The Major 5 Tools That Everyone Uses in the Data Cabling Industry

Datacabling is one among the major cabling strategies used in the modern communication technology. The data cabling industry is developing day by day. The operations and activities in the data cabling industry are carried out using a wide range of tools. The data cabling tools include the tools for cable installation, cable testing, cable maintenance, tools for network configuration, etc.

Some of the major tools used by everyone in the data cabling industry are as follows;


1. Crescent voltage Tester

The Crescent voltage tester detects voltage of range 12 to 600V AC. Its adjustable sensitivity allows tracing of wires behind the walls, at switches, or receptacles. The Crescent voltage tester is a handy pen size tool which can be clipped easily inside your shirt pocket. The key features of this voltage detector are its attractive sensing tip, 360 degree Visual Indicator and Sensitivity Adjustment.

Technical Specification and features

      ·        Detects voltage of range 12V to 600V AC , 50-60 Hz

     ·        It has Sensitivity adjusting features to make it flexible for varying voltages.

        ·        360 degree Visual Indicator and sensitivity tip

     ·        It has 1.5V button style batteries

    2. Cable Stripper

   The cable stripper with 110 IDC tool is a specifically designed tool to strip the jacket from the round shaped cables without causing damage to the conductors.
This cable stripper is highly useful for cat 5e or Cat 6 cables, security cables and telephone cables. The cable stripper comes with 110 IDC tool built into its tip.

3. LAN cable Tester
The LAN cable tester is an important tester for communication installations and maintenance. It is capable of fast detection of various types of communication problems in wiring with the structured LAN wiring, coaxial cabling, and telephone wiring.

Key features and functions of LAN Cable Tester

·        It checks wiring error in LAN coaxial cable and telephone lines; like open circuit short circuit jump wire, cross talk interference or split pairs, reverse connection, etc.

    ·        Capable of dynamically calibrate the length of cables and makes the length measurements accurate up to 97%.

     ·        Measures the cable length and determines the distance of open circuit and short circuit.

      ·        It determines the continuity and wiring patterns.

      ·        Checks coaxial, Cat 7, Cat 6 and Cat 5e twisted and cord network and trouble.

      ·        Services line test without the requirement of an external adapter.

      ·        Battery low indication is provided.

      ·        Identifies and locates the distance to an open or a short in seconds.

      ·        Uses TDR (Time Domain Reflect meter) and finds the trouble location.

There are many more features embedded with the LAN cable tester. It provides a convenient and enhanced tool for testing the cable quality and standard.

4. Insulated 1000 VAC Electrical Pliers

They are high quality pliers with long precision cutting blades, a round bar gripper, a flat griper at the front part and a crimper behind the fulcrum.

Features of Electrical Pliers

·        The electrical pliers are 6 inch long (160 mm) with 2 inch (50 mm)

·        Precision edges of the cutters are remarkable.

·        The cutters are hot dropped and made from high alloy steel.

·        The ergonomic soft grip handles of the electrical pliers reduce fatigue.

·  These pliers are designed to fit easily into and withdraw from a tradesmen’s belt pouch.

·        It has high leverage and has serrated round bar gripper.

·    Capable of cutting steel wire, nails and screws, etc.

    5.  Measuring tape

One of the basic tools used in the cabling industry is the measuring tape. A popular and widely accepted one is the crescent measuring tape of 8 cm.

 Features of the measuring tape

·        It has durable case design and construction.

·        Pro-grip rubber co-moulded case improves comfort and grip.

·   Its locking mechanism gives effortless, secure locking of the blade without making any damages to the blade.

·      The belt-clip secures tape measure when not in use and if preferred it can be removed.

·   Reinforced stainless steel end hook offers improved durability and precision.

·       To enhance long life, the tape is covered by a clear coating.

·      The precision, clear and durable markings make offers great accuracy and easy measurement under all circumstances.

   The above mentioned tools are some of the common tools used in the data cabling industry for day to day use. Many more tools are available for making the cabling activities easier and smoother.

Voice and Data Cabling Installation Requirements for Your Business

Various cabling methodologies are available today. Installation criteria are different for each and every cabling. The type of cabling used is based on the purpose and mode of communication required. They include network cabling, voice cabling, data cabling, etc.

Integration of voice and data cabling is attaining considerable relevance today. Hence the installation procedures and strategies for voice and data cabling should be done with proper care. Also the underlying networks for Voice and data should be designed and installed in accordance with the National standards. The installation procedures based on the National Standards such as TIA/EIA and BICSI will help to boost up the quality and standard of communication.

