[bityard]

Yep. Direct-burial ethernet is surprisingly vulnerable to nearby lightning strikes. It's not a matter of IF the cable or devices get damaged, it's a matter of when. Nearby (not even direct) lightning induces ground voltage potentials between buildings to the tune of hundreds of volts or more.

[c0nsumer]

Do you have experience or information on direct burial ethernet for something like a POE camera? I'd like to put one on the back fence to watch the back of the house and yard. Direct burial in the back yard would be a plenty easy thing to do, but the cable is pricey enough that I've held off for now.

[LgWoodenBadger]

Whatever you do make sure you put a fiber media converter between the “ethernet” cable and your network to prevent your entire network getting fried.