Looking for good network cable tester

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Looking for good network cable tester

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek

#189073 16-Dec-2015 10:15

Part of my job involves installing networked IT equipment into customer's premises.

Occasionally we have faults that are eventually tracked down to bad wiring on-prem, fault network cables or switches.

What tool(s) can I use to check network wall sockets, cables and ideally switches as part of install.

Our application doesn't require massive bandwidth, mostly transferring small files via SMB etc.

Ian71

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1451557 16-Dec-2015 13:32

Hi Ken
Have sent you a PM.

Ian

networkn

Networkn
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#1451565 16-Dec-2015 13:38

I'd also be interested.

lxsw20

3552 posts

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#1451579 16-Dec-2015 13:47

Network Cable tester. Won't test a switch obviously. I'd use a laptop and a 1m patch cable for that. Also it depends on the switch, it may be VLAN'd off or something and more a configuration issue than a fault, not easy to test for that without having access to the switch config.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/other/auction-998040378.htm

You can pay silly money for one if you like, Fluke do a range of them.

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1452045 17-Dec-2015 08:18

lxsw20: Network Cable tester. Won't test a switch obviously. I'd use a laptop and a 1m patch cable for that. Also it depends on the switch, it may be VLAN'd off or something and more a configuration issue than a fault, not easy to test for that without having access to the switch config.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/computers/networking-modems/other/auction-998040378.htm

You can pay silly money for one if you like, Fluke do a range of them.

It appears most of the cheap network cable tester will only tell you if the cable's wired correctly, not the quality of the wiring.

To clarify the problems we face aren't immediately apparent. We only find out after disconnection errors start occurring perhaps a couple days / weeks down the track that we have a dodgy wall jack etc.

CYaBro

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#1452067 17-Dec-2015 08:47

We find issues caused by dodgy wall jacks is because someone has smacked/crunched the network cable sticking out, either by pushing something right up against the wall or it getting hit by the vacuum cleaner.
Can't test for that before it happens. :)

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

Mattmannz

471 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1452070 17-Dec-2015 08:51

I always recommend that clients put in "smart" or "manageable" switches as these will give you a good indication of cabling problems by looking at the interface stats.

The basic cable testers will tell you things like wiring, cable length and other basic stats but won't tell you things like cross talk, interference or impedence. You need a good quality scope for things like that which are $$$.

I generally contract a cabling company for work like this - they have the test tools and ability to rectify issues.

Matt.