Cabling Chronicles

VLAN Troubleshooting with LinkIQ

Everyone in the ICT industry has heard of a local area network (LAN) and likely understands that it’s a network made up of a myriad of devices—computers, servers, Wi-Fi access points, VoIP phones, surveillance cameras, etc.—all connected in one physical location.

May 26, 2021

2021 Network and cabling salary survey results

April 28, 2021

Introducing LinkIQ™️ – Fluke’s Newest Ethernet Cable, Network, and PoE Tester

Cabling is the number one cause of Ethernet problems in both commercial and industrial applications. With Fluke Networks’ newest Ethernet tester, LinkIQ™️ Cable + Network Tester, you can troubleshoot that cabling and the network it’s connected to. Save your company or clients hours of downtime, keeping the network up and running as efficiently as possible.

April 21, 2021

LinkWare Live passes 50M results uploaded as cabling contractors adopt the free cloud-based software for the new remote workplace

One result of the COVID-19 pandemic was the acceleration of digital transformation in business, government, and education. While many organizations were already on the path to going digital, the pandemic created a critical need to move ahead more quickly than originally planned.

April 13, 2021

How to Test if Your Ethernet Cables Support PoE

Power of Ethernet (PoE) is combining power and data communications in a single cable. As it’s become more and more popular, there are a huge array of devices that source and consume power and data through the same cable. Do all Ethernet cables support PoE? No, they don’t. So, how can you be sure the cables you selected can support PoE operation? Fluke Networks’ Jim Davis walks though the steps to make sure your cabling is ready to support PoE operation using an DSX CableAnalyzer.

April 8, 2021

Testing Profinet: The Basics

We all know by now that Ethernet has infiltrated the factory floor as the communication protocol of choice for exchanging data between devices and controllers, with applications like Modbus, EtherCat, EtherNet/IP and Profinet that are all based on Ethernet. The two leading applications—EtherNet/IP and Profinet together account for about 60% of the market, as both excel in supporting deterministic communication for real-time data and control.

March 24, 2021

Standards Update, February 2021

I bet you are all wondering what installed fiber optic testing standards are in process for this year. Here is a short list by committees for those of you that want to keep up to date.

March 10, 2021

What’s an Expanded Beam Fiber Connector?

In the premises and data center infrastructure world, most of us are familiar with typical fiber connectors like duplex LC, SC and ST connectors and multi-fiber MPOs. Perhaps you’ve also heard about expanded beam fiber connectors or have encountered a scenario that requires them.

In case you aren’t familiar with these connectors, their applications and testing considerations, we thought we’d help you “expand” your knowledge.

February 9, 2021

Fiber Certification Testing: All You Really Need is Loss, Length (and Sometimes Reflectance)

As data speeds increase and new fiber applications emerge, there has been some confusion surrounding fiber testing parameters and whether insertion loss testing is enough to guarantee support for high-speed applications.

Other than new short-reach singlemode applications that are more susceptible to reflections and therefore take connector reflectance into consideration, insertion loss testing, length and polarity are really all you need for Tier 1 certification testing.

January 19, 2021