Test functions and standards of handheld integrated wiring tester

The main functions and features of handheld integrated wiring testers are to meet the actual needs of field work. There are great differences in price, performance and application. In the field of integrated wiring testing and maintenance, they can be divided into three major categories based on the test functions they perform: verification testing, identification testing and certification testing. Although these three categories of integrated wiring testers may overlap in some functions, each category of instruments has its specific purpose of use.

The question that a verification tester can answer is: "Are the cables connected correctly?" Verification testers are often considered by network engineers as the instrument of choice for troubleshooting cable problems.

The problem that the identification tester can solve is: "Can the wiring system support the selected network technology? For example, 100Base-Tx, Gigabit Ethernet, etc.)" The identification tester has more comprehensive functions, allowing network engineers to diagnose existing wiring systems and maintain switch ports with its help.

The question that a certified integrated cabling tester can answer is: "Does the cabling system comply with the relevant standards? (For example, the TIA-568-B.1 Category 6 link or the ISO11801 Edition 2 Class E link standard)" This type of integrated cabling tester is suitable for professionals working in the cabling system to ensure that the new cabling system fully meets the requirements of the relevant cabling system standards.

Detailed description of the verification tester

Verification testers have the most basic connectivity test functions (such as wiremap testing and audio generation). Some verification testers have other additional functions, such as TDR (time domain reflectometry) technology for testing cable length or locating faults. It may also be possible to detect whether the cable has been connected to a switch or check the connection of the coaxial line. Verification testers can be found everywhere in the field environment. They are simple to use and inexpensive. They are usually used as entry-level instruments for troubleshooting cable problems. For optical cables, the VFL visual fault locator can also be regarded as a verification tester because it can verify the continuity and polarity of the optical cable.

Detailed description of the identification tester

Qualification testers have all the same features as verification testers, but with more. One of the main capabilities of a qualification tester is to determine the amount of network information that the link being tested can carry. TIA-570-B standard states: "Link qualification tests the link to determine the network application technology (e.g., 100Base-Tx, FireWire, etc.) that the cabling system can support." For example, you have two links but do not know their transmission capacity. Link A and Link B both pass the wiremap verification test. However, the qualification test will tell you that Link A can only support up to 10Base-T, while Link B can support Gigabit Ethernet. Qualification testers can generate test reports that can be used for documentation and management when installing a cabling system. A unique ability of this type of tester is to diagnose common cable faults that can limit the transmission capacity of a cabling system, which goes far beyond the basic connectivity test of a verification tester.

Qualification testers are in the middle. They are much more powerful than verification testers, and their purpose is to allow operators with little training to determine whether a cabling system "works" and why it doesn't work. However, they are not comparable in functionality to cable certification testers, and they are unlikely to replace cable certification testers.

Detailed certification testing

Certification testing is the most stringent of the cable confidence tests. The structured cabling tester performs many tests within a preset frequency range and compares the results with the limit values ​​in the TIA or ISO standards. These test results can determine whether the link meets the requirements of a certain category or level (such as Category 5e, Category 6, and Class D). In addition, verification testers and identification testers usually test in channel models, and structured cabling testers can also test permanent link modes. The permanent link model is the most commonly used installation mode for structured cabling. In addition, structured cabling testers usually support optical cable testing, provide advanced graphical dispute capabilities, and provide richer reports. An important difference is that only certification testers can provide the ability to determine whether a link is "passed" or "failed."

Can an identification tester replace a certification tester?

As mentioned above, each type of instrument is designed for a different purpose. If you are in a troubleshooting environment and need to clearly show that the tested link does not pass the performance requirements of Category 5e or Category 6 according to TIA or ISO standards, then a certification tester is your only choice. If you are an integrator and need to show the owner that all links are installed correctly, you must perform certification testing. If you are facing the wiring test of both optical cable and twisted pair, a certification tester is the best choice.

On the other hand, if you are a network engineer, the cabling system has no documented records, and you need to know whether the system can support a 100Base-Tx network, the identification of the integrated wiring tester is the fastest and most economical choice to complete this work. If you make a small number of additions, deletions, moves, changes, etc. on the basis of the existing cabling system, or build a temporary network and only need to identify whether it supports a specific network technology, the identification test is sufficient. If you want to equip more personnel with an integrated wiring tester with strong cable diagnostic functions, the cable identification integrated wiring tester is the best choice from the perspective of contingency planning.