Author: Baron Miller

Net Chaser™ vs CableIQ

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Net Chaser vs CableIQ

Comparing product features, it comes down to this: a worker’s everyday results define the value of a tool. This first look at two leading cable test units goes beyond point-by-point comparison charts looking at the device features in the field. A fundamental difference: Net Chaser has a bright color display and and a tree of options with touch screen selection. The CableIQ has a monochrome display and scrolling menus.

What really matters, though, is whether they both can get the job done, over and over, and give results that help ensure quality cable installations and network performance. Here is a differential comparison of the devices, as seen from an installer’s perspective. We’ll start with displays:

  • Net Chaser – Color LCD, direct touch menu. Intuitive, requires understanding of testing for quickest use.
  • CableIQ – Monochrome LCD, scroll and select menu. May be easier to select options for those used to “drop down” lists.

Continuity and wiring

Critical features to ensure single-unit testing include cable short and open testing, distance to fault, cable length, miswires, reverses, split pairs, and wiring verification. Tone generation helps troubleshoot wiring by identifying pairs. With far-end test devices and single-ended testing, testers should be able to verify the performance of the installed cable as meeting or exceeding system design criteria.

  • Net Chaser — Tops at visualizing wiring, thanks to color display. Performs tests listed above.
  • CableIQ — Similar testing modes, with a more limited monochrome display for results.

Basic Cable Testing

Beyond basic continuity tests, tester should verify signaling characteristics of the cable, including Bit Error Rate (up to 1 Gbps), Signal to Noise Ratio, Delay Skew, and possibly some TDR features.

  • Net Chaser — Tests speed, error rate, Signal to Noise Ratio, and SKEW.
  • CableIQ — Slight advantage on crosstalk and impedance with selected limit-based testing.

Network Active Testing

Testing installed cabling can involve checking an operational network or simulating network traffic, and verifying that protocol features are correctly occurring using the data rate and protocol types for which the system was designed. DHCP, port scanning, ping and traceroute testing, and other IP protocol features should operate normally. Top testers should be ready to handle the transition to IPv6 as needed, and fully test PoE if implemented.

  • Net Chaser — Advantages in IPv6 testing (added 2016) and more complete PoE testing including PoE type and load testing for more real-world testing results. Can use static IP address to test without depending on DHCP server. Traceroute, CDP, and LLDP also assist with Network troubleshooting and identifying services such as VLAN and Port ID.
  • CableIQ — PoE presence detection only. Very limited in discovery protocols, traceroute, other higher OSI-layer protocols.

Automation Features

Data should be stored and transmitted to a PC from the device, or available on removable media for report generation and data analysis.

  • Net Chaser –Save and upload test data without the need for PC software; Save thousands of results on internal memory and external SD. Can be uploaded to PC for documentation.
  • CableIQ — Internal test data store and upload only.

Future-proofing

Test device companies should have an eye to future cable verification needs and use by international cabling teams, to prolong the useful life of test equipment and support global use.

  • Net Chaser — Most advanced display and input technology, also upgraded to IPv6 in 2016. Supports English plus “FIGS” European language group.
  • CableIQ — Cable electrical testing features may be helpful with new generations of cable construction. English-only.

Battery life

Testers should be operational for as long as needed.

  • Net Chaser — Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries with up to 8 hours of battery life per charge.
  • CableIQ — 4 AA alkaline batteries, 20 hours battery life. Will need to keep extra batteries on hand.

Comparison Chart

Net Chaser vs CableIQ Comparison Chart

Summary

While the CableIQ is a solid performer with a laboratory testing background, the Net Chaser more directly addresses the diagnostic needs of IT departments, and the high-volume testing requirements of cable installers.

Net Chaser vs Cable Certifier

The Best Keystone Jack Termination Technique to Prepare for Reliable Gigabit

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keystone termination jack
As a networking professional, you may be in charge of hundreds or thousands of Ethernet connections in offices, laboratories, factories, and other areas where user-accessible wiring is needed. No matter how Ethernet wiring fits into your role, keystone jack wiring needs to be something you can install and forget.

