Network Maintenance Tools

Question 1

Bit Error Rate Tester

Answer 1

• tests for bit errors in the form of BER (Bit Error Rate)
• used when troubleshooting a link where you suspect a high BER, interference or faulty cabling
• contains both a pattern generator and error detector

Question 2

Butt Set

Answer 2

• allows a technician to check a line, to determine whether a dial tone is present on the line to determine whether a call can be placed from the line

Question 3

Cable Certifier

Answer 3

• can determine the category of an existing cable, or test the frequency range (data throughput) of the cable

Question 4

Cable Tester

Answer 4

• tests the conductors in an ethernet cable for continuity meaning no opens or breaks in a conductor
• can also verify an RJ45s connector pinouts

Question 5

Connectivity Software

Answer 5

• used when physically separate from the network you are maintaining or troubleshooting, enables you to take control of a PC that is located on a remote network

Question 6

Crimper

Answer 6

• can be used to attach a connector (like RJ45) to the end of a UTP cable
• many crimpers have a built in wire snipper and wire snip function as well

Question 7

Electrostatic Discharge Wrist Strap

Answer 7

• discharges static shock when working on equipments/circuits
• equipped with a clip that you can attach to something with ground potential

Question 8

Environmental Monitor

Answer 8

• monitors environmental conditions among network components

Question 9

Loopback Plug

Answer 9

• used to confirm a network interface is functional (can transmit and receive traffic)

Question 10

Multimeter

Answer 10

• can use a multimeter to check a variety of copper cables electrical characteristics: resistance (ohms), current (amps), voltage (volts)

Question 11

Protocol Analyzer

Answer 11

• aka “network sniffer”, captures traffic flowing through a network switch using the port mirroring feature
• can discern details of communications flows (sessions) by examining captured packets

Question 12

Wifi Analyzer

Answer 12

• software running on a general purpose or specialized computer can peform wireless analysis of wifi signals, used as part of a survey to create a major heat map of the wireless airspace

Question 13

Looking Glass Sites

Answer 13

• allows users to connect to view the routing information from that server perspective
• can assist engineers in verifying changes to local BGP router configuration are having the desired effect on BGP routes to the internet

Question 14

Speed Test Sites

Answer 14

• tests the speed (throughput) from a local computer to an internet site
• helps determine whether the voerall connection to the internet is slow or a specific site or server

Question 15

Punch Down Tool

Answer 15

• used when terminating wires on a punch down block, can insert an insulated wire between two contact blades which cut through the insulation and make electrical contact with the inner wire

Question 16

Throughput Tester

Answer 16

• network appliance that typically has multiple network interfaces and can generate high volumes of pseudo-random data
• might want to see how a network performs under a heavy load

Question 17

Time Domain Reflectometer and Optical Time Domain Reflectometer

Answer 17

• can help identify exactly where the break exists in a cable
• TDT for copper cabling
• Optical TDR (OTDR) for fiber optic cable

Question 18

Toner Probe

Answer 18

• can use a toner probe when working on a punch down bloack and attempting to identify which pair of wires connect back to an end users location

Question 19

Spectrum Analyzer

Answer 19

• measures the magnitude of an input signal versus frequency within the full frequency range of an instrument
• allows you to see spectral components you may not normally be able to see