|  | 9.7 | Range of Equipment for Testing Structured Cabling Projects
| 9.7.2 | Network operation testing

The IEEE and the TIA/EIA have established standards that allow you to test whether your network is operating at an acceptable level. If your network passes this test and is certified as meeting the standards, you can use this measurement as an established baseline. The baseline is a record of your network's starting point or newly installed performance capabilities.

Knowing the baseline measurement is important. Testing does not end just because your network installation is certified as meeting the standards. You should continue to test your network on a regular basis in order to ensure that it performs at its peak. You can do this by comparing current measurements with recorded measurements that were taken when the system was known to be operating properly. If there is a significant change from the baseline measurement, it is an indication that there is something wrong with the network. Repeated testing of your network, and comparisons against its baseline, will help you spot specific network problems that may be caused by aging, poor maintenance practices, weather, or other factors.

One example of an all-purpose tool for testing the baseline health of a network is shown in the figure. Fluke Networks' NetTool (or other equivalent all-purpose handheld testers) provides vision into the cause of desktop-to-network connectivity problems, combining the capabilities of a network tester, a PC configuration tester, and a basic cable tester. NetTool (or equivalent) connects between the PC and the wall jack. Once connected, the NetTool listens, collects, and organizes information regarding the following:

1. the network resources available,
2. the network resources the PC is configured to use, and
3. the health of the network segment - including errors, collisions, utilization, and the health of the PC NIC card and the local network.

You can also use NetTool (or equivalent) to perform basic cable tests to detect opens, shorts, split pairs, length to the open on any RJ45-terminated cable, and pin-to-pin wiremap tests on installed wiring or patch cables.

Summary of NetTool's (or equivalent) Capabilities:

1. Service Identification: Identifies a jack as Ethernet, Token-Ring, Telco or inactive.
2. Link Reporting: Discovers and reports the previously unseen the PC-hub/switch link negotiation.
3. Inline Mode: concisely displays the PC's IP address and network resources used: default router, email server, DNS, and web servers accessed.
4. Basic Cable Testing: Performs basic cable tests, showing opens, shorts, split pairs, length, and pin-to-pin wire mapping.

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