Cabling Chronicles
Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6: What’s New and What It Means for Your Network
As the primary means of connectivity in private and public spaces, Wi-Fi technology keeps evolving to offer more, faster. Wi-Fi 7 is the latest generation that promises higher speeds, lower latency, and improved capacity — yet with the migration from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E still underway, many wonder what extreme high-throughput Wi-Fi 7 is all about. Here we look closer at this technology, the improvements it promises over Wi-Fi 6/6E, and the impact it may have on your network cabling infrastructure and testing.
November 25, 2024
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Enterprise Wi-Fi Performance
Certification testing of a new cable plant is essential to verify its compliance with industry cabling standards and to secure the manufacturer’s warranty. When your installed network equipment goes active, proper configuration is crucial for delivering optimal performance and reliable connectivity to all your users and network devices. This is true in both wired and Wi-Fi networks. Here are some common enterprise Wi-Fi performance issues that arise and how to troubleshoot them.
November 25, 2024
Versiv™ Release 6.12 Saves Time, Increases Accuracy, and Reduces Retesting
Operator error in testing fiber loss is a costly problem for installers. When we launched the Versiv™ family of cable certifiers, we included several features, such as the Set Reference Wizard, which greatly reduced the number of such errors. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’re eliminating even more with the latest Versiv software release 6.12.
October 14, 2024
Third-Party Network Cable Certification: What You Need to Know
Reputable manufacturers promote and label cable, patch cords, and connecting hardware as “third-party certified,” “verified,” or “listed.” It means that a manufacturer has independently determined that their products comply with industry standards. What exactly do these certifications mean? How do they differ from cable certification of an installed cabling plant? Let’s take a look.
September 18, 2024
Insertion Loss vs. Return Loss
Insertion loss and return loss are two of the most critical performance parameters for twisted pair copper and fiber optic cabling links. They represent distinct aspects of signal transmission and differ for both media types. Here we explain the key differences between these two parameters, why they matter, and how to interpret them.
August 14, 2024
Network Labeling Gets an Upgrade: A Guide to LinkWare Live and Silver Fox Integration
Precision and efficiency aren’t just goals when you work in network installation and maintenance; they're necessities. As the industry evolves, so does the demand for more sophisticated, streamlined operations. Enter Silver Fox® Labeling and Fluke Networks, whose recent product integration addresses one of the most tedious and error-prone aspects of network infrastructure projects: the labeling process.
May 16, 2024
What Is Fiber Optics? A Guide
Streaming a movie, making a phone call, or getting an endoscopy may seem like disparate experiences, but they share a common thread: They’re connected by an invisible network of optical fibers. In this guide, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of this powerful technology. You’ll learn what fiber optics are used for, how fiber optic cables work, and the benefits they offer.
March 20, 2024
The Ultimate Guide to Network and Cable Testing
In today's digitally-driven world, ensuring the integrity and efficiency of network infrastructures is paramount, whether you're running a small business or responsible for a large-scale enterprise network. This comprehensive guide to network and cable testing essentials can help professionals understand the importance of proper cable testing and network testing. We’ll also discuss the industry-leading range of Fluke testers and analyzers for Ethernet, fiber optic, and copper cables, so you can find the solution that’s best for your operation.
March 13, 2024
Stranded vs. Solid Wire Cable: How to Choose
Both shielded and unshielded twisted-pair copper cable comes in either stranded or solid wire versions. There are plenty of considerations when it comes to choosing one or the other, including standards, environment, application, and cost. Let’s take a look at the differences and considerations, so you can decide whether stranded copper wire or solid copper wire cable is right for your specific installation.
March 6, 2024
How to Extend the Value of Your Versiv™ Investment
We know that customers use our cable certification solutions for years, even decades. We took that into account when we designed the Versiv™ cable certifier. Now that forward-looking strategy is protecting long-term Versiv users.
December 21, 2023
