Toner recommendations

Posted by simAlity@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 30 comments

I inherited a cable toner from a greybeard. It works OK for basic toning but the cable tester portion wasn't made to handle gigabit connections, let alone anything faster. Boss has authorized me to pick out something new.

What's everyone's preferred toner?

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Squeak25B@reddit

Fluke.... that being said Pockethernet testers are just as amazing.

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simAlity@reddit (OP)

Pocketethernet does look good. I may buy one for my personal toolbag. But it can only be ordered from Europe and I don't see my boss stocking off on that.

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Squeak25B@reddit

Odd. A few years back my boss was able to get his hands on one (US-based company). I guess things have changed.

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glyndon@reddit

depends on why you use it.

Toning is usually just for finding which cable goes where.

If you're looking to characterize a specific run (as in, is this suitable for a particular bandwidth) then that's more than just 'toning out' a run, but is specific to characterizing it.

If you just need to know 'which wire goes where', any toner will do.

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simAlity@reddit (OP)

I had to install an access point in a building that had recently been rewired. Turns out the AP's cable run had been installed but not connected to the switch. Hence the need to tone. The vendor vendor hadn't done a particularly good job so when the old toner's only showed two pairs connected, I assumed the worst. Now, I suspect that this has more to do with the wiring being unlike anything the current toner/tester was programmed for. Hence my desire to upgrade.

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glyndon@reddit

Ethernet does only use 2 of the 4 pairs in a standard cable, so it could be totally fine if the unused pairs were not connected to anything.

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tonymurray@reddit

What do you mean doesn't support gigabit? Doesn't it just test the wire pairs?

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blbd@reddit

Noyafa NF-859GT combination digital and analog toner plus cable and fiber tester. It can successfully tone way more cables way more easily than the mediocre old analog toners.

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pjtexas1@reddit

Saw that it is on sale today for $99 today.

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pjtexas1@reddit

I would have bought it tonight but it doesn't display the switch port. I have several testers that already make me walk across the building to tone or look for a blinking light. 🤣

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blbd@reddit

That's a great deal for everything it can do.

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brainstormer77@reddit

I was looking at their website catalog and was put off by the ugliness I saw.

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blbd@reddit

Oh yeah. It's a hot mess. But they're stocked by Amazon so for a little bit more money you can get it from there where it's easier to navigate and has a more liberal return policy if you don't like the product. I keep it in one side pocket of my Veto bag and I keep a Fluke clamp and leads meter that I got in a killer Amazon sale in the other pocket.

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DiHydro@reddit

Are you looking for tone (cable tracing), or testing? Tone can be almost anything, Klein, Fluke, Triplett. For testing if a cable can pass data at needed speeds I like our Softing linkXpert M3.

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simAlity@reddit (OP)

Current toner has a built-in tester and I sort of assumed that was the norm. But if it's not I would say we new tester more than a new toner since our current toner can still perform that function adequately.

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DiHydro@reddit

Well, I’d try the M3 before looking at Flukes! Unless you need to certify, aka a very expensive printout, then the cable test function of the M3 is awesome. I normally use ours to see what switch port a wall jack is connected to, using LLDP check. Then I know exactly what port to change in the config.

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simAlity@reddit (OP)

That thing is almost a thousand dollars. Current toner/ tester just has lights representing pairs. Is that no longer an option?

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Opposite_Bag_7434@reddit

Definitely Fluke

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ZealousidealState127@reddit

Intellitone 200

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Adam_Kearn@reddit

Klein is a good brand

But if you have the budget I would recommend fluke

For the full Klein kit you are still looking around £200

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