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Some remodeling was done while I was away from work, and I'm left with several unlabeled cat5 cables that are terminated with RJ45 keystone modules. On the other end, all of the cables are terminated at the patch panels in the server room.
Some of the cables are connected to the switches and are active data lines. I can verify the lines are active by plugging a laptop into the keystone modules. The DCHP server assigns an address and I'm in.
During my attempts to trace the lines using a toner and probe, I noticed that the lines that are active have a very weak tone signal. It is so weak, I can't trace it. The other lines, however, I was able to trace without any issues. Anyone know why the signal is so weak? Is it because the line is active and data packets are watering down the toner's signal?
4 Answers
During my attempts to trace the lines using a toner and probe, I noticed that the lines that are active have a very weak tone signal. It is so weak, I can't trace it. The other lines, however, I was able to trace without any issues. Anyone know why the signal is so weak? Is it because the line is active and data packets are watering down the toner's signal?
Most of the cheap tone generators/tracers won't be able to properly tone out a cable that is 'active' (plugged into a switch with an active connection).
Some of the nicer ones will, such as the Fluke IntelliTone Pro 200.
From their site:
Modern network devices use aggressive termination schemes for cables connected to their ports. While this termination reduces noise and crosstalk in the cable, it can also absorb an analog toner signal, making the connected cable impossible to detect with an analog audio probe.
Otherwise, you could see if your toner allows the generator to change cable pairs (some with wire clips would allow this, but you'd have to cut and reterminate the cable after).
My suggestions for the ones that you want to trace that are plugged in if you don't have a more advanced toner like the Fluke one would be to plug your laptop in and out while a co-worker watches the front of the switch. Simple, effective.
![Ethernet Signal Tracer Ethernet Signal Tracer](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41pkGo67umL._SX425_.jpg)
For tracing a live server back to the switch, like Joe said, if it's a managed switch just check which port it is connected to in the mac forwarding table. If it isn't a managed switch then figure out some downtime and do like I said above. :)
Another quick and dirty solution is to get a partner to take a laptop and repeatedly plug and unplug into keystone of the cable you are trying to trace. While he is doing that, look at the switch(es) for the link light that keeps going on and off.
If you don't have a partner, take a picture of the link lights with the laptop unplugged with your cell phone. Then, plug in the laptop and compare the lights to the picture you took to see which one is lit.
One other suggestion if you are using managed switches. Many switches will give you uptime statistics for each port. Plug in a computer to the cable you are trying to trace and log into the switch(es) to see which port has an uptime of a minute or two.
If you use split pairs on your toner, it can trace through an active switch port. For example, put one of your toner leads on blue/white-blue, and the other on brown/brown-white, and you will get a tone. That is because the electrical circuit is not completed on the blue pair. Works like a champ.
Fluke makes a toner that will trace live lan cables plugged into a switch. It's called intelliprobe lan 200. However it only works on home runs and not thru hubs, poe's or small switches in a home run.
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We have a tone generator kit for tracing network cables, but I am having trouble using it correctly.
The tone generator end plugs into the network cable I am trying to trace, and then I assume I should be able to go into the server room and just swipe the probe across the ends of the patch cables while still plugged into the switch, and hear the tone, but that doesn't seem to work.
- When the probe is pointed directly at the tone generator, it responds correctly.
- When I point it a few inches down the wire that is connected to it, it does not respond. I suspect this is due to the cable shielding? As a result, I assume I need to point at the cable end, and not the middle of the wire in the server room.
- My understanding is that the probe does not require you to un-plug any cables to work. Is this correct?
It would be great if someone who knows what they are doing would document the correct procedure here.
![Network tracer Network tracer](https://www.jaycar.com.au/medias/sys_master/images/9246046683166/XC5083-network-cable-tracerImageMain-515.jpg)
Thanks.
10 Answers
First, check the batteries or make sure that you have new ones. Next, you should be swiping along the patch panel and not the switch. I swipe along the underside of the cable jacks (against the copper side) or along the punch panel on the back. I usually get a clearer signal this way.
I think you should test your toner by plugging the generator into a line you know is patched properly and stick the receiver in the proper jack.
My experience with tone generators is that you're going to be touching the pins on the jacks on the patch panel, or, if you've got a really sensitive probe, the terminations on the back of the patch panel. I've never used a tone generator / probe combination that was able to pull tone thru the insulation of a UTP cable.
I don't know that I'd plug a tone generator into the far end of a cable that's patched into a switch, either. You probably won't blow anything up, but I wouldn't try it.
If you are tracing a data line, you have to disconnect the patch cable from the server to the patch panel. If you do not disconnect the patch cable, you will get no signal from the tone generator. The server interferes with the signal. Also, mentioned above, make sure the batteries are good in the tool.
Certain toners or network testers mainly high end fluke brand ones will tone through a live patched cable.. Most other toners are not very practical on 'live' lines. But are great on lines that arent patched into anything at all (fresh install)
All the above have great ideas, but another option is the following:
If you are trying to trace out Cat5 or 6 cabling, make up an adaptor that bridges/shorts out both the blue and the orange pairs and then connect the whole blue pair to one alligator clip and the whole orange pair to the other alligator clip. This will increase the tone volume significantly, as the twist in a pair of cat 5/6 cancels out the tone, but shorting the pair and using both conductors it overcomes this.
The 'wand' end of the tone generator usually has a 'gain' adjustment. Make sure you adjust this appropriately for your environment. It depends on physical contact with the copper if the signal is faint, although I've traced wires across an entire building and not needed
When you have a lot of interference (active network connections) or jacketed / interference-resistant cable, you're going to need conductive contact between the wand and the actual wires inside the cable.
You can trace the cable that is plugged into a switch or server but you must ground the black alligator clip that come off the tone generator. Any large metal object should do the trick.
Cut a patch cable in half and only connect one toner lead to one wire. When the cable is plugged into a switch you must only tone a single wire not a pair
take a patch cord cut it into, next remove about 2 inches of the outer shielding to expose the twisted pairs, cut off the blue/white pair, orange/white pairs, and the white wire from the brown/white pair.this will leave you with the green/white pair and the solid brown wire, next remove the shielding from all 3 wires twist the green/ white pair exposed wires together. place 1 of the clips from your tone generator to the green/white pair and the other clip to the brown wire this will allow you to short out the active port on the switch so you can tone out the cabling without harming the port on the switch.
Data switches and computers 'eat' the tone when applied to the twisted pairs. 1&2, 3&6, 7&8, 4&5. when toning out the cable use split pairs. For example apply the tone generator to pins 2 and 7. THIS WORKS GREAT!