For a reliable network, you have to be certain of every connection you make. As a professional installer, you want terminating keystone jacks to be intuitive and easy, every time, on every job. As an IT professional, you want keystone termination to be simple and reliable even if you only do it as a repair job a few times a month.

Finding a Repeatable Technique

Using a punch down tool does require skill and a kit of tools to do the job right. Each connection is a result of setup and execution, with plenty of room for wiring errors from punching down and moving to the next wire eight times per jack. A steady hand is required, and if you aren’t carefully holding the keystone jack while punching down, you can end up with a wounded hand. If you happen to get a Split Pair or Reversal, you need to strip down to fresh wires and start over. For a routine job, it can be fairly tedious and error-prone.

After stripping category 6 cable, cutting the jacket, removing the pairs and cutting the spline, you may use something like a homemade jig that sort of holds the pairs in place while you punch them down. Be careful, though: for best network performance, you need to untwist only the bare minimum of wire, and you must make solid connections that are fully punched down, not just making electrical contact. Also, beware of using the wall as a backstop for your work, as you might leave little indentations that say “IT was here” near the wall plate.

Gigabit Reliability Concerns

As signaling techniques become more complicated and data pulses become shorter with higher speeds, the risk of external or even internal interference between wire pairs can cause significant data disruption and become more a major issue for network users. For some networks, the risk of signal “leaking,” is also an issue when the wire is exposed by improper wiring

Compared to previous Ethernet networks, gigabit networks start to get pretty fussy about good connections, twisted pairs integrity, proper shield ground connections and other parameters. This is especially true if you are running in electrically “noisy” environments such as around motors, electronic or hospital equipment, or other sources of interference. Gigabit networks make it trickier to find faults, so proper wiring is a good preventive measure. It’s clearly time to find a better, more “production quality” way to make your connections in a tightly controlled, predictable way.

Efficient and Effective 8-in-1 “Press” Punchdown

The Xpress Jack™ Termination Tool is a hand tool which makes keystone jack connections reliable, as if you were working on an assembly line. You line up the wires for T568A or T568B configuration, squeeze the handles, and brush away the excess wire while you admire the eight connections. It’s an excellent answer to many of the common problems of Ethernet wiring. As a press, it avoids the need to push the punchdown tool with the jack against a wall or hand. It has comfortable handles to allow repetitive use. Quality all-at-once connections are repeatable and reliable. The Xpress Jack™ makes consistent wiring easy with a hand tool, and provides peace of mind by avoiding missed punch downs and marginal connections.

ezEX-rj45-demo-cta

Net Chaser vs Cable Certifiers

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The Gigabit Challenge is upon us. Customers want to know that their installations are going to hold up under gigabit data rates, meeting the needs of the latest data-hungry multimedia applications. They want their networks providing bandwidth for servers to keep teleconferencing, bulk data transfer, and other demanding applications running at full throttle.

Many customer applications will quickly reveal bandwidth problems through degraded video images, slow database response, and even manufacturing floor or distribution center problems. What installation customers want to see is evidence that they’re solid: they want documented tests that show that the cabling is properly installed and performance characteristics are as expected but more than that, they want to know that the cabling is proven.

Customers need to see that data flows over their network cable at gigabit speeds. They want to see that data performance using the more advanced gigabit signaling meets standards requirements, and real-world IP network activity is strong and reliable: packets are transiting with integrity, ping tests are strong, and retransmit times are at a minimum. Testing reports can show that the network is robust and ready before the customer switches to production and signs off on the network.

Watching the Build with Test Equipment

Teamwork between network construction and testing technicians is the best way to quickly build and test network cabling installations. Test techs use easy to operate and affordable testing instruments to verify that the build is making progress without wiring, error rate, or noise faults, and build techs quickly correct any problems that show up. Since end users now expect gigabit speeds from cable installs, cable installers need to actively test to that performance level as they build, and be aware of new problems which can occur. The higher data rates, increased noise susceptibility, and sensitivity to cable characteristics at higher speeds all present a learning curve for everyone during testing, and plenty of usable test data helps understand problems.

