troughput test of network cable

[boran]

Hi, I am looking to lay some cat around my house. I will be using an ethernet tester to verify the cables are installed correctly, however I was wondering if anyone knows of a tool to test raw troughput.

I am asking because while a cable might be correctly wired it still might get only 100 mbps due to a kink or too much insulation stripped etc.

My computer cannot saturate a gigabit connection going from disk, so I am looking for an in memory network speed test tool.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ScottMac]

That would be a "certification" scanner/tester.
If the cable passes a cert scan for it's level (i.e., Cat 6 cable passing a Cat 6 scan), it is guaranteed for optimal throughput.

Cert scanners tend to start in the thousands of dollars and go up from there.
I've been using a Fluke DTX-1800 lately, it's a wonderful thing.

 

[Emulex]

modern intel nic's have this built in. use the intel drivers. they can do full cable bandwidth detect and damaged wire detection etc. don't need a fluke anymore.

 

[imagoon]

modern intel nic's have this built in. use the intel drivers. they can do full cable bandwidth detect and damaged wire detection etc. don't need a fluke anymore.

Not sure I would want to lug a pc to 300 locations when I could lug a 3lb tester that auto generates my certification spreadsheet after the job...

 

[Viper GTS]

After you've verified the cable using a proper tool something like iperf will do your bandwidth testing for you:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/iperf/

Useful for analyzing the system as a whole vs just the cable.

Viper GTS

 

[ScottMac]

modern intel nic's have this built in. use the intel drivers. they can do full cable bandwidth detect and damaged wire detection etc. don't need a fluke anymore.

Intel NICs don't come with a calibration certificate and perform those functions as a peripheral feature.

The Flukes are calibrated, certified, and reliable. If it says "In-spec" or "Out-of spec" I believe 'em. We test every cable we use in the Lab, every time we use 'em, so if some measurement doesn't line up or is in dispute, we can rule out the media.

 

[boran]

Scott, while the flukes might be great and all, we are talking about a home network installation done by an amateur (me).
I just want to test the cables the cheapest way possible. I hope most mistakes will happen on the patch panel sides and not in the cables themselves. that way if I keep a couple of inches spare on the patch end I can repatch if needed.

 

[seepy83]

Scott, while the flukes might be great and all, we are talking about a home network installation done by an amateur (me).
I just want to test the cables the cheapest way possible. I hope most mistakes will happen on the patch panel sides and not in the cables themselves. that way if I keep a couple of inches spare on the patch end I can repatch if needed.

Give yourself more than a couple of inches....leave 2 or 3 feet of slack for each drop in a neat bundle looped near the patch panel. Personally, I would also leave a good amount of slack at the other end near the jack if you have a location that it would be accessible. That way, if you ever need to relocate your patch panel or your jacks, you don't necessarily need to pull new cables.

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.ixchariot.com/products/datasheets/qcheck.html

 

[notposting]

Lanbench works nicely, it was recommended on here before and I used it to check my home network.

 

[Gillbot]

Give yourself more than a couple of inches....leave 2 or 3 feet of slack for each drop in a neat bundle looped near the patch panel. Personally, I would also leave a good amount of slack at the other end near the jack if you have a location that it would be accessible. That way, if you ever need to relocate your patch panel or your jacks, you don't necessarily need to pull new cables.

THIS! ^

A couple inches isn't enough, leave yourself more slack at either end if possible. Also, if you pull a few in a bundle, pull an extra or so that way if you have a bad one you can just switch to the spare and you don't need to pull an entire length cable again. (Wish I followed this advice my last bunch I ran.)

 

[boran]

I will have to see how much cable I can fit into a tube. one location now has a defunct coax cable running to it (old radio hookup)

I cant break out anything else there, so I will have to make do with what I have. Wouldnt it be better to have one cable with an easy pull trough the tube, rather than two cables and having to pull harder ?

I would have to pull both cables at once too, because one after the other coould end up cutting both due to friction.

The upper parts of the house are still in a bit of a renovation phase and there I will be able to lay the cable instead of pulling it trough tubes, I will probably lay two cables to each endpoint and make sure I have some spare. when I have to travel trough a bit of wall I will however need to use tubing instead of a cable tray, so that will limit it anyways.

I do plan on leaving some cable reserve in places where I will be able to use them to lay new connections when we do the ground floor over once more (around 5 y from now)