Can someone recommend a manufacturer or model number for a network cable tester that blinks the port on the switch? I have enough mappers and numerical id-ers but recently found how useful a blinker could be- for instance when you're working on an outlet and the existing cable hasn't been labeled.
Thanks Charles
You're depending on the cable to work! [Not have opens]
Typically installers use toners for identifying cable, but this doesn't work so well in a live installation.
You could always run `ping` on the connected computer. Or even easier -- note "off" ports on switch, unplug machine, note which port now came off.
-- Robert
Couple testers you can use for that are Fluke NetTool:
That's exactly the point. The function is to identify a working cable/port that has not been labeled. For example, I was working on a system where there were about 80 ports distributed around a building. All cable is in working condition, and all are connected to the switch, but just not labeled properly.
That is what I had to do, but it took two people, on different floors of the complex, and after staring at the 80 ports for long enough, I was seeing green LED's everywhere! And of course, there were some unused outlets, we tried to use the tone on then but since they all went into the switch a blinking light would have been a lot faster.
I found a cheap-o unit on ebay for about $25, that might do the job.
Charles
My old Fluke DSP-2000 did this. The newer DSP-4000 also does this but I do not have the proper attachments to allow this-they want to sell you dozens of heads for different applications-which is OK most of the time except here where they nickly and dime you to death. If I don't have a toner handy I do what somebody else suggested, I write down which ports are off on the hub and then plug in the cable to a live machine-which of course lights up one of the link lights.
--Dan
Charles,
Take a look at the DataLite DL100 kit at the following links:
Peter.
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