Should I be using a surge protector to protect my MacPro's ethernet?

[AppleWorking]

I have a DSL modem with the power adapter for the modem plugged into a surge protector. The phone line going into the modem is not surge protected. (I don't really care about the modem because it's a cheap piece of equipment that came with my internet service.) The thing is, I don't use the wireless function of the modem, but I use a ethernet cable from the modem directly to my MacPro. Should I be running this ethernet cable through a surge protector first, and then plugging it into my MacPro? It just dawned on me that I wasn't doing this. And I was wondering if my motherboard or something could get fried in an electrical storm if I don't do this? I would hate for something like this to happen to my precious.

 

[flatfoot]

The ethernet port of my father's eMac was shot this way a few years ago.
It only affected the ethernet chip and nothing else but I guess he was just lucky.

So yes, it is a good idea to use a surge protector.

 

[wpc33]

Funny, I had never heard of a surge protector for ethernet. I recall seeing one including coaxial cable, but laughed it off, as it came standard on a "Monster" SP my friend bought, and I figured it was marketing.

 

[Tesselator]

If you get lightning storms in your area and you like your mac then this is a very good idea. Lightning/electrical surges enter people's homes over the phone lines (and I guess cable) in a damaging way, more than by any other means.