for your feedback.

Ziply Fiber is a relatively new internet provider that aims to bring fiber optic connectivity to your area. While I cannot provide personal experiences with their service, fiber optic internet is generally known for its fast and reliable speeds. If you're currently with Comcast, which offers 100 Mbps upload and 5 Mbps download at $58 a month, switching to fiber optic internet could potentially provide a significant upgrade in both upload and download speeds. As for the need for fiber Optic media converters (FOMC), fiber optic internet already provides galvanic isolation, eliminating the requirement for additional equipment.

To determine the best plan/speed for streaming music, I recommend reviewing Ziply Fiber's offerings and selecting a plan that aligns with your desired usage and budget.

@versitron - my mailbox at home is flooded with your promotional material and now I'm getting it on my Agon thread. I'll pass thanks!