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6.5.2. Hardware Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Cable tester | Verify cable continuity and wiring (wiremap); a certifier also verifies the cable meets its category's performance spec |
| TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) | Find cable breaks, measure length |
| OTDR (Optical TDR) | Fiber testing—locates breaks, splices and bends and reports the distance to each |
| Multimeter | Electrical measurements |
| Tone generator/probe | Trace cables |
| Optical power meter | Measure fiber light levels |
| Spectrum analyzer | Analyze wireless frequencies |
| Wi-Fi analyzer | Show nearby SSIDs/APs, signal strength and channel use—finds overlap and rogue APs |
| Loopback plug | Loops a port's transmit back to its receive to test the interface without another device |
Written byAlvin Varughese
Founder•20 professional certifications