[rescue] Cable testers

[Phil Stracchino]

On 04/21/16 00:34, Doug McIntyre wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 20, 2016 at 01:19:41PM -0400, Phil Stracchino wrote:
>> Anyone have a preference for good but not overly expensive Ethernet
>> cable testers?  I don't want to spend $500 on a high-end Fluke, but I
>> don't want to spend $10 on some generic piece of crap that only tests
>> continuity either.  I've never really needed one until now, but I'm
>> finding cat6 to be a complete &@&#$@^#@%$R@#% to strip and terminate.
> 
> I see a disconnect with your target pricing and target testing.
> Anything under $500 is going to get you basicly a continuity tester.
> Pin1 is connected to pin1 on the other side, repeat across all 8 wires.
> Maybe some wiremapping functions. Thats about it.

And that's the level of functionality I'm looking for.  I've pretty much
narrowed it down to the Klein VDV526-052 or the Fluke MT-8200-49A.  I'm
mostly just looking for advice on whether there is a solid reason for
choosing the Fluke over the Klein that I'm not already aware of, and how
much I'd be paying for the Fluke name alone.

> About $500-$1000 is going to get you testing where the tester can
> connect into the network it is plugged in, see what your link speed
> is, do DHCP and display IP info,maybe at the higher end do CDP/LLDP,
> TDR functions.

I don't need that, and don't have any illusions I'm going to get it from
any of the units I'm looking at.  I can't justify that kind of money to
verify a few cables for home use are made correctly.


> I wouldn't bother with Cat6a except in special circumstances. Cat6
> running 10Gbps typically is spec'd out to 50m.

Right, and I'm running 1G and not beyond maybe 20m tops.


-- 
  Phil Stracchino
  Babylon Communications
  phils at caerllewys.net
  phil at co.ordinate.org
  Landline: 603.293.8485