Tec-Alert Newsletter
Network Certifier Comparison Chart
As the range of demands faced by LAN installers continues to expand and become more complex, the already important role of the multi-function LAN tester is becoming increasingly critical. Field installers need to be able to test, diagnose and certify many different types and grades of cabling, including both copper and fiber, configured into a wide range of specific installations, including workgroup level LANs, horizontal links, permanent links, campus level backbones, etc. The following chart compares the features and specifications of four models of LAN Testers.Do you know what to look for in an ideal LAN Tester? Click here to find out.
|
LAN TESTER COMPARISON CHART
|
||||
|
Fluke DSP
4100/4300 |
Microtest
Omniscanner2 |
Agilent
Wirescope 350 |
IDEAL
LANTEK 6 & 7 |
|
| GENERAL | ||||
| CAT 6 Trade Value |
$5,995 - $6,700
|
$5,995
|
$5,995
|
$5,995
|
| CAT 7 Trade Value |
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
$6,995
|
|
Standard Internal Storage Capacity
|
504
|
1,000
|
1,000+
|
6,000+
|
| Graphic Display of Results |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Stroage of Graphic Data |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Flash Storage |
16MB
|
32MB
|
32MB
|
32MB
|
| PCMCIA Universal Interface |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| USB Port |
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Tone Generator |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Color Display |
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Talk Over Copper |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Talk Over Fiber |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Auto Test Button |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Display (on remote) |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| PHYSICAL | ||||
| CAT 7/Class F up to 600MHz |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes (LANTEK 7)
|
| CAT 7 Upper Freq. MHz |
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
750 (LANTEK 7)
|
| CAT 7 Time To Rest |
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
app. 35 seconds
|
| CAT 6 Upper Freq. MHz |
350
|
300
|
350
|
350 (LANTEK 6)
|
| CAT 3, 5, 5E, 6 Class E |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| CAT 6 Test Time |
46 seconds
|
38 seconds
|
45 seconds
|
app. 25 seconds
|
| Ring Signal Voltage Protection |
Minimal
|
not claimed
|
not claimed
|
Yes
|
| Battery Capacity |
10 hours
|
10 hours
|
5-6 hours
|
4-8 hours
|
| Battery Recharge Time |
4 hours
|
3.5 hours
|
2 hours
|
2 hours
|
| Ambient Temp. Setting |
Yes
|
No
|
Auto
|
Auto
|
| Adapter Configuration |
External
|
External
|
External
|
Internal
|
| AUTOTEST TEST (Copper) | ||||
| Wiremap |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Length |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| NEXT |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Insertion Loss |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Return Loss |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| ACR |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| ELFEXT |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Delay & Skew |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Power Sum Next |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Power Sum ACR |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Power Sum ELFEXT |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| FAULT FIND (Copper) | ||||
| DC Loop Resistance |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Capacitance |
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Impedance |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Length (TDR) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| TEST LEAD AVAILABILITY (Copper) | ||||
| Category 7 / Class F Adapter | ||||
| Universal Channel / Permanent TERA |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Universal Channel / Permanent GG45 |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Awaiting NEXANS
|
| Universal Channel / Permanent Mini-C |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Awaiting CTN
|
| Category 6 / Class E | ||||
| Universal Channel / Permanent RJ45 |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Category 5 / 5e / 6 | ||||
| Field Calibration |
Special Adapter
|
Special Adapter
|
Special Adapter
|
Channel Adapter
|
| FIBER | ||||
| MM Fiber Adapter Kit List Price |
$3,000
|
$3,000
|
$2,100
|
$1,995
|
| SM Fiber Adapter Kit List Price |
$5,000
|
$5,500
|
$4,000
|
$4,495
|
| Length & Delay |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Distance to Fault |
No
|
No
|
No
|
TRACETEK
$2,995 |
| Event Tracing |
No
|
No
|
No
|
TRACETEK
$2,995 |
| Bi-Directional Loss Measurement |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Test Fiber in Pairs |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Test 2 Wavelengths (simultaneaous) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Multimode (850/1300) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Singlemode (1310/1550) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| Voice Over Fiber |
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| Fiber Optic Cable Library (TIA/ISO/NW) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| OTHER TESTS (Fiber, Active System Testing) | ||||
| Power Meter Mode |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| FIBER (Standards) | ||||
| Network Specifications | ||||
| ATM, FDDI, Fiber Channel |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 100BASE-SX |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 100 Base-F, 10 Base-FL&FB |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| 1000 Base SX&LX |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| SOFTWARE | ||||
| Extensive On Board Help |
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
| PC Graphic Reports |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| USB & Serial Uploads |
Serial Only
|
USB & Serial
|
USB & Serial
|
USB & Serial
|
| Graphical Color Report Generation |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
| WARRANTY | ||||
| Duration |
2 Years
|
2 Years
|
2 Years
|
2 Years
|
Do you know what to look for in an ideal LAN Tester? Click here to find out.
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