How To Build: Network Switch Tester/Light

A

Adam

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 9, 2003
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So heres my scenario:

I got 4 guys going to NYC tommorrow to wire up about 600 wires. They didnt label the wires, don't ask why, so they are going to label them tommorrow.

Normally they'd walk around with a laptop, plug it into a jack and see which light gets turned on, on the switch, and they'd label the wire. However, 600 jacks carrying a laptop, will get tiring/etc..

So i figured i could make a small device thats battery operated that i can put in a tiny box that they can plug into the network switch, and have the switch, light up, as if a laptop was plugged in.

Anyway know how to do this? Which pins would i need to "trigger" or send power over via 12v (or a different voltage) that'll make the network swtich light, turn on???
 
4 guys, 600 wires? buy a cable tester online for $15. In fact, buy two.
 
++ for cable tester. You can send a guy out with 1 part of it and have the other guy at the switch. Stupid easy.

The one I got has a tone generator thigner in it, so I hit a button and it makes noise when it finds the cable that's plugged into the other end. I've used this on 250' + runs...
 
We have like 4-5 of them, even a tester that has 8 remote units and the main displays which unit.


Problem is they will have 3 racks, with about.... ohhh say 4 48 port switches in each rack.

It'd take them forever in the day to keep plugging/unplugging to find the right jack... see the dilema

This way with a completely black switch, as soon as they plug this lil "device" i wanna make into a network jack, the switch will light up, and then can they just label the patch panel.

Im trying to figure out how a switch LIGHTS UP when a computer is plugged into it. Can i send voltage on the tx/rx lines or something to light it up... etc...


The other option i have is for them to use the toner and plug the transmitter end into a jack and then just touch the inside of the patch panel with the probe to get a tone, that'll work, but i figure if a light LIGHTS UP its a LOT quicker then testing each onf of the 600 patch openings.... know what i mean...
 
The problem is that link lights are not just stupid lights, usually they come on after the devices have had a handshake so to speak. (at least that is what I understand of it, could be wrong) That is why they have different lights for gb vs. 10/100 for example.

There are some testers that can make a link light though, I know some of the Fluke ones can as can the Test Um validater. Are you sure you one with 8 remote units cant do it? Sounds like one of the more advanced testers that would have that as an option....
 
We tried it on a switch tonight, didnt set the link light off on the network switch.

What about like a PoE device... an injector... dont they set the link light off without anything plugged in? I'll hafta try that tommorrow... i could give them a battery pack with a PoE injector to set off the link light... maybe that'd work
 
It will go quicker than you think using a network mapper with 8 identifiers.

Your worst case right now is that in the even cables are not working, then you are going to be running amok finding something that isn't there. 600 is easy, it's the quality I'd be worried about.
 
Adam said:
We tried it on a switch tonight, didnt set the link light off on the network switch.

What about like a PoE device... an injector... dont they set the link light off without anything plugged in? I'll hafta try that tommorrow... i could give them a battery pack with a PoE injector to set off the link light... maybe that'd work
Click to expand...

Most of the ones I have used dont...again a PoE injector is a dumb device, Switch link lights tend to need a smart device that talks to be turned on.
 
You could just use a loopback plug. Wire pin 1 to pin 3 and pin 2 to pin 6. Patch the workstation jacks into the switch ports. Plug it into the workstation jack and it will light up the switch port. It will take a while but it's cheap :)
 
I know you said don't ask, but I have to. Why would anybody in their right mind run cables like that? We label the cables before we even terminate on the patch panel.

Back on topic, we have a JDSU Tri-Porter wiring tester that, among many other features, does a internet test. So in essence, you plug it in and it tries to obtain an IP via DHCP, and then tries to ping the gateway IP. In the process it would light up the link light on a switch. A little more than you want, but it works!

Another thing to do would be using a tone generator & a sniffer. 600 cables would only be 25 24-port patch panels, so it wouldn't take very long. Just swipe the sniffer across the ports until you hear the tone, and then label it.
 
jeffmoss26 said:
You could just use a loopback plug. Wire pin 1 to pin 3 and pin 2 to pin 6. Patch the workstation jacks into the switch ports. Plug it into the workstation jack and it will light up the switch port. It will take a while but it's cheap :)
Click to expand...
+1 , Exactly what I was thinking when I read the thread.
http://www.tikkiweb.net/loopback
Im surprised Jeff was the only one who recommended this.

Dawizman said:
Another thing to do would be using a tone generator & a sniffer. 600 cables would only be 25 24-port patch panels, so it wouldn't take very long. Just swipe the sniffer across the ports until you hear the tone, and then label it.
Click to expand...

