Testing Category 5E and Category 6 cabling

Category 5E and Category 6 cabling systems have stricter performance requirements compared to traditional Category 5 systems. Accordingly, the margin between the actual performance values of an installed system and performance values required by proposed Category 5E and Category 6 standards is smaller. This makes Category 5E and Category 6 systems more vulnerable to installation errors and complicationg the task of finding an error.

Fortunately, some of cabling field test equipment vendors have introduced new cabling testers with an advanced feature (for example, Microtest OMNI-Scanner S-Band technology) that provides "cabling performance versus distance" measurements.

This technology allows to determine the distance to the point where a cabling fault is located simplifying cabling diagnostics.

For more information please visit the following cabling field test equipment manufacturers' Web sites:

http://www.microtest.com
http://www.fluke.com