The SignalTEK II from Ideal Industries Networks is a multifunction, handheld qualifier for copper and fiber-optic cabling systems that also checks Power over Ethernet. Ideal says the tester is an efficient alternative when an installation does not require full certification to EIA/TIA or ISO/IEC standards. SignalTEK II will validate that cabling is capable of supporting voice, data and video (including IP-video surveillance) applications over 10/100-Mbit/sec Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet.
Ideal describes the tester as "perfect for small- to medium-sized LANs." Dan Payerle, business unit manager for Ideal Industries Networks, said, "Being a multifunction device for both fiber and copper, the SignalTEK II offers major cost savings, as it eliminates the need to purchase separate testers for different media," and added that the tester "also troubleshoots throughput problems in existing installations so a separate transmission tester isn't required."
It can be used on new as well as existing installed cabling systems, and conducts a bidirectional pass/fail test of links based on IEEE 802.3ab (Gigabit Ethernet) specs. Ideal notes that users can perform qualification and troubleshooting through hubs or switches, all the way to the server, saying such capabilities streamline qualification and maintenance work.
Of the tester's ability to determine if a cabling system can capably support voice-data-video and closed-circuit-TV applications, Payerle said the capability "is further enhanced by enabling the operator to specify the load, number of PCs, VoIP phones or IP CCTV cameras on the network ... SignalTEK II then generates the equivalent load to ensure the network's switch can handle the traffic without error."
Additional capabilities include wiremap by pin with distance to fault, cable tracing, and verification of Ethernet connectivity.