Installation Requirements

Before proceeding to the installation processes, check out the installation requirements. This will help you to avoid problems while carrying out installation to a large extend. The installation requirements of voice and data cabling include the following;

1. Nowadays most of the voice and data cabling systems make use of the CAT 6 components. The terminations will be in the Cat 6 cable outlets and to a 24 or 48 port patch panels.
2. The multi-mode Fibre Optic cables are used in places where distances and bandwidth needs are dictated.
3. During installations about 6 strand multimode fibre optic cables terminated in locked metal distribution boxes are used. Based on the environment on which the panel is installed, the strands can be terminated with ST or LC connectors. The type of tube buffered cable and jackets are selected based on the environment in which the cable is installed.
4. For building codes for Plenum environment, riser or for horizontal use; cables such as UTP or Fibre optic can be used.
5. The cables should be installed, fastened or wrapped with minimum bend radius and minimum jacket removal for Cat 6 cabling. Also it should appear neat and organized. Best installation practices will follow a definite order and this helps in eliminating bad test results and ambient noise. The best installation practices include routing cables through cable trays and raceways, and never putting them on ceiling tiles.
6. Another important thing is labelling cables. All cables should be properly and legibly labelled on the cable end points, on the patch panels, and on the outlets. This is required by the EIA/TIA 568 standard. This will avoid chaos and problems while installing and configuring cables.

The standard configuration of the voice and data cabling recommends that a minimum of 2 data outlets should be provided at each workstation. The modular outlet systems can be used for this.

Testing and Documentation Requirements

The testing and documentation details will be provided on the CD-ROM or diskette. The test results may include the following details;

• Certificate of accuracy or re-calibration report from the devices used to conduct the testing of cables.
• Conducts full electronic testing on all cables using cable scanner. It reports results for the following factors; Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), ambient noise, cable length, wire map, date of test, etc.
• The category 5E cable installations are tested to meet the 100 Mbps standards and the category 6 installations will be tested to meet the 1 Gbps standards.
• The multimode fibre optic cable installations will test link attenuation and optical loss on each fibre bi-directionally at 850 nm and 1300 nm.
  

Certification and Warranty Requirements

The manufacturer of termination hardware will train the installers for getting a better idea about the hardware used. Support letter and warrantee documentation from the manufacturer on the cable termination hardware will be provided by the contractor.

These are the major installation requirements for voice and data cabling. Considering these requirements will help you to carry out the voice and data cabling installation easily and smoothly. 

The Ultimate Checklist for Network Auditing

          

         Detailed network auditing is recommended to everyone who manages a network. Network auditing must include examination of the networks, software, systems, procedures and employee training. The parameters like hardware configuration, settings and software’s installed on the network have a great influence on the network performance. Network depends not only on the infrastructure, but also on the devices connected to the network and so it’s important to know the configuration of each device connected to the network before the creation of network audit. The auditor’s only job during network auditing is to note the errors and deficiencies.

A good checklist must include ISP Modem, network switch, battery backup, firewall, grade of cabling, wireless security, a circuit, sustained ping and bandwidth test, DHCP authority, DNS authority and WAN IP. The auditor should run tests or checks on each of the above items to complete a basic network diagnostic audit. It should include detailed information about the routers and switches including its model, serial number, location, configuration, routing protocols in use, spanning tree information for switches, ARP table, CAM table, passwords, memory and CPU utilization. Including these items in the checklist can ensure a successful network audit.

A good Network Audit check list should contain:

1.  A graphical representation of network topology and its physical infrastructure      helps to understand the network in a better way.
   
   
2.  The network addresses and names should be assigned in a structured manner and it should be well documented. Planning a good naming convention can make the work easy.
   
   
3.   Network cabling should follow structured cabling in-order to prevent wastage of   time in tracking cables in the future.
   
   
4.  There are many free-ware and open-source tools available for monitoring the network availability. MRTG, Zenoss or NAGIOS are some examples.
   
   
5.  Good password policy is necessary for basic network security. Maintain a         database of all database and other credentials at a secure location. Firewall     configuration settings should be inspected. A hole in the firewall may be opened for any specific task, but may be no longer needed which if not closed can create security problems.
   
   
6.  Details of each device in the network should include the details like location, city, address, building, floor, wiring closet, rack, slot-in-rack, etc. as detailed as possible.
   
   
7. Set access control device in place and specify who can access what to improve     the security of the physical place.
   
   
8.  To detect security breaches quickly, event logs should be monitored continuously. Software tools are available to correlate events from multiple devices, to a single management station, which makes it easier to spot the dangerous events.
   
