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Looking for a decent cable tester. Any recommendations?Title pretty much sums it up.
This will be for personal use, so a Fluke CableIQ meter won't be anywhere near within budget. Ideally, I'd like something that can do cable qualification, but if budget doesn't permit, can live without.
I'm basically just looking for something to test the wire from the patch panel to the wall, tell me if it will support gigabit, etc. |
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snowsam join:2001-04-11 Signal Mountain, TN |
What is your budget? How much are you OK with spending?
For the low end, I would suggest just one of the less than $10, simple continuity type testers. It confirms that you wired both ends up correctly and are not missing or have reversed any pairs.
99% of the time (assuming you have used quality cable and ends) all will be good if it passes that test. |
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I'm OK with $200 as long as it's of quality. I'm even ok with something from ebay, if I can get something at a decent price. I was honestly considering a Fluke linkrunner for $450, but that's still a little too pricey for my own personal use. |
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to Neo62381
Define "cable qualification"? As snowsam says, baseline is a continuity tester that confirms the cable pairs are wired up right. After that is where things get interesting. Also are you only working with RJ-45 cabling or do you also need to work with others like RJ-11 and coax? Regards |
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A meter that tests the cable to ensure that it supports the bandwidth, and lives up to TIA standards, and so on and so forth... FWIW, currently I'm looking at: » www.monoprice.com/produc ··· format=2 However it doesn't do qualification tests. |
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H_T_R_N (banned) join:2011-12-06 Valencia, PA |
to Neo62381
said by Neo62381:Title pretty much sums it up.
This will be for personal use, so a Fluke CableIQ meter won't be anywhere near within budget. Ideally, I'd like something that can do cable qualification, but if budget doesn't permit, can live without.
I'm basically just looking for something to test the wire from the patch panel to the wall, tell me if it will support gigabit, etc. I have been really happy with my Test-Um Validator NT955. I know its a tad bit out of your price range but its a really nice unit. |
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Yeah, that's more along the lines of what I'm looking for, just out of my price range. That does look like a really nice unit. I'm begining to think that a good qualification meter is going to be out of my price range no matter the unit. |
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LazMan Premium Member join:2003-03-26 Beverly Hills, CA |
to Neo62381
It's been years since I actually bought a certification tester, but back in the day, the Pentascanner I got was about 6 grand.
Taking a quick look, you're going to be $1500 and up for a certification rig; and 2 grand for something from a company with a name I recognize...
Any reason why you want to do more then a simple wiremap? |
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Thanks for the info... Yeah, I've pretty much just decided to give up on qualification and go for the monoprice unit I listed in one of my above posts.
I work as a network architect and also do some consulting on the side. Much of it is becasue I'm very OCD, but I'd like to be able to test and qualify each of the runs to a patch panel. I have a Fluke CableIQ meter at work, which I've admittedly gotten used to, but I'd like to get away from borrowing it (needed by others at different locations). |
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to Neo62381
...guessing the Fluke IQ was just ALITTLE outside of your pricerange, Neo62381 ? Fluke is like THE goto name for kit like this, but from what little browsing I've done of their lineup, "low cost" isn't exactly one of the reasons to get em. I've got a Test-um IVT 600 from awhile back... while the company doesn't seen to be around anymore, it was a pretty solid piece of gear. Datasheet hereRegards |
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Wily_One Premium Member join:2002-11-24 San Jose, CA |
Wily_One
Premium Member
2013-Apr-25 8:33 pm
I was intrigued by this Test-Um mentioned above - mainly to see what it costs. (Way over my budget as well!)
Anyway it is still marketed by JDSU, so perhaps other models are as well. |
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to HELLFIRE
Just can't see spending 2 - 3 grand on a cable meter for personal use, is all. I can get a new ThinkPad for that. Unless it's for a business that would need it a lot more frequently than I.
Also that Test-um meter you posted a link to made me drool.... |
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This is a halfway decent tester: » www.siemon.com/e-catalog ··· tt_stm-8Not a Fluke, of course, but definitely more affordable. |
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to Neo62381
Was looking at the Test-Um NT955 alittle as well... Wish I had some money to burn and a distributer on speed dial to get one Let us know what you end up deciding to go with Neo62381 Regards |
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Been looking at an older Fluke 620 meter on ebay. Looks like I may be going for that one. I think you can get them for around $150. Looks like it will do everything I need it to (with the exception of qualification)... Might have to order the monoprice unit as well, just to do a comparison. |
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