Gigabit-level services are rolling out in many systems to support data-hungry users. Tech-savvy customers will be aware if the quality of service (QoS) is degraded, and network techs will be quick to identify substandard cabling problems in their root cause analysis of customer issues. Confidence in cable installations comes from not from purely theoretical testing, but from putting the system to the test. Testing equipment which covers basic wiring faults, Bit Error Rate (BER), Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), and Delay Skew ensure that basic cable installation performance is able to support gigabit Ethernet.

Real-World Tests Prove the Network

The new signaling technologies that support high speed traffic are demanding, and there’s only one way to know for sure that your network is robust: simulating active networking and data traffic at full speed builds confidence that the cable actually works. Testing technicians also need to check whether address resolution and data transfer in standard packet sizes works reliably, whether ping requests are consistently returned, and other IP protocol activity works as expected, locally and over network equipment. Other technologies such as PoE need to be verified as needed.

For 80-90 percent of customers, running basic cable quality and functional networking tests and presenting clear documentation is enough for signoff. For the remaining 10-20 percent of customers, full certification with detailed spectral analysis of the cable system is required for contractual reasons. Installers will need to use a more costly traditional certifier device, calibrated to laboratory standards at significant annual cost typically running over $1000, to meet these requirements.

Supporting installation teams, traditional certifier devices can be shared and used to guarantee the final product meets required specifications: the installation that has already been verified by teams using modern multifunction cable testing devices which cost much less than classic devices, and are focused on supporting cable build and debug with a full battery of basic and functional tests.

Support Teams with Available Test Equipment

At as much as one-fifth the cost of a laboratory maintained device, multifunction devices can be used to keep the build on track, generate data, watch for faults, and provide detailed reports that show thorough cable testing from wiring and electrical characteristics to performance at full gigabit speed. Full project or stage-based signoff is often easier when teams have easy access to these devices for acceptance testing as well as system construction.

The Net Chaser™ is a USA-made product designed for robust cable system testing to 802.3 standards. The Net Chaser™ is a practical solution when it’s time to complete the project by testing the gigabit performance of the cable system and the functionality of a network running on the installed cable and network equipment. Aimed at confidence and reliability, it provides specific tests rather than general “sweeps” of the cable, and reports whether the cable is up to the job, not whether it “theoretically” is.

Ethernet Speed Certification White Paper

How to Avoid Disconnection With an Ethernet Cable Lock

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Ethernet Cable Lock

How to avoid disconnection with an ethernet cable lock

Most networks become complex quickly. Some carry user traffic, others focus on high speed multimedia content, and many facilities access a significant amount of storage using NAS devices and other shared resources. When you’re diagnosing faults, watching for unauthorized access, and chasing intermittent problems, it can take both time and experience. If you have automated network monitoring such as Nagios, connection and device issues from unsecured cables can generate a lot of trouble tickets!

It Comes Down to a Piece of Plastic

RJ45 type connectors are convenient and effective for quickly building out networks and populating subnets for new departments, labs, classrooms or special purposes. They connect Wi-Fi access points, and of course are essential for the complex connections of server farm networking.

The real trouble for networks begins after the initial install and test. Connections become loose from repeated servicing, device replacement, or even testing. Incomplete connector insertions, worn connectors, and cable strain degrade network reliability. Chasing down network device problems can become frustrating and time consuming, all because of a piece of plastic which makes easy connections, but wears out over time.

The Weakest Link

Physical access to the network is one of the highest security risks. When an intruder is able to disconnect an Ethernet cable and attach his own device, he can not only actively access the network, he can quietly collect private data by passively monitoring it. Proper configuration of the network can limit this risk, but unauthorized access to the right subnet can be disastrous. Locking doors can help prevent exploitation of network resources, but securing physical connections helps even more.