   
9. The employees should be trained to identify and avoid security attacks like phishing attempts and they should be trained to perform their roles well. Improper configuration changes done by an untrained employee may bring down the entire network.
   
   
10. Documenting the charges for each WAN circuit helps in designing the traffic routing policies. The most utilized one should be the most paid circuit.
    
    

Creation of a network audit checklist is an easy way to simplify the auditing process. A network manager should be aware of factors like network layout, inventory, top customers, traffic pattern of his network, etc. It can not only make the troubleshooting easy, but can also reduce the average time to repair to a great extent. Finally consider the other aspects also during the audit process. Identifying the problems like inadequate energy usage, back up facilities and other inefficiencies provide a way to improve the performance of the network. 

Best Practices in Network Cable Management

       
              Cabling is the basis of all modern networking systems. Maintaining the cabling foundation is also as important as its installation. The mistakes and maintenance headaches in improper cabling can be avoided by a little planning and a few best practices. Thus the efficiency and reliability of data centre cabling can be improved.

      
        The problems in network infrastructure can affect the business adversely. Improper cabling can be one of the reasons for it. Here are some tips to get the most of it from the business data centre’s  network cabling which helps to install a reliable data centre. 

1. Avoid wasting cable wires:
   
          
         Measuring twice before cutting cables will be an intelligent decision. A lot of cables will be wasted if the cable wires are not carefully measured. The matter may seem simple, but in the end we can save much time, money and can reduce headaches. Cable length also matters. The EIA/TIA standard says that the maximum cable length should be 100 meters including the patch leads. So, if 10 meter patch lead is used at each end then the horizontal cable run should be only 80 meters long and if 20 meter patch lead is used , then the cable run should be 60 meters in length.
   
2. Labelling the cables:
   
   
         All the cables should have a label on both the ends including short runs and patch cables. When there is a need to test a bunch of circuits quickly, it will be very hard if cables can’t be identified. If the cables are not marked well, it’ll double the effort to be taken in testing and troubleshooting. Always make sure that the labelling system is consistent and if not, then take some time to stick labels on each end.
   
   
3. Avoid hanging cables in the rack:
   
   
          Gravity will induce more pressure in the cables hanging in the rack which can damage the cables. This may cause signal degradation and poor performance due to stretching of the cables.
   
   
4. Pulling Cables:
   
   
        Pulling the cables can cause damage to the inside copper core which may cause stretching and thinning of the copper wires which affects the signal quality. It may also unwind the twisted copper wires in some cases.
   
   
5. Testing the Cables:
   
   
          Cable testing is a necessary step after its installation. Use good quality testing tools which are familiar to use with. If the test doesn’t pass 100%, then redo the cabling again. This is to attain good network performance which can also prevent a lot of extra work in the end. A star pass (a test that rarely passes) is not good enough and is considered as a failed test.
   
   
6. Avoid cheap cables:
   
   
          Cheap cables have less copper and will result in improper signal propagation. They are physically weaker and can’t be stretched beyond a limit making them more likely to fail. Connecting non standard copper wires with standard ones can create interference problems due to impedance mismatch. Impure copper cores, poor packaging and sub standard sheathing, results in damaged copper cables.
   
   
7. Separate the cables from electric wires:
   
   
       Copper cables running parallel to electric cables create cross talk or interference due to electromagnetic induction which causes signal degradation. Keep maximum distance as possible between data and power cables. LED lights can be used instead of fluorescent lights that generate less interference and less power.
   
   
8. Keep the cables cool and dry:
   
   
           Cables in large bundles may get overheated. The extra temperature on cables can lead to disaster. So design the cable infrastructure in a way which keeps the cable runs cool, along with other networking devices. A change in thermal property changes the electrical performance of the cables and thus affects the signal propagation in the cable.

     
       The slowest node in the network decides the speed of the network. When cabling is considered as an afterthought, there will be a risk of resolving issues that could have been prevented with a bit of care in the beginning. A bad patch cable means the entire cable run is having mistakes. If proper identification labels are not marked, the faulty cable will be hard to detect. However a cable that was working well yesterday may degrade over time and slows down the performance tomorrow, as it is made out of actual stuff.

How to Troubleshoot the Wired Network Connection Problems...?

Fig 1: Wired Network Connection

The communication of a company or a person is mainly based on the network architecture. The network connections are broadly classified into two classes. They are wired network connections and wireless connections. Both of these network connections face many problems. The problems with the network connections should be resolved properly to enhance the better network performance.

