Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations strongm on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Fluke Microscanner Pro or NOT 2
- Thread starter irzyxel
- Start date
-
1
- Thread starter
- #3
im starting to think a linkrunner kit is what i want ...
we install local network from 3 to 50 stations and those little $50 manual testers are a pest.
what i want is to test for cabling errors, broken wires and if i can afford it quality of the line ...
we install local network from 3 to 50 stations and those little $50 manual testers are a pest.
what i want is to test for cabling errors, broken wires and if i can afford it quality of the line ...
- Thread starter
- #5
oh, you're in germany?!? well....... you know there are companies that rent them. you could see if they are selling any used ones. do a couple of searches about rentals and then contact them for sales. you can do that all online. also, like i said before maybe someone on this site or even reading this post may have one for sale. the reason i say to buy a used one is because you can get a $5k tester for alot less money and it would work the same
- Thread starter
- #7
i know, livingston is the biggest of them, but renting a fluke DSP 4000 (costs new ~5500 euro) for like 200 euro a week aint worth it.
eg a linkrunner kit costs like 1000 euro new
livingston is often selling their used tools, a dsp 4000 then runs for 2500 euro but you need to calibrate it, fluke wants another 400 euro for that
eg a linkrunner kit costs like 1000 euro new
livingston is often selling their used tools, a dsp 4000 then runs for 2500 euro but you need to calibrate it, fluke wants another 400 euro for that
-
1
- #8
I beg to differ, wires!
There is a similar cable tester from Greenlee/Textron and made by Progressive Electronics. It's called by a similar name too. It has all the same features as the Microscanner
except that it cannot measure cable runs under 50 feet accurately and the cost is much lower!
The reason for the price difference is that Microtest was bought out by Fluke a couple of years ago, and the price shot up almost immediately.
I've been using the Proscanner(?) for some time now, and it works very well.
There is a similar cable tester from Greenlee/Textron and made by Progressive Electronics. It's called by a similar name too. It has all the same features as the Microscanner
except that it cannot measure cable runs under 50 feet accurately and the cost is much lower!
The reason for the price difference is that Microtest was bought out by Fluke a couple of years ago, and the price shot up almost immediately.
I've been using the Proscanner(?) for some time now, and it works very well.
Test-Um has a new one out. It has TDR function, port flash, etc., just like the MicroScanner I currently have. It also has a built-in ping test. It comes w/ 6 remote ID ends, adapters, case, etc.
Kit is around $350 US MSRP. Beats the heck out of the MS Pro, price wise. They want another couple hundred on top of the tester for the 6 unit remote kit.
As far as the brand goes, I have a Test-Um butt set I got a few months ago. I love it. They pack a lot of features into their products for the price. mnmcomm
The best price is not always the best value
Kit is around $350 US MSRP. Beats the heck out of the MS Pro, price wise. They want another couple hundred on top of the tester for the 6 unit remote kit.
As far as the brand goes, I have a Test-Um butt set I got a few months ago. I love it. They pack a lot of features into their products for the price. mnmcomm
The best price is not always the best value
I like the test-um buttsets! However the LanRover Pro does not use TDR to determine cable lenght like the Microscanner.
Now the LanScaper appears to be a different sort of animal. Details are sketchy. "The LanScapertm Network Testing Kit will be available in early 2003!"
Do you actually have one?
The Proscanner from Progressive Electronics (home of the BEST tone probe - 200FP) IS the same device as the MicroScanner. Apparently the remarketing has been discontinued.
Handy things that the Microscanner Pro (or Proscanner) does:
TDR on individual pairs
Wire ID modules have "RJ45" and F connectors
POWERFUL toner - I have used it at over a mile
Hub or PC identification
Link speed indication
Flashes port on hub
Great quality "look and feel"
If there was a price increase when Fluke took over it was not much. When I bought my Microscanner Pro in 2000 for $330 now it is $360 ( As with all tools, you get what you pay for. I have never regretted buying anything from Fluke. Absolute top quality and accuracy.
The Office/Room ID kit (6 pcs) for the Microscanner is under $150. I think I paid $110 for mine. No way is it "another couple hundred on top of the tester". I don't get much use out of the ID kit since I tend to know where the wires go. It has come in handy once or twice.
Many times "the poop" at the wholesale house is that using name brand stuff costs a lot more. The counter guy pulling my order at Graybar the other day was giving me the "idiot" look since I was getting a load of Panduit parts. He was quite surprised that the wall jacks (and most everything else) actually cost about the same as the Leviton equivalents. When you factor in the ease of installation the Panduit parts can save money.
Now the LanScaper appears to be a different sort of animal. Details are sketchy. "The LanScapertm Network Testing Kit will be available in early 2003!"
Do you actually have one?
The Proscanner from Progressive Electronics (home of the BEST tone probe - 200FP) IS the same device as the MicroScanner. Apparently the remarketing has been discontinued.
Handy things that the Microscanner Pro (or Proscanner) does:
TDR on individual pairs
Wire ID modules have "RJ45" and F connectors
POWERFUL toner - I have used it at over a mile
Hub or PC identification
Link speed indication
Flashes port on hub
Great quality "look and feel"
If there was a price increase when Fluke took over it was not much. When I bought my Microscanner Pro in 2000 for $330 now it is $360 ( As with all tools, you get what you pay for. I have never regretted buying anything from Fluke. Absolute top quality and accuracy.
The Office/Room ID kit (6 pcs) for the Microscanner is under $150. I think I paid $110 for mine. No way is it "another couple hundred on top of the tester". I don't get much use out of the ID kit since I tend to know where the wires go. It has come in handy once or twice.
Many times "the poop" at the wholesale house is that using name brand stuff costs a lot more. The counter guy pulling my order at Graybar the other day was giving me the "idiot" look since I was getting a load of Panduit parts. He was quite surprised that the wall jacks (and most everything else) actually cost about the same as the Leviton equivalents. When you factor in the ease of installation the Panduit parts can save money.
franklin97355
Technical User
The lanScaper doesn't use TDR it uses Capacitance measurements.
- Thread starter
- #16
hmm, a microscanner pro is ~600 euro
a linkrunner is like 600 euro
again a linkrunner kit is like 1000 euro
must say im tending to the linkrunner kit, it has the nice wiremap adapter, the 8 plug office kit AND the microprobe included
seems i cant get test-um in europe
also with such devices i prefer to pay more when i can be sure somebody will calibrate it in 4 years still ...
a linkrunner is like 600 euro
again a linkrunner kit is like 1000 euro
must say im tending to the linkrunner kit, it has the nice wiremap adapter, the 8 plug office kit AND the microprobe included
seems i cant get test-um in europe
also with such devices i prefer to pay more when i can be sure somebody will calibrate it in 4 years still ...
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Article