x-posted to the cabling newsgroup in response to the Difficulty "toning" for ports on gig switch thread: comp.dcom.sys.cisco comp.dcom.cabling alt.binaries.schematics.electronic as a tech tip
Phil Schuman wrote: > My technicians have reported difficulty using any of several toner/wand > sets trying to find ports on Cisco gig switches. It seems that the > tone becomes inaudible, or shunts/dies after a few seconds. However, > if they use the 'toner' function from one of the Fluke meters, they can. >
Trying to use a toner and wand to find the radiated tone from the toner is problematic with CAT5, and much more with CAT6. Here's what I just showed a new tech on the ways to find the tones.
1) Run the wand up and down the cable for at least a foot and you'll find the sweet spots where the tone radiates out.2) If toning out an unterminated cable coming out of the wall where the
8-pin connector is not yet attached, place the toner's clips on white/orange and and white/brown conductors as they have the less number of twists. wht/blu-blu/wht 23 twists per inch wht/org-org/wht 14 twists per inch wht/grn-grn/wht 21 twists per inch wht/brn-brn/wht 16 twists per inch3) If the wall jack is already attached, use an adapter cable with the toner. Adapter cable for toner: | Adapter Cable Assy | Toner's RJ-11 RJ-11 jack 8-conn plug wall jack wht/blu ------[--------]-----wht/org-----pin-1 blu/wht ------[--------]-----wht/org-----pin-3
4) If there is a patch cord hanging out of the jack, use a 8-conn jack back to back adapter and the above adapter cable5) If trying to trace it above the ceiling tiles or in a wall, strip back the white/orange and orange/white pairs and twist the together, then put clip on the bare wire twist and other clip on an electrical wall outlet screw (if its in metallic conduit).
6) Cool tip - some routers and web cams require a cross-over cable to connect your laptop to them, but if the cam is on the roof - use a cross-over adapter in the equipment room. Build two 8-conn jacks and wire one as 568A and the other as a 568B wit a foot of cable connecting the two jacks. Also good for connecting two computers together when you don't have a cross-over cable handy.