Troubleshooting Wired Network Problems

Wired network connection seems to have more problems compared with the wireless networks. This is mainly because physical connections and hardware devices have more chances of failure and faults. Physical wired connections are to be maintained properly otherwise it may create a lot of chaos in your communication. There are many ways to troubleshoot your wired network connection problems. Some of the effective and simple measures to troubleshoot network connection problems are as follows;

Initially in order to check your network connections try out these simple steps:

• Right click on the Network icon of your computer in the notification area and open network Diagnostics. Then click Diagnose and repair.
• Check whether all cables are connected properly.
• If you face the problem after installing any software, then check your connection settings to see if they have been changed.

Some common connection problems 

Unable to connect to a wired connection –

• Check whether the modem and router are turned on.
• Ensure that the Ethernet cable is properly inserted into the network adapter in your computer.
• Check whether the Ethernet cable is defective or not.
• Make sure that the Ethernet cable is connected to the exact port of the router.
• Problems may be with the network adapter. So check your LAN (Local Area Network) connection.
• Make sure the network adapter is functioning properly. This helps you to ensure your LAN connection is working fine.
• To verify whether the network adapter is in good condition, download and install the newest version of network adapter driver.
• Clear the DNS resolver cache. Reference can be taken from the relative websites.

When your network disconnects periodically –

• Turn off the power saving options in the network adapter’s properties.
• Sometimes network conflicts can also occur. Disable one connection and then turn on the relevant connection in the network adapter’s properties.

When the network is too slow –

• Try to purchase recent drivers for your network adapter. It will be available on the manufacturer’s website.
• Try turning off autotuning
• Make sure you have installed the recent versions of the OS service packs and software.
• Try modifying the flow control setting.

When there is a duplicate IP address on the network –

• If you get a message showing duplicate IP address on the network, then resolve the duplicate IP address conflict on a DHCP network.
  
  It is better to take preventive measures than to go for resolving network connection issues. So always keep your network wirings properly. Congestion and unorganized connections will make network problem detection and correction harder. Always choose an experienced and expert team of network wiring service provider to ensure the better wirings and connections.

How does the Network Cabling Service of Wireguys Differ from others...???

Fig: Image of Network Cabling

Network cabling services are very important for establishing a reliable and consistent communication network. Nowadays there are a number of network cabling service providers. It is very difficult to choose one among them.

Wireguys is a leading network cabling and service provider of Canada. Wireguys offers a wide range of cabling services such as network cabling, voice and data cabling, PBX maintenance and support, etc.

The network cabling services from Wireguys differs from other cabling service providers in many aspects. Wireguys provides you with network cabling services and solutions that exactly matches your business requirements. Wireguys gives you information and infrastructure at the right time. A team of expert and skilled engineers of  Wireguys extend you their full-fledged support and assistance in relocating your network cabling system, upgrading your existing cabling network, designing and setting up a new network cabling solution, etc.

The experience and ability of Wireguys proves that they are the best fitted team for upgrading your current network cabling to an advanced level or for relocating the network cabling system. The technical engineers of Wireguys are efficient in planning network structures and designing network cabling solutions and layouts. Usually cabling service providers make agreements and contracts with clients for future maintenance and upgrades. Also the service providers take more time for studying the current cabling structures and layouts. But there shows the excellence of Wireguys’ team. They provide faster and efficient mechanisms for meeting the business needs instantly.

Major Cabling Services from Wireguys

• Wireguys performs all sorts of Networking cable management and operations.
• The team of Wireguys designs small to large scale cable plants which incorporates wide range of networking connections.
• Wireguys incorporates newer topologies and LAN cabling materials to enhance the performance and quality of your network cabling and communication system.
• Wireguys supports Copper Networking Cabling for category 5e cabling, category 5 cabling, category 6 cabling, ANSI/EIA/TIA cable standards, etc.
• Provides long distance and interference free communication cables such as fibre optic cables, multimode, single mode channels.
• Wireguys also offers Ethernet Network Cable for office buildings, call centres, data centres, small offices warehouses, etc.
• Wireguys also supplies high quality telco grade Network wiring, patch panels and jacks.
• Wireguys not only installs network cabling for your business but also tests your installed network cables.
• Efficient Line troubleshooting and connection testing will be done by the technical team of Wireguys.
• Additionally after installing network cabling, Wireguys performs Cable Certifications, Labelling and Documentations. 