Users Need to Rely on Services

Whether your devices are ATMs, classroom computers, telepresence systems or basic desktop PCs, your users need to know that they are reliable. Keeping network connections solid lets users perform transactions, teach students, hold conferences or check email without incident.

Key Resources Need Near-Perfect Availability

IP security cameras and recording devices can be essential in solving or preventing criminal activity. Downtime isn’t acceptable. Network connections need to be secure. It’s essential that your Ethernet connections for these devices don’t get loose and aren’t tampered with. Fingerprint scanners, access control equipment, and other essential security tools need to be online and ready.

You know that physical network connection problems and disruptions for key resources are unacceptable. Highly visible resources such as essential database access, redundant systems, mission control and broadcast studio networks and other high availability systems have little room for error, especially from physical connections, and can cause big headaches for you in IT if problems occur.

Physical Strain Relief Prevents Accidents

An important answer for reliability in Ethernet connections is making the physical connection as solid and strain-free as possible. An Ethernet cable lock provides strain relief and prevents problems when you move devices. Secured connectors prevent cable disconnection from racked or desktop equipment when the equipment is moved. You won’t have to go into the server room to find the cable that got loose, or find a ladder and reconnect a loose cable after changing a projector bulb and reinstalling the unit. You also prevent unauthorized disconnection of the cable, preventing wear and tear as well as access issues.

Professional Locks Keep Connections Secure

You can lock connections and avoid wear, unauthorized access, and accidental disconnection. Color coded strain reliefs with locks can be used to code connection types from access points to backbone connections, helping techs to take care when they unlock and disconnect. The Platinum Tools EZ-Datalock™ strain reliefs with locking pins and removal keys work with RJ45 and EZ-RJ45 connectors, and have the necessary certifications for use in most data centers. There are two types available: The  100041 Series for EZ-RJ45® Cat5e ONLY and 100042 Series for Standard RJ45 and EZ-RJ45® Cat6.

Ethernet Cable Lock

How to deliver professional cable and network testing documentation

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How to deliver professional cable and network testing documentation

Professional cable installers want to exhibit the highest level of quality and standards in offering services to the customer. In doing so, maintaining proper documentation is best business practice that can pay off both during the job and after it’s completion.

  • Makes sure the job is done right
  • No aspect is omitted
  • Provide the customer with printable documentation

Keeping detailed documentation ensures that the job is done right and that no aspect of the service installation is omitted. Documentation identifies each step of the entire installation project for both managers and clients. Documentation can be customized according to the site specifications and the type of installation being performed.

The Testing Process

Providing the customer with detailed documentation is a sign of a quality and professional install.  It demonstrates attention to detail and thoroughness which is the hallmark of a job well-done. Besides, modern handheld devices and software make it both quick and easy to record and report on the different facets of the installation, and they make it easy to print specifications when needed.

It is essential that results of each test be recorded as soon as the test is performed — avoiding loss of data and ensuring the results are included in the final report. Additionally, it is of the imperative to upload to your computer software all the data and readings that were taken during the testing process so that this information can be used to populate your report.

The Final Report

When the installation is complete and all the testing data from the installation has been uploaded from your test equipment to your computer, you can compile the final report.  Your cable test report will be organized in a logical user friendly format.

It is up to you to decide which values are relevant based on who the report is being distributed to. For example, a report that is sent to a non-technical client would be different from one that sent to an engineering firm or your main office.

It is recommended that detailed results be included in the final reports.  This detail can aid in future troubleshooting as well as satisfying the warranty requirement for some manufacturers.

Correct Labeling

Professional installers understand that detailed labeling is essential and it should map directly to your documentation. Remember…good documentation and cable labeling go hand in hand.

Each work area outlet is commonly labeled with the floor, room, patch panel and the port where it originates. If documentation or cable labeling is not provided, then a proper installation has not been completed.

