Cabling Chronicles

Three Reasons Cabling Certification Is More Important Than Ever

Every time you complete the installation of a structured cabling system, you can choose whether to certify it. All links in the system should be tested in some way to make sure that they’re connected properly, but is it necessary to measure and document the performance of every link?

January 5, 2023

Is cabling technician training (CCTT) certification worth it?

Staying on top of the critical technological developments in network cabling infrastructure helps you — and your company — stay current and competitive. One way to do that is to participate in an accredited training and certification program, like Fluke Networks Certified Cabling Test Technician™ Training (and now, Recertification Training).

November 25, 2022

Why FiberLert Is a Game Changer in Fiber Optics

As the leading provider of instructor-led training for fiber optic technicians, Light Brigade was an obvious choice to give us feedback during the development of the FiberLert™ Live Fiber Detector. Recently, Sean Kelly, RCDD, CFHP, and Technical Director at Light Brigade, wrote down his thoughts about the tool now that it’s on the market.

November 17, 2022

Best cable tracing and tracking methods

Although contractors spend a great deal of time and care designing and labeling cable installations, everyone who works on cabling runs into instances where they’re not sure where a cable goes. Perhaps the cable wasn’t labeled correctly when it was installed. Or maybe it was a technician’s "temporary" addition that has lasted for years. Learn which cable toners, identifiers, network cable testers and probes can help you cut the time you spend figuring out where that cable actually goes.

August 16, 2022

Beat the Heat with Versiv™ Cool Features

It seems no matter where you live – the plains, the east coast, the UK or even our typically-cool Pacific northwest – the news is all about record-setting heat.  Worse, a lot of our favorite coping methods are unavailable – gas makes it too costly to go to the beach or mountains, pools are closed due to lifeguard shortages, and now you can´t even help yourself to an ice-cold Choco Taco.

August 8, 2022

Faster Networks Demand More Accurate Measurements

Today’s high-tech data centers form the digital heart of communication and commerce in our world. But every industry has its “remember when” stories, and there's no better time than now to tell them.

June 21, 2022

What’s Happening with Single-Pair Ethernet?

It’s been a few years since the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) introduced the IEEE 802.3cg-2019 single-pair Ethernet (SPE) 10 Mb/s standards. There’s been a lot of industry activity and collaboration surrounding the technology since then — so we thought it would be a good time for an update on the status of Single-Pair Ethernet (SPE).

June 16, 2022

LinkIQ: Your Essential Network+Cable Tester

In a 2021 Network Field Report that surveyed more than 350 IT professionals, more than 70% said that network configurations happen daily, several times a week, or weekly. Nearly 50% of respondents also said they spend at least half of their time on reactive network tasks like troubleshooting, mapping, and configuration—leaving little time for strategic technology planning and digital transformation.

June 9, 2022

5 Vital Safety Rules for Working with Fiber Optic Cables

There are plenty of hazards to watch for when working on commercial and industrial networks. Fiber optic cable can seem safe; it doesn’t carry an electrical charge, and it’s not a heat source. More often it’s a lack of understanding of the real hazards of fiber optic cable that can be the most dangerous safety hazard of all.

May 31, 2022

Fiber Polarity Basics

Polarity defines direction of flow, such as the direction of a magnetic field or an electrical current. In fiber optics, polarity is directional; light signals travel through a fiber optic cable from one end to the other. A fiber optic link’s transmit signal (Tx) at end of the cable must match the corresponding receiver (Rx) at the other end.

May 19, 2022