Networking Equipments | Networking Test Equipments
This page covers Networking equipments for test and measurement. The common networking equipments include digital multimeter, cable or TDR tester, data logger, BER analyzer, Protocol analyzer or network analyzers, network monitors etc.
Introduction:
Networking has evolved very rapidly from wired LAN to wireless LAN.
Networks are basically of three types viz. LAN, MAN and WAN based on different coverages
supported by them. Advent of short range wireless technologies such as WLAN, bluetooth, zigbee etc.have made
networking more popular. This requires sophisticated equipments and tools to install and manage the networking
devices.
The common measurements performed by networking equipments include bit pattern check, data or packet loss, eye diagrams, BER, signal strength, cable continuity etc. Refer data communication tests and equipments >> to know more on data communication tests.
Networking Equipments
Following are the functions of common networking equipments used for test and measurement.
• Digital multimeter: It is used to measure various parameters such as AC/DC voltage,
current, resistance, capacitance, cable continuity etc. It verifies physical connectivity of
various cables e.g. STP, UTP, 10baseT, coaxial, twinax etc.
• Data Logger:It is used to record data over time for further analysis.
It is battery powered and compact device. It houses microprocessors, sensors and data storage
devices as per requirements.
• Protocol Analyzers or network analyzers: They help in decoding protocol layers in
a frame. This helps in identifying problems at various layers of the stack viz. physical, data link, network etc.
The other functions performed by them include filtering of traffic, time stamp of captured data,
generate and analyze the frame as required during analysis etc.
• TDR tester or cable tester: Time Domain Reflectometers help in testing various cable defects as follows.
-Open circuits
-Short Circuits
-Impedance mismatches
-Crimps, Kinks, sharp bends etc.
• BER/PER analyzer: They are used for Bit Error Rate and Packet Error Rate functionalities.
Often protocol analyzers are equipped with these features.
• Logic analyzer: It is an elctronic equipment which captures and
displays multiple signal simultaneously on same time scale. It helps in protocol decoding,
state machine analysis, assembly language decoding etc.
• Network monitors: Network monitors help in tracking packets crossing
a network, locate traffic overloads, detect intruders etc.
• Pattern Generator:It is a device used to generate fixed binary bit patterns in serial form
for test purpose. It can generate ASCII or any desired pattern of 1's and 0's.
Networking Test Equipments
Following are the popular Networking test equipments used for testing wired/wireless network installations. The common measurements performed using these networking equipments include continuity test, data rate, BER, PER, protocol analysis, wireless signal strength etc.
Ethernet Cable Tester: This page of equipments section of T & M World covers Ethernet Cable Qualification Tester.
The CableIQ from Fluke Networks is used as Qualification Tester for 10Base-Tx, 100Base-Tx, 1000Base-T twisted pair ethernet.
Read more
LAN network tester:
This page of equipments section of T&M World covers LAN Test Equipment used as network auto tester.
The LinkRunner AT (LRAT-2000) from Fluke Networks is used for network troubleshooting.
This page mentions features of LRAT-2000 from fluke networks.
Read more
BLE Data Logger:
This page describes Bluetooth Low Energy Data logger basics.
It mentions ONSET BLE Data logger features.
It also mentions benefits of ONSET Data logger equipment.
Read more