Lan tester??

[Sharpend]

So I'm thinking of buying a LAN tester, obviously have seen the cheaper ones on offer and they seem to have reasonably good reviews? Then I saw our favourite sponsor has an amprobe version so thought I'd ask if any of the congregation has one and any constructive reviews would be helpful. 

Dont really do a great deal of networking installs but the job I'm currently on has a significant amount to warrant some form of tester. 

Over to you!!

 

[NozSpark]

I may be wrong but that's just for testing the correct wiring.?

I have it in my head that testing a LAN was much more involved than just checking the pin out

 

[kerching]

Depends on what you want to achieve really...

fully verified test results so that you can register a warranty with a provider/supplier.......or just the basic "pin to pin" test?

if it is a warrantied system then I hire a Fluke DSP400x in for the job and pass the cost onto the client.

However, i have found out over the past 30 years or so of Data cabling, only about 1% of customers are actually bothered!

"15 yr performance warranty?......why should we bother?  It is improving so fast that in 10 years we will have replaced it anyway" seems to,be the standard anaswer

imdo keep looking at owning a tester, but calibration along with ownership costs keep putting me off.

never used an Amprobe unit....only Fluke.    On the DSP400x series you can even talk to your mate at far end with walkie talkies!

for a quick and dirty ( i like to think of it as the RR test ) i use a Mod Tap tester to,prove pin to pin continuity and eliminate crossed pairs or bad punchdowns

some of the el cheapo units do not even give a clue as to the fault!

 

[kerching]

PoE identification is handy as is a TDR for fault location, distance to fault etc, as a built in function.

I have a TDR built into the JDSU HST3000

just looked on Marks site....the Ideal VII PRO looks quite handy as it will also ident Voice services PSTN, ISDN etc.     .......saves all that crying and screaming by the customer when you cut the wrong wire and they lose some high revenue link!....obviously I have NEVER done that

 

[Sharpend]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, I'm a novice at this, not looking at moving into this area full time, not sure what all the tests are, just thought the cheap ones may not be reliable so thought the one from @megger mark might be slightly more reliable and possibly offer testing of different cables? But if there isn't much of a difference may plump for a cheap one to start with, as I say don't do much to be fair. 

???????

 

[kerching]

Which one of MMs were you looking at? And will have a shuftie before Mr Merlot arrives with his mate Hr Klockenberger

 

[kerching]

Quote........Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, I'm a novice at this, not looking at moving into this area full time, not sure what all the tests are

........unquote

neither are a lot of customers and indeed most 'consultants'!

give them the results and they look at you blankly!

 

[Sharpend]

Quote........Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, I'm a novice at this, not looking at moving into this area full time, not sure what all the tests are

........unquote

neither are a lot of customers and indeed most 'consultants'!

give them the results and they look at you blankly!

That's promising I'll look like an expert!!!! :slap  

Which one of MMs were you looking at? And will have a shuftie before Mr Merlot arrives with his mate Hr Klockenberger

http://isswww.co.uk/amprobe-lan1-lan-tester?gclid=CIC97-fSoM0CFZEy0wodluQLyQ ?

 

[kerching]

Very similar to my Mod Tap unit......good for a quick RR test

...and for the price that MM will charge it is definitely worth a punt. As i said before it is down to what you want to achieve from it.

i am  tempted by the Ideal Pro tester he has though!, i feel an email brewing

 

[NozSpark]

Very similar to my Mod Tap unit......good for a quick RR test

...and for the price that MM will charge it is definitely worth a punt. As i said before it is down to what you want to achieve from it.

i am  tempted by the Ideal Pro tester he has though!, i feel an email brewing

Looks good if you do loads of Data/voice/coax

 

[kerching]

I have one of these little doobries (well I Have two really!...long story).... Top bit of kit BUT it won't carry out the tests that the little Amprobe unit will

http://www.viavisolutions.com/sites/default/files/technical-library-files/HST-3000_Copper_and_DSL.pdf

 

[M107]

VDV II PRO is what we use (purchased from MM of course) cant fault it to be honest........distance to fault test is superb & the port blink function saves time when you've got a stacked patch with no indicator tags as to outlet locations.

 

[kerching]

I was quite taken with the Port Blink option along with the onboard TDR. Saves having tomget another bit of kit out

I have sent an email to MM for £?

 

[M107]

Yes saved us loads of time tracing old installs that hadn't been labelled.

The distance to fault also was bang on we found where the contractor had obviously run out on a box & twisted cores together with the new box rather than run in complete new length. 

The joints of 5 runs were nicely concealed behind a bookcase. 

 

[kerching]

I have just done a re-jig of a 100 point install in an office block

all cables pulled back to a point

basket installed

cables re routed ....AND they were all long enough!

on the downside

i did not disconnect the ports....if I had then i would have written the numbers on the cables and made a list as to which were voice, data, ADSL etc AND I would have unpatched them at the cab.....whoops :slap

took another two,days to sort that lot out!

1500 ports in the cabs and no logical,sequence as there is legacy stuff mixed with about 20 different additions.

one plate had ports 63 and 742 on it!

 

[M107]

Luckily all our infrastructure is now in across all 19 sites, took two of us 11 months to complete, new racks/relocation of servers & mobilising equipment & PA systems/new cat6A replacing all old data cabling/extra data outlets/new dado - containment - tray & basket/ new patches/new extreme switches/ Aerohive wifi ap's/ IP telephony (Avaya)....

The installations on some stations still had the old yellow ether coax in place, BNC connectors included. To much trouble to remove it when the last upgrade took place I suppose.

Anyway I shouldn't be required to do anymore data installation in the day job for a few years.

This week we will be decommissioning the old control building, if I remember I'll get some pics.............they will show why you shouldn't let computer geeks loose on racks to do patching & will have ports numbered much the same as you have described Kerch................the electrical installation is also a blast from the past.

 

[kerching]

Ah that would be the Thin Ethernet/Thinnet!....unplug one connection to T piece and 'server not found' and tears a plenty

not as bad as Thick Ethernet and Bee Sting taps though

 

[ISSWWW]

Blimey if you snooze you lose, sorry have not been on in a bit, TBH i could not make any more informed comments than those already made, however i can put up the following prices to try to be of help:-

Ideal VDV II Pro £220.00 net plus Vat

And if you need to Hire Lan Testers for Certification and Warranty work then we can offer Fluke DSX5000   £210.00 per week plus carriages, not everone knows we hire equipment but we do quite a bit now.