• Duxbury Networking urges installers to follow the correct grounding and safety protocols when installing switches.
• Incorrect grounding can lead to damage caused by surges, especially during thunderstorms or if the grid is unstable.
• Duxbury will soon include grounding cables in its DuxNet switches.

Technical services provider Duxbury Networking has called on local installers and network integrations to properly ground installations.

Grounding or earthing is an important aspect of infrastructure installation as it assists in preventing fires, shocks and, most importantly, damage to equipment. Duxbury Networking says that it has noted an increase in switch and rack failures caused by improper grounding during installation.

“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 Tobie van Schalkwyk, business unit manager at Duxbury Networking. “The surge protection built into our switches is highly effective, but it simply can’t operate unless the switch and rack are properly earthed.”

Grounding is of particular importance in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, where seasonal thunderstorms can cause power surges, damaging devices. Beyond the weather, grid instability can also cause problems for digital equipment.

Not only is damaged equipment a headache to replace, but the downtime can also be especially costly for business owners. This can be easily avoided by following the correct procedures.

Duxbury Networking’s brand, DuxNet, will soon include a grounding cable in the box as a standard feature. The company says this reinforces its position on increasing hardware resilience in an effort to reduce downtime for businesses.

To further this cause, Duxbury Networking launched its educational campaign DuxNet Best Practice, which aims to assist installers by helping them avoid common mistakes during installation and maintenance.

“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,” says van Schalkwyk.

With Winter approaching, the northern provinces of South Africa tend to dry out, resulting in lower humidity and a greater risk of generating static electricity discharges.

If you are working on or with sensitive electronics, properly grounding yourself and your equipment is very important. Pay close attention to the clothes you wear to avoid static build up, and if you are charged up, discharge yourself by placing the back of your hand against a metal door frame, tap or other metal embedded into the ground.