Forty links, forty results
An installer finishes forty copper links. A tester works through them one at a time and saves a result for each. Two fail.
The two are fixed and tested again before anyone leaves. The customer gets forty passes and a report. Good testing is a routine you follow every time.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Permanent link | the fixed cable from the patch panel to the wall outlet |
| Channel | the whole path from one device to the other, with every patch cord |
| Test limit | the standard's pass mark for a test |
| Insertion loss | how much the signal weakens along the cable |
| NEXT | near-end crosstalk: how much one pair leaks into another |
| Return loss | how much signal bounces back from poor joins |
| Propagation delay | the time a signal takes to travel the link |
| Network | devices joined so they can share data |
| Adapter | the lead that joins a tester to the link |
| Reference | a setting made before testing so readings are true |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can choose the right copper test and tool, follow the steps of a test, and record the results.
Starter: standards and equipment
Have a go
Starter: standards and equipment
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
What is tested on copper
The wire map checks each wire reaches the right pin. Length shows whether the run is inside the limit. Insertion loss shows how much signal is lost. NEXT shows crosstalk. Return loss shows bounce from poor plugs. Delay is the time the signal takes.
A simple continuity tester does only the first. A certifier does all of them.
Choose the cable specification first
Before a test, find out what the link is. Is it Cat 5e, Cat 6 or Cat 6a? Is it a permanent link or a channel? The tester must be set to match. If you pick the wrong category or link type, the limits are wrong and the result means nothing.
Read the specification and the cable label.
Choosing the tool
| Tool | What it can tell you | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Continuity tester | Wire map only | A quick check of a patch cord |
| Network cabling performance tester | Whether the link can carry a given speed | A check that a link works for an application |
| Cable certifier | Every test against the standard limits | Final proof for the customer |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Put the test steps in order
Have a go
Put the test steps in order
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.