Proof In The Reporting

Accurate reporting and labeling provides a means for quantifying the installation and documenting that it was done correctly. Furthermore, it provides an overview of the entire process that can be very useful in the future for troubleshooting problems, choosing upgrades, moving devices and/or adding or making hardware changes to the installation.

Handheld testing devices such as the Cable Prowler™, Net Prowler™ or Net Chaser™ which are used to troubleshoot signal, connectivity, and cabling issues, offer several printing options that can be presented to the client based on their needs.  Cable installers often bring portable printers allowing them to immediately print and provide the final report prior to leaving the job — further improving customer satisfaction.

Platinum Tool’s Cable Prowler, Net Prowler and Net Chaser™ handheld testing devices generate concise and informative deliverable reports that list all of the technical specifications that technology personnel and management would need for strategic planning and maintenance. The reports are easily customizable with your company logo and contact information giving your reports a professional look and feel.

Cable Network Tester Documentation

Can My Network Cable Handle 1Gb Speed?

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can my network cable handle 1gb speed?

The increased use of cloud computing and cloud storage has demonstrated the inadequacies of many internet connections. Even within large organizations, LAN bandwidth is often nowhere near the theoretical capability of the connection.

Two primary reasons:

  • The network cable can’t handle the required data transmission rate
  • The equipment is not rated for 1 Gbps network speed

So how do you find out if your network cable can handle 1 Gbps speed?

What is 1Gb?

It’s important to clarify what 1 Gb speed really means. 1 Gb speed is the transmission of 1 gigabit of information per second. The correct terminology is 1 Gbps or 1,000 Mbps.  Mbps stands for megabits per second and should not be confused with megabytes per second (MB/s). Confusion exists because the earliest computers were only capable of transmitting 8 bits at a time, the transmission was called 1 byte, thus 1 byte represents 8 bits.

Cable Requirements

An 8 core cable with 4 twisted pairs is required to transmit 1 Gbps. Two pairs are used to transmit the signal and two to receive. The cables are fitted with RJ45 connectors.  The pairs must be connected in accordance with either the T568A or T568B standard, although most installations use T568B.

In order to reduce the amount of crosstalk between adjacent pairs, each pair has a different number of twists per inch. Apart from that, it’s essential to use good quality cable that complies with industry standards.

Although not originally intended for 1Gb Ethernet, Cat 5 cable does usually perform well enough for 1 Gbps operation. Also note that some Cat 5 cables have only 4 wires (2 pairs).

A better to use Cat 5e cable, which is specifically designed for high-speed Ethernet, or Cat 6 cable.  Careful attention must be paid to ensure there are no split pairs, that all connections are to specification, and that the cable is not kinked. It’s also essential that the length of each patch cable doesn’t exceed 100 meters (328 feet).

Equipment Capabilities

A network will only be as fast as the slowest link in the circuit, so it’s necessary to verify the network capability of each item. Older equipment, rated for 100 Mbps operation will not be suitable for 1 Gbps. Some types of equipment require the use of special gigabit ports. In other situations you need to ensure the equipment is configured for 1 Gbps operation.

It should be noted that most switches and routers will automatically downgrade the connection speed if the equipment detects any incompatibility. Therefore, it is important to verify the actual link speed.

Verification Using the Net Chaser Network Tester

Prior to installing a 1 Gb LAN network, check each component to make sure its 1 Gb compatible. Visually undetectable issue could downgrade the network. For this reason, technicians working on 1 Gb Internet and Ethernet circuits should always use a suitable digital network tester. Every technician working on 1Gb internet, ethernet circuits need a suitable digital network tester. The Net Chaser™ is the solution to the 1 Gb testing issues.

The Net Chaser™ has the ability to verify the length of each network cable and identify cable faults and limitations that interfere with network capabilities including split pairs, shorts and open circuits. Additional features include network pinging, DHCP, VLAN, link light identification to verify to which ports cables are connected, and the measurement of PoE and more. The Net Chaser™ can also measure the Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Delay Skew as well as a 1 Gbps Bit-Error-Rate Test to help identify reasons for poor network capability.

