With power surges and lightning strikes becoming an all-too-familiar threat to South African infrastructure, Duxbury Networking is calling on local installers and network integrators to follow proper grounding protocols. Recent field diagnostics from DuxNet, Duxbury’s in-house networking brand, have revealed that many switch failures stem from incorrect grounding during installation, leading to avoidable equipment damage and costly downtime.
According to Tobie van Schalkwyk, Business Unit Manager at Duxbury Networking, a significant number of switch failures reported in the field are directly linked to improper or missing grounding.
“We’ve analysed numerous returns and found a recurring issue. Switches, especially those with POE, are being damaged not by manufacturing defects, but by improper or non-existent grounding in the field,” explains Van Schalkwyk. “The surge protection built into our switches is highly effective, but it simply can’t operate unless the switch and rack are properly earthed.”
This is particularly relevant in regions like Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, where seasonal thunderstorms and fluctuating grid stability increase the risk of surge-related damage to connected devices.
The warning forms part of Duxbury’s newly launched DuxNet Best Practice series, an educational campaign aimed at helping South African installers avoid common pitfalls during set-up and maintenance of networking equipment.
Surge interference a silent killer
In recent diagnostics, Duxbury’s technical team discovered that ungrounded switches are particularly vulnerable to damage during thunderstorms, power outages or when deployed alongside outdoor cabling and high-voltage equipment. Damaged POE chips, port failure and network downtime are the common outcomes – all of which can be easily prevented with a grounding wire and proper procedure.
To support this initiative, DuxNet switches will soon include a grounding cable as standard, reinforcing the company’s commitment to proactive support rather than reactive repairs.
“We’ve made it non-negotiable. It’s a simple step that dramatically increases hardware resilience and protects our customers from avoidable downtime.”
Raising the bar on installation standards
As part of its DuxNet Best Practice campaign, Duxbury is encouraging installers to take simple but essential steps: always use the grounding screw and cable when installing a switch, ensure both the rack and switch are properly earthed, and adhere to surge protection best practices – especially for outdoor or high-risk sites.
“Our role as a distributor is not just to deliver products but to empower our partners with the knowledge they need to deploy them properly. That’s the difference we’re focused on in 2025.”
For more information, contact Duxbury Networking at (+27) 011 351 9800, info@duxnet.co.za or visit www.duxbury.co.za.
Share
Duxbury Networking
Since its formation in 1984 by CEO, Graham Duxbury, Duxbury Networking has embraced ongoing technological changes within the ICT sector in order to provide its customers with access to the latest trends and solutions. Satisfying the evolving and diverse needs of its customer base is achieved through an emphasis on sourcing cost-effective, high-quality products from carefully selected local and international vendors. Aligned with this is the provision of uncompromising technical support, which is possible due to an extensive investment in the training and upskilling of its team. The company is driven to take an active role in reshaping and redefining the South African digital landscape in its mission to help its customers build a network that will support current and future technologies.