Also another good idea, have had to do this to more copper lines than I want to remember. heh
 
Well since you asked, even though i said dont... im honestly not sure. Someone dropped the ball. I think because they had so many they were going nuts and just ran the wires because they were being rushed to get it done by the client... and now... the clients not rushing them and things are pushed back so they hafta label em... but of course NOW the fun part happens.

Using the 8 testers isnt gonna work, You gota remember theres over 500 ports they can plug 8 mods into. Thats a LOT of ports even with 8 possible spots... i did it with a 50 drop network and even that was a pain to do.

I'll try creating a loop back device, as long as it lights up the switch, it'll do the job a lot easier. As soon as it lights they can just go on the radio "okay found it, this will be jack XXX".

The testers we have dont obtain IP's, i'll hafta look into getting a fancier tester for my guys so they can do a lot more with a single tester. Grabbing an IP will help test the network, cause sometimes even though a line tests OK the line still has issues where it wont grab an IP for some reason or another...

but thanks for the advice. If i had time i'd order the equip, i'll see what my local supplier has tomm but i'll work on a loop back device.
 
The loopback costs basically nothing. Either take a plug and some jumper wire, or cut a patch cord, strip the jacket back, and twist the wires together. I've done this many a time.
 
I just made one quickly here at home with a spare cable and tested it on my network, i do believe that will do exactly what I need to do.

Thanks a lot for the tip on the loop back cable, works like a charm here. Should do the job tomorrow
 
Adam said:
Grabbing an IP will help test the network, cause sometimes even though a line tests OK the line still has issues where it wont grab an IP for some reason or another...
Click to expand...

Get a validator then, when that happens it is usually something like cross talk or a bad part in the wire that a normal pair tester can sometimes miss but a validator can usually detect.
 
I will, should work out well, its exactly what i was looking to do. Ive seen them on thinkgeek for years, now realize what they are used for, lol.
 
Heres the final product. I decided to put it in a box, so that it wasnt lost as easily, was easily labeled and didnt run the risk of coming undone (not that id ever see it coming undone) while in the field. Simple, cost about $2 in parts (but we stock the jacks/boxes here) and was simple as anything to make. I woulda used a single opening box, but i had a double sitting on my desk, so went with it.

3272_1071084412759_1095570040_30211004_8033344_n.jpg


3272_1071084652765_1095570040_30211005_1783030_n.jpg
 
New photos of a 2nd box. I put a crossover in it also. So one box does crossover and loopback:

3272_1071094693016_1095570040_30211031_5317767_n.jpg


3272_1071094973023_1095570040_30211032_3181467_n.jpg
 
I did the same thing a while back but for an active network, so it helped to add a button on the box so you can make the light flash to help identify it. Good luck.
 
Hrm thats not a bad idea... revision 3 will incorporate that... what'd you use to make it flash though, it'd hafta have a battery in it then to trigger the relay on/off
 
The problem with this is they set it up a half-assed way, so now they will have to label it a half-assed way...
 
REDYOUCH said:
The problem with this is they set it up a half-assed way, so now they will have to label it a half-assed way...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can't imagine having 600 ports with not a single one relating or in order. I would hate to be the tech to find a port 16 and patch to say port 17, lol.
 
Here's how I do it.

Get a Tone Amplifier : http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=33-862

Then get a 4 x Remote Tester Kit. I have one at home that I REALLY love but I can't remember the make and model. It was yellow with a black rubber cover over the battery area. Came in a zip cordura case. It tested lots of stuff (including TIA568a/b) and tested for both continuity and for data transmission.

Basically, you terminate your wall jacks. Then plug the remote tester kit in and set it to tone. Go in the server room and use your inductive amplifier to find the wire in question. When the probe gets near the wire it'll start beeping. Either patch it down, or label it...I'd just patch it down.

Then when you are done patching down 5 or 6. Test them. Go hook up the remotes on one end, and test on the other end.

Very fast way of doing things. Plus with the added data testing in that unit, you'll find problems you never would have otherwise found from badly terminated (but technically good) wires.
 
Adam said:
New photos of a 2nd box. I put a crossover in it also. So one box does crossover and loopback:
Click to expand...

Those are the most artistic pictures I've ever seen of networking equipment. Maybe I should start a thread for that - Dramatic Network Pics.
 
I had mine now, no trip to fries. A trip inside my desk drawer and into my work van.

I already have a toner/amplifer set, a few of them. I also have a toner that has 8 remote heads that you plug into the network and a transmitter that sends a signal to them, and they reply with their ID. Its kinda neat.

PLug all 8 in, then go one by one to see which wires which. Lets me label 8 wires by myself at a time.

Ohh and the photos. Taken from my iphone actually... but im a photographer on the side sooo cant help myself sometimes, lol
 
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