 

Ethernet Speed Certification White Paper

How to Test a Dedicated Circuit

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how to test a dedicated circuit

What do you do when a circuit breaker continues to trip, but you can’t find anything wrong? Most people simply replace the circuit breaker on the assumption it’s faulty.

Intermittent circuit breaker tripping may happen due to a wiring problem, and if you don’t fix it, could lead to a destructive event. Until now the only way to determine the fault was to carefully check all wiring circuits; a tedious and potentially expensive route. Now we have a better, more cost efficient method…. A new instrument which uses the same technology as professional cable fault location equipment can quickly pinpoint potentially dangerous wiring problems.

Intermittent Wiring Faults and Their Dangers

Over a period of time, domestic wiring insulation may deteriorate, especially when wiring is accidentally damaged, stressed, or overheated. Under such conditions, it’s possible the live and neutral wires will touch intermittently, causing an arc. Usually, this arc is of a short duration and no harm is done. But, if not rectified, the potential is there for a sustained arc that will ignite flammable material around the wire.

If an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker has been installed and the arc is sustained, the circuit breaker will trip. The AFCI disconnects circuits the moment an arc is detected.

Finding the Fault

Finding the fault is difficult, because arcing cannot be found using conventional offline testers. Arcing occurs intermittently only when the circuit is energized. Usually, an electrician starts by replacing the circuit breaker. When that doesn’t solve the problem, the wiring circuit is carefully traced for signs of damage. This can be a lengthy process. There is no easy way of identifying the location of the fault, so every joint, socket, and cable have to be checked until the fault is found.

Fault Trapper™

To solve this problem, Platinum Tools has introduced the Fault Trapper which stops the guesswork. This device uses Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry (SSTDR) to continuously monitor an energized dedicated circuit and captures the distinctive noise caused by short-duration arcs. Besides the ability to identify dangerous arcs, the instrument has the capability to measure the distance to the fault as well as to log the time an incident occurred. Fault Trapper can identify arc faults caused by a short or as a result of a loose connection.

To perform a test, a special line adapter is installed by a qualified technician in the affected dedicated circuit just beyond the circuit breaker. This adapter is rated for 40 Amps and 300 Volts, and it can be used on all domestic dedicated circuits. The adapter is connected by test leads to the Fault Trapper main unit (control unit) which displays the results on an LCD screen. The unit stores a maximum of two separate faults – the time since the faults occurred and the approximate distance to the fault. It’s important to note that the Fault Trapper only works on a single dedicated circuit and is inserted in the circuit after the circuit breaker.

Save Money and Speed Up Fault Finding With Fault Trapper

Fault Trapper is quickly becoming an indispensable tool for electricians as they struggle to cope with the increased numbers of callouts since AFCI breakers became commonplace. Its ability to monitor energized dedicated circuits means that it’s the ideal tool to catch intermittent, short-duration arc faults, and to give an indication of the distance to the fault. No other tester has this capability.
Fault Trapper’s unique ability to identify an intermittent fault on a dedicated circuit means electricians can first check the circuit, find out what’s wrong, and diagnose if the circuit breaker has failed or if there is an intermittent arc fault. Not only does this save time and money, but it builds customer trust and avoids the embarrassment of replacing a healthy circuit breaker only to discover there is a wiring fault.

check-the-circuit-find-the-fault-cta

It’s Not Your Fault… but You Have to Find it!

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The bane of every electricians’ existence is the “No Fault Found” scenario: the condition where a circuit breaker will trip without warning and regardless of what you’ve tried, it keeps tripping. You hope when you got the call, that it would be a cake walk; an overloaded circuit, maybe a bad breaker but a day passes, two days… a week later after repeating your troubleshooting routine multiple times, you give up and tell your customer that you have to rewire the entire circuit because there was, “No Fault Found.”…Click to continue reading