Ideal Networks recently launched PoE Pro, a handheld tester that the company says “eliminates guesswork when installing, maintaining and troubleshooting PoE devices and data cabling.” The tester measures and reports PoE Class, voltage/voltage drop, watts, and injector type.
Tim Widdershoven, marketing director for Ideal Networks, said, “The new PoE Pro eliminates trial and error when installing or troubleshooting PoE systems. Installers can now accurately measure the maximum power available to PoE devices in any installation.” He added that as PoE deployment continues to proliferate, technicians need fast, accurate PoE validation to eliminate guesswork and get the job done faster. “Previously, technicians had to understand all the various standards, device power outputs and cable lengths to be sure a device will operate successfully. There was a lot of guesswork involved.
“With the PoE Pro, users can see whether 75W of power is provided to a device that needs 75W of power, such as a remote point-of-sale kiosk or a digital flight status sign at an airport. The pass/fail indication provides peace of mind the PoE device will work first time every time.”
If the PoE test fails at the device location, the technician can measure available power directly from the switch or injector to determine whether the problem is with the power supply or the cabling.
“Instant, easy-to-read results are shown on the large backlit screen, up to a maximum of 90W,” Ideal Networks explained. “It displays the voltage, PoE Class from 0 to 8 and Type—whether 802.3af, at, or bt—regardless of cable length, cable quality or other factors. There’s no setup or complicated configuration, users can just connect the PoE Pro to the cable or PoE port to display the maximum power available.”
Widdershoven added, “It’s easy to define if there is a problem with the cable, switch or device, saving loads of time. Users can quickly rule out whether they are getting enough power from the switch, and they can see which pairs have power indicating if the power is coming from a midspan injector or a PoE switch.”
PoE Pro has the same cable-testing features as Ideal Networks’ VDV Pro II, the company noted. “With comprehensive details on wiremap faults such as opens, shorts, crossovers and split pairs, PoE Pro can identify wiring errors instantly,” the company said. “It uses time domain reflectometry to accurately measure cable length and provide distance-to-fault information.”
PoE Pro also has Ethernet-speed-detection capability, and it determines which media service is running over the cable, such as Ethernet, ISDN, PBX, and PoE—which the company says results in faster fault diagnosis. Users can employ the port-blink feature to identify the switch port or the built-in analog and digital tone generator with a compatible amplifier probe for cable tracing.
Widdershoven concluded, “PoE Pro is a convenient tool for security, IT, communications, PoE lighting and building automation professionals. Whatever the job, the integrated RJ11/RJ12, RJ45 and F-Type connectors allow faster testing of most types of low-voltage cables.”
PoE Pro is available through distributors around the world, and also available at Ideal Networks’ online shop.