Network engineers never leave home without their cable tester as it’s an essential tool for certifying new network installations or solving cable connection issues - and Fluke Networks is about to make their lives even easier. The LinkIQ Cable+Network Tester is quite unique as it’s the first handheld device to combine cable testing with switch and Power over Ethernet (PoE) diagnostics.
The LinkIQ packs a remarkable range of features into a compact chassis as it’s capable of verifying up to 10-Gigabit cabling performance. It can automatically detect and run diagnostics on switches to provide information such as its name, data rate, port number plus VLAN and if PoE is being advertised, and it will load test up to 90W Class 8.
Cable diagnostics are outstanding as the LinkIQ uses radio frequency (RF) tests to ascertain physical cable quality and the IEEE 802.3 standards it can support. These range from 10Base-T to 10GBase-T and a key feature is its ability to check if a cable run is qualified for the multi-Gigabit 2.5GBase-T and 5GBase-T standards.
We found the LinkIQ incredibly easy to use as it offers full automation and runs the most appropriate set of tests based on what it finds at the other end of the cable. Connect an open-ended cable and it’ll tell you the length and pairing, while plugging in the Remote ID RJ-45 dongle at the far end of the run allows it to conduct a full validation test to determine all supported speeds.
The industrial-quality touchscreen LCD panel makes light work of general operations and automated tests are started with a single tap. For cable tests, it provides a clear wire map diagram while below is a chart showing all the speeds the cable can support.
We have some legacy cabling in the lab and after plugging the remote ID device into our rack’s patch panel, it was reassuring to know that it was all capable of supporting up to 5GBase-T and that every cable run was in tip-top shape. Swapping the LinkIQ over to our 10GbE infrastructure confirmed it was all validated for 10GBase-T operations.
Bringing our switches into the equation produced even more valuable information. For our standard Gigabit and 10GbE switches, the LinkIQ reported back on the device name, VLAN, all advertised speeds and full duplex capabilities.
With the LinkIQ connected to a multi-Gigabit PoE++ switch, the test determined that it could support dual power signatures, which wire pairs were providing power and its hardware power class. There’s a lot more as it revealed the watts provided, the minimum required volts to meet the 802.3bt standard plus the measured voltage under load.
Results can be saved locally and the LinkIQ has room to store up to 1,000 tests. Connect it to a PC using the supplied USB cable and you can upload all your results to the free LinkWare PC software, which supports every test device Fluke has produced for the past 20 years.
After running a wide range of cable, switch and PoE tests, we uploaded our results to a PC running LinkWare and organised them into various databases and projects for easier access. It’s a great tool for enhanced customer services as complete projects and individual test results can be exported to professional-quality PDFs to confirm the work has been carried out to the required standards.
The LinkIQ impressed us during testing as this handheld device’s smart combination of cable, switch and PoE diagnostics makes it supremely versatile. The automated tests make it incredibly easy to use, it can present a wealth of essential information and the LinkWare software provides classy project management and reporting tools.
Product: LinkIQ Cable+Network Tester Supplier: Fluke Networks Web site: www.flukenetworks.com Tel: +44 (0)207 942 0721 Price: From £1,520 exc VAT