Steve, the best thing I ever did was move to a mesh system for our "hard to wireless" property. It replaced multiple traditional access points and I haven't looked back. Coverage is consistent across all the living space and my shop now. So you have an idea about the "hard to wireless", every one of the nodes has to be hard wire Ethernet back to the main switch and I had to use three nodes to cover the 4200 sq ft of our home plus one for the shop. Limestone and other building materials can really wreak havoc with wireless transmission! I happen to be using Velops for my mesh, but there are a number of great choices.
Robert, while the fiber itself isn't normally susceptible to "electrical damage" from a lightning strike. the stuff connected on either end to the copper infrastructure certainly could be...on that end.