Pros & Cons
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- Great price.
- Each device works flawlessly at its appointed task.
- Zero learning time.
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- LinkCheck works only on 10/100 networks.
If you're a desktop support staffer, one of the more dreaded calls you can receive starts with "I can't see the network." It's all the worse because there are so many reasons losing the network might happen. The trick is elimination: Eliminate each possible problem one at a time—the definition of "tedious" as it pertains to the IT guy. But for those looking for a quick resolution to such problems, there are dedicated tools that are easy to use and won't break your IT budget—notably, PatchTest and LinkCheck, a couple of near-flawless little network diagnostic gadgets from Smartronix.
Eliminating hardware as a potential cause of your no-network problem means checking three things: The network interface in the PC, the Ethernet cable, and the wall-mounted network jack that the cable plugs into. If that doesn't do the trick, you'll also need to check the cable behind the wall jack and the corresponding switch port in the closet, but these tools can do that, too.
In my experience, cables die first: They get bent and stepped on, furniture rolls over them, or people yank them out by tripping over them. The abuse can drop signal integrity enough to kill an active connection, yet the cable may look no worse for wear.
To check the wire, you can use a $500 MicroTest tester, but for only about $45, the Smartronix PatchTest accomplishes the same purpose. Just plug both ends of the cable into the device and you'll learn whether you have a dead wire or one capable of carrying a full 10/100 or gigabit signal. Testing the cable that runs from the wall jack to the switch requires another purchase, but considering that it costs just $7, you'll have more trouble asking for the device by its ding-a-ling name (the Smartronix Gigabit SuperLooper Loopback Jack) than paying for it.
If the cable proves good, you need to check the network connection. The aptly named Smartronix LinkCheck, another inexpensive gadget, lets you do just that. Simply plug it into either the wall jack or the PC's Ethernet connector, and you'll learn whether the port is live as well as how fast it can run. Unfortunately, testing Gigabit Ethernet remains a wish-list item. Although Smartronix says the device doesn't support Gigabit Ethernet, the device did know that my two Gigabit cards were working, but it identified them as 10/100. Considering that most PCs come with Gigabit ports these days and that the price of SMB Gigabit switches is dropping well below $1,000, the LinkCheck needs to follow suit—and soon.—
Smartronix in the Labs
I tested both the PatchTest and the LinkCheck in the PC Magazine Labs, and they couldn't be easier to use: Plug in a cable or attach to a network interface and press a button, and a color coded LED tells you the result. Nothing to learn, even for novices.
The PatchTest correctly identified the speed of good cables and pointed a finger at two bad ones. It also identified a working cable as bad, so I replaced it right away, without having to wait for it to fail.
The LinkCheck worked as advertised, too, properly identifying three working 10/100 cards, and as noted above, knew that my Gigabit cards were working, even though the company claims no support for that type of connection. The two bad network cards I attached to the LinkCheck were properly identified as well. Smartronix also sent its Ethernet Extender, which the company designed as a mini cable that attaches to the LinkCheck, letting administrators test hard-to-reach jacks or network cards. But the extender really needs a longer cable to be useful when you're trying to avoid moving a heavy PC or desk.
Smartronix makes a slew of wire and network testers, including tools for evaluating cable TV equipment as well as phone and home security cabling. All are low cost, single function, and easy to use.
For large cable installations, neither the PatchTest nor the LinkCheck is a replacement for something like a MicroTest device, but for quick-fix scenarios, it's a lot cheaper to outfit a few dozen firemen techs with PatchTest gadgets than eat the cost for the same number of expensive multifunction cable testers.
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Final Thoughts
Smartronix LinkCheck Extender
You won't be doing complex diagnostics with the Smartronix PatchTest or LinkCheck (each is a single-task device), but these supremely easy-to-use, nicely priced gadgets are just right when you only need to know whether to replace a cable or a network card.