Wireguys differs from other cabling providers mainly by their service quality and dedication. They offer 24 x 7 customer support and assistance. They also provide instant solutions for your problems and doubts. Wireguys charges only a reasonable price for installation and maintenance. This cabling charge is very low compared with the former cabling service providers. Wireguys not only provides network cabling solutions but also delivers enhanced services and solutions regarding voice and data cabling. Wireguys promises a quality rich cabling experience throughout your business communication.

Various Types of Voice and Data Cabling

           Voice and data cabling are required in homes, offices, residential and commercial complexes for various data and information needs. Voice and data cables enable the telecommunication equipment's like telephone lines, modems or analog lines. Cables are made up of copper wires which are designed to transmit data to long distances very quickly. Voice and data cabling installations are to be done in a most efficient and trusted manner. For the proper installation of voice and data cables, one should study well about the different types of available cables.

The different types of data and voice cables are mentioned below:

Coaxial Cables:

Coaxial cables are widely installed in business and Ethernet and in other types of local area networks. It was invented by Oliver Heaviside an English engineer and mathematician who patented the design in 1880. It was first used commercially in 1941 by AT& T. Coaxial cable is having pure copper core and so it has excellent data transmission capacity. These cables have an inner and outer conductor which helps to carry high frequency signals than other cable types. The metal shield and thick barrier of plastic enhances its protection and gives more stability in transmission. Coaxial cable is called ‘co-axial’ because it contains only one channel that carries the signal which is surrounded by another concentric physical channel after a layer of insulation, both running along the same axis. A single coaxial cable can carry up to 600 mbps of data and it’s widely used in digital telephone networks.

Most common types of coaxial cables are used for video transmission; video surveillance or high speed networks include RG-6 and RG-59. Coaxial cables are classified as RG (Radio government) ratings. RG-59 used for Cable TV, RG-58 used in thin Ethernet and RG-11 in thick Ethernet. 75 Ohm coaxial cables are best suitable for video transmission and 50 Ohm cables can be used for data transmission. Coaxial cables have more complex installation procedures than other cable types. So it can be installed only with the help of professionally qualified, certified and authorized consultants only.

Twisted Pair Cables:

          Voice and data cabling mainly uses twisted pair copper wiring. It consists of two copper cores with plastic insulation and twisted together. One wire is used for transmitting the signal and other as ground. Twisted pair wires can transmit data up to 300 feet without signal degradation. They are classified in to two types:

•  Unshielded twisted pair cables (UTP): 
  It’s the cheapest type of cable available in market. UTP cable consists of twisted wires form one end to the other. Twisting reduces the distortion and interference that may arise from the surrounding environment. UTP cables are classified in to 7 categories based on the signal quality.
  
  

  Category	Data Rate	Use
  CAT 1	Up to 1 mbps	Traditional telephone system and ISDN modem
  CAT 2	Up to 4 mbps	Local talk and telephone (rarely used)
  CAT 3	Up to 10 mbps	10BASE-T Ethernet
  CAT 4	Up to 16 mbps	Token Ring (rarely used)
  CAT 5	Up to 100 mbps	100BASE-T Ethernet (Gigabit Ethernet)
  CAT 5E	Up to 1000 mbps	Gigabit Ethernet
  CAT 6	Up to 1000 mbps	Gigabit Ethernet

•  Shielded twisted pair cables (STP):  The only difference between STP and UTP is in its protection system. STP has a metal sheath covering the twisted pairs within the cable framework and so it’s more expensive than UTP cables. But the protection covering helps the STP cables to bear the distortion and interference to a higher level than UTP and provides for signal strength and stable connection.
  
  

Fibre Optic Cables:

          Fibre optic cables are used by many organizations to gain fast access to the Internet. These cables transmit data signals in the form of light waves which completely eliminates the possibility of any interference on the signal from electronic or radio frequency devices from the outside environment. It’s the most expensive and fastest type of transmission cable among the different options discussed so far. Fibre optic cables are capable of sending a 500MHz signal up to 1 Km. Fibre optic cables are mainly classified in to two: Multimode fibre and Singlemode fibre. Multimode fibre allows multiple signals to be transmitted through the core in the form of light waves, and as the name indicates, singlemode fibre allows only one signal to pass through at a time. Benefits of fibre optic cables are, it provides high bandwidth, low attenuation and reduced electromagnetic interference. So it’s often used in backbone networks because of its wide bandwidth and cost effectiveness.

                     

         In order to select the correct and appropriate cabling for an organization, it’s highly recommended to select the most professional, certified and authorized network cabling specialist in the similar field.