| When everything works correctly, according to IEEE
standards, there should be no voltage difference between the networking media and the
chassis of a networking device. This is because the standards separate LAN media
connections from power connections. However, things don't always work as planned. For
example, if there were a faulty ground wire connection to an outlet, there would be
potentially fatal voltages between the LAN's UTP cabling and the chassis of a networking
device. To understand the potential consequences of
such a situation, imagine what would happen if you were to place your hand on the
computer's case, while simultaneously touching an Ethernet connector. By
touching both the computer's case and the Ethernet connector, your
body, acting as a closed circuit, would allow electrons to flow from
the negative source to the positive source. As a result, you could
receive a painful shock. |