Question How to use a new cable tester?

[axlrose]

This feels like where I need to cable test. Can anyone help me with now to use this cable tester to find if there is anything wrong with any of my runs now that I have replaced the small flat patch cables with solid ones from Monoprice and found the problem persists?

Anyone with steps on how to use the cable tester to check the lines I've run? I haven't used one before, but bought one.

 

[bill001g]

I was not following this very closely because it seemed to be switch related.

If we go back to the start unless that tester you have displays more information it is garbage. You pretty much already know there is some kind of fault. If for example it tells you it is miswired that does not tell you what is wrong. The very cheap unit I linked will show you what wires connect to what pins on each end and if there are any that are not connected.

The thing that none of these cheap meters will do is tell you if you did something like split the pairs. Only the expensive fluke meters that can cost almost $1000 will do that.
What you need to do is look at the wire colors on each end and make sure it follows one of the 2 standard patterns and both ends are the same. The cheaper testing will just tell you that pin 1 connects to pin 1 and pin 2 connects to pin 2 but that does not mean it will actually function if you are using the wrong wires. If for example you use the orange and green wires rather than orange and orange/white. These 2 wires make up a pair and have to be on the proper pins. Look at 568a or 568b to see the correct patterns

 

[axlrose]

I was not following this very closely because it seemed to be switch related.

If we go back to the start unless that tester you have displays more information it is garbage. You pretty much already know there is some kind of fault. If for example it tells you it is miswired that does not tell you what is wrong. The very cheap unit I linked will show you what wires connect to what pins on each end and if there are any that are not connected.

The thing that none of these cheap meters will do is tell you if you did something like split the pairs. Only the expensive fluke meters that can cost almost $1000 will do that.
What you need to do is look at the wire colors on each end and make sure it follows one of the 2 standard patterns and both ends are the same. The cheaper testing will just tell you that pin 1 connects to pin 1 and pin 2 connects to pin 2 but that does not mean it will actually function if you are using the wrong wires. If for example you use the orange and green wires rather than orange and orange/white. These 2 wires make up a pair and have to be on the proper pins. Look at 568a or 568b to see the correct patterns

Follow up. I get it. I might order what you linked too. I guess where I'm trying to start is just finding the problem. The device I have will at least tell me pass fail right? I can at least see if the problem is with a cable I sent through the wall right? Or with a patch cable? Can I just test that and then if I find the issue, then start working on the why? If I can test the patch cables, and they pass, but when I test the cables I made myself they don't, then I can start fixing my own cables. If the cables I made and ran through the walls pass, then I can focus on patch cables?

 

[kanewolf]

Follow up. I get it. I might order what you linked too. I guess where I'm trying to start is just finding the problem. The device I have will at least tell me pass fail right? I can at least see if the problem is with a cable I sent through the wall right? Or with a patch cable? Can I just test that and then if I find the issue, then start working on the why? If I can test the patch cables, and they pass, but when I test the cables I made myself they don't, then I can start fixing my own cables. If the cables I made and ran through the walls pass, then I can focus on patch cables?

Start by taking all three APs to a single switch, and connect them with short jumpers. Does that all work? If so, then you have some connectivity problem that people on a forum probably can't identify.

 

[bill001g]

That is basically what you do. You plug each end of the cable into the 2 parts of the tester. You push the button and see what it says. I am not sure if it tells you more than if you plug one end into a switch and the other end into a pc and see if you get a light and if the port runs a 1gbit or 100mbps. If it doesn't work it still does not tell you why.

Finding cable faults is just very careful testing and elimination option 1 by 1.