SignalTEK QT Qualifies 10G Copper, 100G Fiber Along With WiFi, PoE
Trend Networks recently introduced SignalTEK QT, which the company describes as “the ultimate 10G qualification tester for copper, fiber, and WiFi diagnostics, powered by Trend AnyWare Cloud.
“The SignalTEK QT Series delivers complete network visibility with 10-Gbit copper and fiber qualification, along advanced WiFi diagnostics and troubleshooting,” the company said when introducing the tester, which is available as the SignalTEK QT or the SignalTEK QT Pro. Trend pointed out the following characteristics and features of the product set.
- Remote reporting and test-results analysis through Trend AnyWare Cloud
- Copper qualification from 10 Mbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec, including 2.5G and 5G speeds
- Multimode and singlemode fiber qualification in the SignalTEK QT Pro
- WiFi testing with ping, traceroute, and device-scan tests
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) load up to 90 watts with pass/fail results
“As networks evolve to support higher bandwidth, lower latency, and increased device density, 10-Gbit Ethernet is rapidly becoming the standard for futureproof LAN infrastructures,” the company explained when introducing SignalTEK QT. “The transition to fiber-optic backbones and the growing demand on WiFi networks require precise, reliable, and scalable testing solutions, which is exactly what the SignalTEK QT delivers. The SignalTEK QT series was designed for today’s copper, fiber, and WiFi networks.”
Trend Networks summarized each media-test capability as follows.
Copper qualification: Ensure the desired network speed is supported by performing an RF test of the cable to test NEXT, return loss, and insertion loss. SignalTEK QT will display the available performance versus the desired speed with an easy-to-read display. Up to 12 remotes are available for rapid testing. SignalTEK QT allows selection of speeds from 10 Mbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec, including 2.5- and 5-Gbit/sec multigig speeds.
Fiber qualification: SignalTEK QT Pro qualifies fiber links in accordance with the IEEE 802.3 standard up to 100 Gbits/sec by measuring insertion loss and length of fiber cabling using a convenient loopback test. Trend’s high-performance SFP modules offer high-accuracy insertion loss measurements and the SignelTEK QT Pro detects the installed SFP module to automatically test pass/fail limits.
WiFi testing: Analyze WiFi channel strength and identify access points that are on overlapping channels to maximize network performance. Channel-utilization graphs help determine which access points are overloaded with users. Connect to a network and perform diagnostics with ping, traceroute, and device-scan tests.
The company describes the differences between the QT and QT Pro series by explaining, “SignalTEK QT offers copper-only qualification with PoE testing, WiFi diagnostics, and Trend AnyWare Cloud connectivity. The SignalTEK QT Pro includes all QT features plus fiber-optic qualification, visual fault locator, external WiFi antenna, and optional fiber inspection microscope support. Both models in the SignalTEK QT Series are designed to qualify high-speed Ethernet links and diagnose network issues. However, SignalTEK QT Pro offers a broader feature set tailored for technicians who need to test copper, fiber, and WiFi networks, whereas the standard SignalTEK QT focuses on copper and basic WiFi diagnostics.”
You can find comprehensive information on SignalTEK QT here.