CableIQ Qualification Tester

When you deploy Voice over IP (VoIP) or Gigabit Ethernet, you want to make sure that the existing cabling will support the bandwidth requirements of your new equipment. Your cabling was certified, but moves adds and changes have rendered many links incapable of running desired speeds. CableIQ quickly reveals whether a link, including patch cords, is qualified for voice, 10/100BASE-T, VoIP, or Gig. Knowing your cabling's bandwidth capabilities before upgrading can prevent countless hours of future downtime and labor hours wasted on unnecessary troubleshooting.
 

See what speeds your existing cabling can support.

CableIQ's four-second Autotest clearly indicates with a check mark which speeds and applications the tested cable can run.

Plug into any cable, patch panel, or wall jack and see both the cable details (length/wiremap) and far-end device details (speed/duplex settings) at once. A series of both cable and network test functions help you isolate connectivity problems. For instance, if Discover mode shows duplex settings are matched but the problem persists, run Autotest to see if the cabling can support the required bandwidth. If a link is not qualified, CableIQ provides detailed information on the nature and location of cabling performance faults such as crosstalk or large impedance changes. With CableIQ your techs can close trouble tickets faster by cutting cable troubleshooting time in half.


Troubleshoot cabling faults in half the time.



This screen shot represents a cabling link that did not qualify for 1000BASE-T because of a connection fault at 4.1 meters.

Free up 10% or more of your switch ports

CableIQ's Discover mode shows you exactly what's at the far end of any cable. At the switch, test each cable one at a time. You can quickly see whether the cable is open at the far end, or is connected to a PC. Or use CableIQ's hub blink feature from the workstation to flash the corresponding switch port LED. You may be surprised at how many unused ports you can free up and redeploy using CableIQ.

Determine where installed cables are routed, all from one location.

Attach remote ID's in different locations, then perform multiple cable tests from the distribution center or wiring closet. CableIQ provides the wiremap, pair lengths, distance to fault, and remote ID number of each tested cabling link.

Intelligent wiremap tests for length, shorts, split pairs, or opens and displays with an intuitive graphical interface where a fault is located.

CableIQ's Intelligent Wiremap shows pin 6 open at far end of tested cable (130 ft/34 meters).

Locate cables and wires with superior accuracy

CableIQ supports IntelliTone digital toning by:

• Finding cables easier and tracing with better accuracy than any other tool on the market
• Toning and tracing safely on a live network
• Providing two digital tones and four analog tones
• Featuring IntelliTone cable mapping; after tracing, use the IntelliTone Pro Probe 200 to verify wiremap

Empower frontline techs with an easy-to-use-tool

Intuitive user interface and graphical display guides user with little or no training required.

• Rotary knob makes learning easy and operation simple you always know what test mode is selected
• Portable, lightweight, rugged ergonomic design for easy field use
• Four AA batteries - Long lasting battery life for several weeks of testing
• Remote adapter doubles as a protective endcap.

Customer quote: "I handed CableIQ to our level III techs, they turned the unit on and began testing within two minutes of reviewing the various available selections."
--Telecommunications Analyst

To maximize the value of your CableIQ ownership, choose one of our specialized kits. Each kit is tailored for qualification testing in specific work environments. Read on for detailed descriptions and a convenient comparison chart.

CableIQ Service Kit
The CableIQ Service Kit provides the most powerful combination of cable and network test capabilities. With the breakthrough technologies built into CableIQ, LinkRunner, and IntelliTone, network trouble tickets can be closed faster than ever. First use LinkRunner to verify network connectivity and proper speed/duplex settings of connected devices (e.g. switch ports and PC NICs). Once the network devices have been verified, then use CableIQ to qualify the cabling link. If the cable does not qualify for the desired network speed (10/100/VoIP/Gig), CableIQ’s qualification test can be used to locate and troubleshoot performance faults (e.g. crosstalk or impedance faults). Before closing the trouble ticket, use CableIQ Reporter software to document completion of the job.

CIQ-KIT, CableIQ Advanced IT Kit
The CableIQ Advanced IT Kit is designed to maximize the efficiency of any cable qualification job. Use the included IntelliTone 200 Probe to find cables quickly and definitively, even on active networks. Use the included six smart cable IDs to perform a high volume of qualification tests in a short period of time. Each smart ID has the capability to perform a simple wiremap test or a full qualification test. Up to seven qualification tests can be performed without returning to the patch panel. The rugged carry case can be used to easily port tools from one job to another.

CIQ-KRQ, CableIQ Residential Qualifier Kit
The CableIQ Residential Qualifier Kit is designed for residential installers who need to document that cabling systems were installed properly and will perform reliably. It quickly qualifies home cabling networks to support voice, VoIP, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, and CATV. With included adapters, it replaces multiple tools for testing and troubleshooting all voice, data, audio/video, coax, and security wiring. Included CableIQ Reporter software allows installers to begin generating professional test reports immediately.

Qualification is a new category of testers designed to meet the emerging needs of network technicians who need to upgrade to higher network speeds as well as troubleshoot connectivity problems. Qualification testers, like Fluke Networks new CableIQ Qualification Tester, determines if an existing cabling link can or can not support certain network speeds and technologies. This differs from certification testers, like the DTX CableAnalyzer, which guarantees cabling installations comply with TIA/ISO performance standards and basic verification testers, like the MicroScanner Pro, which tests if the cable is connected correctly.

Qualification testers allow network technicians to perform a series of troubleshooting steps to better isolate cabling from network problems. For example, a first step in troubleshooting a network connectivity problem might be to check the speed and duplex settings of connected devices. If the tester shows the settings are matched, but the problem persists, a qualification test can be performed. Performing a qualification test will allow the technician to identify whether insufficient cabling bandwidth is the cause of the problem. Knowing your cabling's bandwidth capability allows you to close trouble tickets faster and helps ensure seamless upgrades to higher network speeds.

Choosing the right tool for the job

When to use a qualification tester: If you are a network technician, and need to see whether the existing cabling will support your 1000BASE-T network, a qualification tool is the right choice. If you need to troubleshoot connectivity problems and isolate cabling problems from network problems, then qualification is the perfect solution. If you have an existing network and are doing small adds, moves, and changes, or are setting up a temporary network and just need to qualify it for a specific network technology, a qualification tool is a good option.

When to use a certification tester: If you're a commercial installer or network owner who needs to prove that all cabling has been installed correctly, and meets TIA or ISO link specifications, you must certify it. If you are in a troubleshooting environment, and need to show unequivocally that the link under test is failing category 5e or 6 performance requirements according to TIA or ISO standards, your only choice is a certification tool. If you have a mixture of fiber and copper cabling, and often need to test both, cable certification tools do that best.

To receive the support and financial security of a manufacturer's warranty, certification to TIA/ISO standards is your only option. Anything else makes the installer liable for the performance of the installation which can be quite costly. For example, a large 1000 link installation could represent a $100,000 (USD) project, which can be a hefty liability if manufacturer warranty is not obtained.

When to use a verification tool: Verification tools are typically used by any technician who pulls and terminates cable or performs basic moves, adds and changes. These tools are used as a first line of defense in finding connection and wire-pairing faults.