Structured Cable (Premise Wiring) Testing...

IT Pro · Aug 5, 2020

Although my job as a consultant is mostly programming, I've done a dozen or so premise wiring projects and UNIFI installs and have a few pending... Anyway, I now feel the need to be able to test and troubleshoot premise wiring. If you were paying for it, I'd own a $23,000 Fluke test kit for copper and fiber. Yet, back to reality. I'm only working with copper at the moment (Cat 6 & Cat 6A) with mostly Gigabit needs, although I'll need to support about 4 drops of 10G ethernet later this year. So, what test equipment do you own and that you fine indispensable? My needs include: mapping the drops, POE verification and testing, verifying that the pairs have continuity, any break in a conductor should be identifiable based on the length of the cable before the short or open...

So, what's in your bag?

Thanks!

cpolley1 · Dec 19, 2020

To start just get a 4 pair continuity tester for about $40 bucks. This will tell you 99% of what you need to know. If all your pairs are showing good you should assume you have POE or it's a switch issue. Or in case of unifi your AP will light up. No need to spend $20,000.00. Make some money with your continuity tester then save up for bigger toys. That's just my 20 years of experience and a cheap opinion haha

Clint

https://www.politoninc.com/service-area/denton.html

Resintel · Apr 7, 2021

Based on what you stated, this is all you'll need. If ever you get into projects that require actual certification, just rent the tester, or sub it out.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-Networ...&sprefix=fluke+microscanner+2+,aps,152&sr=8-3

Commshark · Apr 8, 2021

Hello,

I use the Fluke CIQ-100 CableIQ. It also qualifies the cable, saves reports and has port blink.

The Klein Commander also looks nice (I’ve never used one). It does everything the CIQ does accept qualify the cable.

Chris

http://www.commshark.com

Wanebo · Apr 8, 2021

In the good to know information column - Before Avaya sold their cabling line to Commscope the only certification testing they required was a valid wiremap for whatever EIA/TIA standard you were using. They considered the Systimax line to be so good it could overcome most cablers mistakes as long as the wires were connected to the right spots.

I'm on Resintel's side. Get a good durable device like linked to and if you actually have a need to "certify" a cable rent that tester.

Dexman · Apr 11, 2021

Didn't Lucent and later Avaya require installers attend classes and become certified if installations were to be covered by a warranty? [ponder]

I

"FEATURE 00

Wanebo · Apr 12, 2021

Yes and no. They couldn't "require" that if they were selling the cable to all comers at Graybar. But they did push a "Certified Installers" program that was quite the BS class your technicians had to attend.

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Structured Cable (Premise Wiring) Testing...

IT Pro

Programmer

cpolley1

IS-IT--Management

Resintel

Technical User

Commshark

Programmer

Wanebo

MIS

Dexman

Technical User

Wanebo

MIS

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