Cabling Chronicles
How to Simplify Wi-Fi Analysis with LinkIQ™ Duo
Understanding your Wi-Fi environment is the key to delivering a seamless wireless experience for users. Whether you’re determining the best location and configuration for a new wireless access point (AP), fine-tuning existing APs as the environment changes, or troubleshooting common issues, having a clear picture of your WLAN is essential.
January 28, 2025
An Interview with BICSI Board President Dave Richards, the Visionary Behind the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge
In 2007, the BICSI Board of Directors formed the NextGen Working Group to develop creative initiatives that would attract the next generation of ICT professionals. As a member of that group, David Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, TECH, proposed an annual competition that would highlight the skills and dedication of cabling professionals, raise the bar for industry standards and best practices, and promote BICSI’s world-renowned Cabling Installation Program. The result: the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge, now in its 17th year.
January 14, 2025
LinkIQ Duo: Cable, PoE, Wi-Fi, and Network Testing All in One Device
In a 2023 Network IT Management Report that surveyed more than 4,500 IT professionals, nearly 50 percent of them said they spend at least half their time on reactive network tasks like troubleshooting, mapping, and configuration — not to mention prioritizing robust, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi performance for all their users who connect wirelessly. So we’ve added Wi-Fi analysis to the LinkIQ™ tester’s already trusted cable, Power over Ethernet (PoE), and network capabilities. Introducing the LinkIQ Duo: your essential cable, Wi-Fi, and network tester.
January 6, 2025
Make Sure Your Cabling Plant Is Ready for Wi-Fi 6
If you’re ready to upgrade your enterprise wireless to Wi-Fi 6, here’s how to make sure your cabling plant is ready, too. (Our earlier article covered Wi-Fi 6 standards and performance benefits — read it here.)
January 6, 2025
January 6, 2025
Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6: What’s New and What It Means for Your Network
As the primary means of connectivity in private and public spaces, Wi-Fi technology keeps evolving to offer more, faster. Wi-Fi 7 is the latest generation that promises higher speeds, lower latency, and improved capacity — yet with the migration from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E still underway, many wonder what extreme high-throughput Wi-Fi 7 is all about. Here we look closer at this technology, the improvements it promises over Wi-Fi 6/6E, and the impact it may have on your network cabling infrastructure and testing.
November 25, 2024
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Enterprise Wi-Fi Performance
Certification testing of a new cable plant is essential to verify its compliance with industry cabling standards and to secure the manufacturer’s warranty. When your installed network equipment goes active, proper configuration is crucial for delivering optimal performance and reliable connectivity to all your users and network devices. This is true in both wired and Wi-Fi networks. Here are some common enterprise Wi-Fi performance issues that arise and how to troubleshoot them.
November 25, 2024
Versiv™ Release 6.12 Saves Time, Increases Accuracy, and Reduces Retesting
Operator error in testing fiber loss is a costly problem for installers. When we launched the Versiv™ family of cable certifiers, we included several features, such as the Set Reference Wizard, which greatly reduced the number of such errors. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’re eliminating even more with the latest Versiv software release 6.12.
October 14, 2024
Third-Party Network Cable Certification: What You Need to Know
Reputable manufacturers promote and label cable, patch cords, and connecting hardware as “third-party certified,” “verified,” or “listed.” It means that a manufacturer has independently determined that their products comply with industry standards. What exactly do these certifications mean? How do they differ from cable certification of an installed cabling plant? Let’s take a look.
September 18, 2024
Insertion Loss vs. Return Loss
Insertion loss and return loss are two of the most critical performance parameters for twisted pair copper and fiber optic cabling links. They represent distinct aspects of signal transmission and differ for both media types. Here we explain the key differences between these two parameters, why they matter, and how to interpret them.
August 14, 2024
