Cable testers 2

[mikeydidit]

Good afternoon all. I am looking for some advice on cable testers. I would like something "somewhat" high end. I priced the OMNI scanner 2 yesterday afternoon @ $5100.. That’s crazy. Can someone offer a more affordable solution??

Thanks in advance.


Mikey

 

[DTSMAN]

Try thread 575-530290.

(450,350,'

http://www.tipmaster.com/includes/refinfo.cfm?w=450&h=350')

 

[JBeav]

Mikey,

If you want "somewhat" high-end, your gonna pay at least $5000.00. High-end being a "certification" scanner, is what is required if you intend to have a standards-based installation. If you want a lower-end "verification" tool, you might look at something like the Fluke Microscanner Pro which cost around $500.00 (kit). It has, among other features, a TDR function that will give cable length and distance to fault. It won't test for NEXT, RL etc., it won't store tests results and it won't offer the capability to use fiber modules, but it works well for basic troubleshooting.

Jeff

 

[daronwilson]

That test equipment is what you really need to show your customer they got what they paid for. If you install a Cat5e network, how the heck do you know it actually IS cat5e capable if you fail to test it?

Not much makes me smile more than meeting 'our computer guy' on the site and listening to him explain how he has changed the nic, reloaded the OS, tested all his stuff, etc. and it simply HAS to be a wiring problem. I carefully unpack my $5,000 Wirescope, show him how I test it, print him a report, and ask him how much his tester cost.

It is the price of doing this work correctly, you can shop ebay and maybe find a better price, but they just aren't cheap.

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[DTSMAN]

A couple of years ago we bought a used Fluke DSP-2000 for 3500 dollars. Does everything Daronwilson says a tester should do. I also say look on Ebay. But what I have learned is that as long as you use the proper hardware these devices pass them all the time. I tried failing a run in house by wrapping the run aroung a neon sign and around flouresent light fixture (I wrapped it around multiple times) and the tester still passed it. Now every cabler nows that these are two devices that can supposedly cause networking issues, and I have seen them do it. Just a tid bit of knowledge I've discovered, but still get one because it does seperate the proffesionals from the beginners and some customers expect it.

 

[DToolsDesigner]

A word of caution about thinking the test is a guarantee that it will work....

The test only shows it is capable of passing a signal, actually performing is another story depending on circumstances.

A tester doesn’t actually pass packets along the cable, the crosstalk issues that come into play during actual transmission can show something completely different.

Crosstalk can add to the packets in ways that only show up when the system, is being stressed with large amounts of data. The data packets are more susceptible to crosstalk than the signal a tester sends down the line.

I am not saying this to be the case 100% of the time, but I have seen many runs pass a Cat 5 test, which is all the 2000 does. It tests using the old TSB-67 tests, not TSB-95 or Cat 5e, which are much more stringent.

Just to clarify, I am NOT saying you shouldn't test and certify cable runs. You should be testing EVERY cable installed for a paying customer, we as professionals owe them that degree of professionalism.

Having test results also protects us, especially when it comes to Cat 5e and Cat 6. If you run tests, you would know EXACTLY where a problem is...at least run TDR on ALL installed cables.

By running at a MINIMUM a TDR on every cable, you can document length, then when you have problems like this, you run another TDR and compare, the difference is where your problem is... Much quicker than all this speculation and as an added bonus, you get to look like a professional installer/technician to your client.

Well, I have exceeded my $0.02 worth....

 

[daronwilson]

I'll probably regret saying this, but there is a secret about the 'standards'. I too have done my own un-official tests. Wrapped the wire around the fixtures, hung a 60 pound weight on the cable, coiled it in tight little coils, stepped on it, etc. The testing AND the installation standards are there to give you a usable solution with defined headroom. IMHO we had lots of headroom in Cat5 days, not even too bad on Cat5e, but from my experience with Cat6....better be carefull and do it right or it just won't pass.

Can you pull like heck on the wire and still make it pass? Often you can. Can you lay it across luminaires (hardly ever get to use the new NEC word for light fixtures) and still get it to pass? Sure, many times you can. What we are trying to do with the standards and installation practices is provide guidance for an installation that will pass EVERY time with headroom so that as the installation or surrounding deteriorates, your network does not.

The point is you don't want to teach anyone to do this, but you should know in your mind that there is a fair amount of headroom built in to the system, and a reason for it. The tester will provide you with a yes or no answer regarding compliance with whatever standard you are testing to. Additionally, if you look at the standards, you can find what the minimum (or maximum) value is for each test. By finding the difference in the standard minimum (or maximum) and your reading, you can determine the 'headroom' or extra space you have for error or change.

In short....get a good tester, keep it in current calibration, and use it to make sure that your solution is installed to meet standards. As Richard pointed out this network certification only proves that your installation is standards compliant. The customer makes the choice how they load it and what they run on it. As we say in the phone business "it looks good leaving here".

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[mikeydidit]

Thanks for all the replies guy's. I do find it somewhat strange that testers go from the $300.00 to $550.00 range and then to $5000.00. It would seem to me take someone would make soemthing in the mid priced range. But then again. I am just a phone man, what do I know....

Thanks again.


Mikey

 

[PhoneGuy2000]

You can actually find some of these tester on Ebay for around 2000 - 2500. Also, before selecting your scanner, call each one of their support lines and price repair and or recalibration. they vary considerably and some (wirescope) charge a flat rate for repairs even if it is minor.