Network cable tester

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rayonline

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#248826 11-Apr-2019 17:12

Hi all

I have one of the testers. This is a cable that goes from the cupboard (network switch) to one of the bedrooms. I plug on of the tester unit to the cable in the bedroom and the other unit to the cupboard cable. The bedroom blinks lights 1 to 8 no problem. The one in the cupboard 1 and 2 blinks together. Does this mean the cable in the cupboard needs to be re-crimped?

Cheers.

toejam316

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#2215208 11-Apr-2019 18:49

If you've got 1-2 blinking at the same time, it sounds like they're shorted together somewhere along the way. Could be a rat has chewed your cable, could be someone got a bit keen with the blade when they cut the sheath off and exposed conductors which are now touching (maybe moisture), could be a myriad of things. If you're confident with crimping the end, recrimp the cupboard end, retest, and then if that doesn't work recrimp the bedroom end and retest. Do you only get 1 and 2 lighting up simultaneously and no other lights? If so, could be something else afoot, too. Maybe take some photos and post 'em here for people to take a squizz at.

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rayonline

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#2215289 11-Apr-2019 21:34

Pin 3 and onwards are fine. Pin 1 and 2 light up together. Only happens on the tester with the cupboard, the bedroom end looks fine - pin 1 to 8 lights up independently.

sbiddle

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#2215293 11-Apr-2019 21:40

Assuming it's just one of the cheap testers it could actually mean *anything*.

These testers are incredibly basic, and are no good for fault diagnosis - basically you'll either get lights for each (and you do need to check each end as well to make sure they're in sequence) or you'll get faults..

rayonline

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#2215299 11-Apr-2019 21:49

It is a cheap tester. I just checked it again. Pin 1 and 2 lights up together. It does this on the smaller (remote) unit, not with the larger unit with the battery compartment. Before I put the small unit in the cupboard and pin 1 and 2 lights up together. Now, I put the smaller unit in the bedroom side and pin 1 and 2 lights up together. The larger unit looks fine.

I have a 2nd RJ45 port in my room that is working. The LED lights up correct at both ends ...

mdf

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#2215479 12-Apr-2019 08:04

I've got a basic cable tester that sounds like your one. The larger unit on mine is the sender. It will light up the pins (i.e. send a signal or complete a circuit) in order regardless of whether the cable in it is wired up correctly or not (or if there is any cable in it at all). If the receiver end isn't lighting up in that same order you've got a problem somewhere. As outlined above, could be a bad crimp at one end or the other, irrespective of which end the receiver is at. Or an issue along the length of the cable.

sbiddle

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#2215482 12-Apr-2019 08:15

As mentioned the problem with a cheap tester is that they're no good for diagnostics. If a cable is good you'll get the LEDs lighting up and all is good.

If they detect a fault they're worthless other than showing you that yes a fault does exist - it may or may not be on the pair it indicates.

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mdf

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#2215490 12-Apr-2019 08:37

sbiddle:
As mentioned the problem with a cheap tester is that they're no good for diagnostics. If a cable is good you'll get the LEDs lighting up and all is good.

If they detect a fault they're worthless other than showing you that yes a fault does exist - it may or may not be on the pair it indicates.

Any recommendations as to a more fully featured unit, particularly for home/occasional use? Can you get something okay for <$100, or are they really only something a professional is likely to be able to justify?

sbiddle

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#2215512 12-Apr-2019 09:09

mdf:
sbiddle:

As mentioned the problem with a cheap tester is that they're no good for diagnostics. If a cable is good you'll get the LEDs lighting up and all is good.

If they detect a fault they're worthless other than showing you that yes a fault does exist - it may or may not be on the pair it indicates.

Any recommendations as to a more fully featured unit, particularly for home/occasional use? Can you get something okay for <$100, or are they really only something a professional is likely to be able to justify?

Search for NF8108-M testers on your favourite site. These are a really good unit that also have multiple endpoints and unlike the cheap ones don't require looking at each end of the tester to verify the cable (since with a cheap one you can get different light sequences at each end). They can't verify a cable or anything that more expensive units can, but IMHO for the price they're a fantastic unit.

You can get these for as little as US$30 or so last time I looked.