Cable Testing Tips to Certify Your Copper Cabling System
The performance of a copper-based Ethernet cabling system hinges on not only the products selected for installation but also the professionals who install them.
If technicians and installers don’t understand the products they install, or they aren’t trained and certified to install those products according to the latest standards and best practices, then the final result likely won’t align with performance expectations. In other words, the owner won’t get the system they paid for.
Certified installers know which installation factors matter most when it comes to system reliability. They also make fewer mistakes, and they have a direct line to the manufacturers they work with. If there’s a problem, they can work with the manufacturer to make sure it’s resolved promptly.
The Link Between Cable Testing and Certification
If owners want to ensure that their copper cabling installation is done appropriately, the cabling is free from defects, and they won’t face unexpected network performance issues down the road, then cabling-system certification is necessary.
Certification is achieved through copper cable testing, which not only proves that the mission-critical infrastructure operates as intended but also gives installers a way to differentiate their work.
Belden’s copper cabling products have always been supported by a 10-year product warranty, but when an end-to-end Belden system is installed, these systems are eligible for additional outstanding performance warranties:
- Product warranties of up to 25 years
- Lifetime Application Assurance
This ensures that the installed copper cabling system will meet or exceed industry standards for 25 years or more, as well as support future standards and protocols. But these performance warranties are only accessible after testing is completed.
If you or your customer wants a warranty (and who doesn’t?), then certification is the way to access it.
How to Test Copper Cabling Systems
Testing verifies that an installed copper cabling system aligns with standards for performance and installation quality.
Cable testing must return a “passing” result for performance parameters like near-end crosstalk, power sum near-end crosstalk, attenuation, and return loss to ensure data-transmission reliability.
Following these tips can help ensure that your cable testing results will be accepted and lead to the certification you want:
- You must use an approved tester brand and model that is recognized by Belden to ensure that the tester meets ANSI/TIA-1152, Requirements for Field Test Instruments and Measurements for Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling.
- It’s important to choose the right test limit when setting up a testing device. This tells the tester how you plan to test the copper cabling. The appropriate test limit depends on specific customer testing requirements, the test limit required by the manufacturer, the types of cables and connectors used, etc.
- According to TIA standards, the tester must be calibrated regularly (typically every 12 months). If you haven’t calibrated the device in a few years, then certification will not be granted based on the test results.
- To ensure that you test to the latest standards, use the most recent version of the testing software available from the tester manufacturer.
- Keep dates in mind. For example, Belden issues warranties based on the invoice date. If the system was invoiced on Nov. 1, then that is when the warranty will begin. The certification process extends the warranty from our terms and conditions limitations.
Permanent Link or Channel Link Testing?
Channel link testing refers to testing the connection from one active device to another, including patch cords (a patch cord from the outlet to an end device, for example).
Permanent link testing verifies the performance of only the fixed portion of the channel—not the entire channel. This means it does not include patch cords.
For warranty purposes, you should always test the performance of the channel. While permanent link testing can be done as well, not including the patch cords when testing the entire channel may lead to unexpected results. Why? Because the channel is focused on the foundation of the network.
If a permanent link uses high-quality patch cords, then that channel will pass, and only the permanent link needs to be measured. If non-Belden patch cords are used, then the channel test may result in failure due to these poor-quality patch cords. While the permanent link may be perfect, connecting it to poor-quality patch cords degrades the performance quality.
Do LinkIQ Test Results Count?
Recently, Belden has seen an increase in LinkIQ test results being submitted for certification—but these results won’t qualify a copper cabling system for a warranty.
LinkIQ is a network test that is not an ANSI/TIA-1152-approved tester. The test provides a snapshot in time to say whether a packet (or packets) of data can be sent. It does not measure other cabling performance characteristics that ensure long-term reliability.
It analyzes system performance at any moment in time, depending on network conditions like throughput, jitter, latency, etc. While this type of cable testing holds value in many situations, it doesn’t provide enough information for certification.
Prepare for Proper Cable Testing
Owners and installers want worry-free cabling systems that perform like they should from the very beginning—and they also want warranties to reduce risk, guard against defects, and protect investments. Properly testing copper cabling for certification is the only way to meet these objectives.
Just like with system installation, cutting corners during testing can result in network downtime, wasted resources, and lost revenue.
Belden wants to make sure that you’re equipped to conduct tests in the best, most efficient way possible to gather the information required for certification. If you have any questions about this topic, or want to learn more about how we certify our copper cabling systems, please send us a note.