The Best Network Cable Testers

Network cable tester:

A network cable tester is a revolutionary device specifically made for testing the capability and reliability of cable connections. Thus, this gadget is a must for network technicians, network testers, cable verification testers, and other related work fields. 

Whether installing new cable, or troubleshooting existing cable, ethernet network cable testing plays an important role in the process. Common network tests for datacom cabling include length, wiremap, attenuation, NEXT, DC loop resistance, and return loss. 

As networks evolve, so do the requirements of the cabling infrastructure to support them. New network cabling standards are continuously being developed to provide guidelines for cabling professionals when installing, testing, troubleshooting, and certifying either copper and fiber cable network. Whether it's 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX or 1000BASE-T, there are specific requirements and potential pitfalls in implementing these technologies. With 10GBASE-T, it becomes even more critical to keep current with the latest proliferations in ethernet cabling and network cable testing.

Network cable testing ensures that the established cabling links have the necessary transmission capacity to provide the data connectivity that the users require.

Network Cable Testers: What Are They and How Do They Work?

For specific field operations, network cable test equipment are designed with a number of targeted characteristics. Price, performance, and application all differ. The field test instrument can be divided into one of three hierarchical groupings, depending on the purpose it performs: certification, qualification, or verification. While certain features are shared by all test tools, each group addresses a distinct network testing requirement and offers a different level of operational assurance. Tone and probe kits are another testing option for troubleshooting established cabling systems.

Network Cable Testing Levels

Cable Certification Testers - ensures that cabling systems meet industry requirements.

The only tools that deliver "Pass" or "Fail" information in compliance with industry standards are certification instruments.  In international markets, the Electro-technical commission of the International Organization for Standards (ISO/IEC) creates and maintains standards for telecommunication cabling.

Certification test tools evaluate whether a connection complies with a Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) or ISO category or class, such as category 6 or class E. These standards aren't tied to any particular network technology. This makes them more "future proof," because new network technologies may arise that are based on these standards and, as a result, will be supported by certified installed cabling. Many structured cabling manufacturers need cable certification as the final step before issuing warranties for new cabling installations. For expert data communication installers and LAN network infrastructure staffs, the DSX CableAnalyzer™ Series has become the market's leading network certification tester.

Cable Qualification Testers – determines if an existing cabling link can support certain network speeds and technologies.

Network professionals that don't install new cable but need to troubleshoot running networks might use qualification testers. Qualification testers determine if an existing cable link can meet "Fast Ethernet" (100BASE-TX), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), or Gigabit Ethernet needs. Furthermore, these test tools enable network technicians to easily distinguish cabling issues from network protocol or addressing issues. Qualification test tools, such as  CableIQ™ Qualification Tester, have all of the features of verification test tools, but they go one step further by assessing cabling capacity and identifying flaws that impair bandwidth. To be termed a "certification tool," qualification testers do not perform the battery of tests required by the standards.

Cable Verification Testers – verifies that cable is connected correctly

Verification test tools ensure that all wires in a cable link are connected to the right termination points and not to any other conductors by performing simple continuity tests. It's vital to keep the wires properly paired in twisted pair wiring. Wire pairing is additionally verified with better verification test tools, and installation issues such as "split pairs" are detected. Verification test tools can also help with troubleshooting by providing a toner that can be used to locate a cabling link. Additional capabilities, like as a Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR), are frequently included in verification tools to calculate the length of a cable or the distance to a break or short circuit. These tools don't give you any information on bandwidth or appropriateness for high-speed data transmission.

 

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