Network & Enterprise Test, Including the former Test-Um Product Line

JDSU Network and Enterprise Test tools are designed for the requirements of customers who install, manage and maintain premises, enterprise, and broadband access networks. These task-ready, or single-task, test instruments are easy-to-use and allow technicians to Know the Network.

These task-ready test tools from JDSU include the Test-Um line of enterprise network and home wiring test instruments, acquired by the company in April 2006, as well as those addressing the broadband access network test requirements of telecommunications and cable service providers.

There are six core essentials of wire and cable management: cable inventory management, cable & wire tracing, physical cable & wire testing, multi-function testing, active network testing and speed certification. Let’s take a closer look at three of these essentials.

Cable and wire tracing
You may be faced with tracing the cable to a specific jack or find it behind a wall. Different tone generators and probes are available for different cable scenarios. The Turbo-Tone™ tone generator, (MCM # 72-6962, JDSU/Test-Um # TG200), sends a strong tone that can even be used to identify cable behind drywall. Choose a tone tracer/probe to find the signal from the tone generator. The Resi-Tracer™, (MCM # 72-7890, JDSU/Test-Um # TT300), offers a coil sensor to help trace even terminated active coax. If you already have an analog probe in your tool kit, you can use it with any tone generator.

Multi-function testing
If you work on coax, network and telco cable, you will want to have a testing solution that gives you capabilities to test this wiring for voice, data and video. A proven product is the Tri-Porter™ premises wiring tester for VDV, (MCM # 72-8215, JDSU/Test-Um # IVT600). This product performs the work of six independent testing tools: a butt-in telephone test set, a network tester, a tone generator, a cable tester/verifier, a tone detector and a coax mapper. Since complex cabling scenarios in multi-dwelling units frequently have coax splitters, the Tri-Porter is ideal because it allows you to test through these splitters on powered-up systems. You can also perform port discovery-ISDN, POTS, Token Ring, Ethernet, among others. Higher-level capability in the product allows negotiation at 100 Mbit with DHCP or manual addressing, and will ping IP addresses. Not sure where the cable run goes? Use the Tri-Porter to do a hub flash to find the connected end at the hub in a structured cabling scenario.

Speed Certification
You may also need to test the speed and performance capabilities of cable runs. The Validator-NT™ Ethernet Speed Certifier, (MCM # 72-8190, JDSU/Test-Um # NT955), is a tool for Ethernet network installers who need complete physical layer testing, speed certification and reporting. It is also an essential tester for IT professionals who must troubleshoot an existing Ethernet network. The Validator-NT has all the testing and certifying capabilities of the basic Validator, (MCM # 72-7880, JDSU/Test-Um # NT950), but can also conduct active network tests that are designed to identify network devices such as hubs, switches, NICs, and routers on the network and verify connectivity (manual IP or via DHCP) to the Internet by pinging up to seven different IP addresses simultaneously. In addition, a set of eight wiremap remotes is also available as a part of this product group.

Wireless Security Surveillance

Wireless security surveillance has become much more popular in the last few years as new products become better priced, more reliable, and easier to install. Many people use wireless cameras to protect their home and business, or monitor elderly family members and children. Adding wireless surveillance cameras to protect your home or business makes more sense than ever, considering the continual increase in crime reported every day. In fact, estimates from the FBI indicate that a burglary occurs every 8 seconds in the US, and that three out of four homes will be burglarized within the next 20 years.

Waterproof Color Day/Night Bullet Camera w/IR LEDs

Ultra Miniature CMOS Color Camera with Audio

Wireless cameras are uniquely designed to send video signals over the air in the 2.4Ghz, or 5.8Ghz frequency range (most commonly). Wireless cameras have a video transmitter and antenna that transmit a video signal to a receiver. You can connect the receiver to a computer, TV, DVR, or to a security monitor for viewing. There is no need for wires between the camera and receiver, but in most cases, the camera still needs to be plugged into a power source (like an AC outlet) that is located close to the camera. The receiver is able to penetrate through objects such as: walls, glass, wood, plastic, fiberglass and even some metals.

Four Channel DVR Card

Swann LCD Security Monitor 8.4

There are many reasons for choosing either a wired or a wireless system. Some of the things you may want to consider are cost, your property size, and the placement of the cameras. Even though wireless camera costs are declining they are generally more expensive than a wired system, especially when distances greater than 150ft are required. But, wireless systems are easier to install, and the cameras can be put in many more hard-to-reach locations (just don’t place a wireless camera close to a microwave oven!).

Four Channel DVR Kit with 4 Color Dome Cameras

Wireless 2.4Ghz Outdoor Color Day/Night Camera Kit

Give careful consideration to the distance between the camera and receiver, and any obstacles the video signal must travel through to reach the receiver when positioning a wireless camera. Giving your wireless cameras a unobstructed line-of-site (open air) orientation to the receiver will always yield the best signal quality the camera can offer. You have to choose your system carefully as some wireless systems only have about a hundred foot signal limit, while others can go all the way up to one thousand feet. If you are looking to place your cameras in long-distance locations, then it is best to go with a system that is designed for long distance signal transmission, or to install a signal boosting antenna. Another recommendation is to conduct a site survey with a portable field testing monitor, and a portable power pack. With these tools, different wireless camera locations can easily be tested to determine reliable camera positions around the premises.

The reasons for adding surveillance to your home or business security systems are still unchanged; we want our homes and businesses to remain safe for our families, our pets, our friends and our patrons. Luckily, technology is making wireless products affordable to those of us who would like that extra level of protection.

Detangling VGA Balun Installation

Distributing video within a home or business has always been problematic. Especially after construction is finished, Bulky VGA cables are hard to work with and when the cable is terminated getting the connectors routed can be a hassle. All video projectors have VGA or HD-15 cables, newer models also incorporate Component video or HDMI ports. Businesses can be especially difficult to retrofit due to fire codes that prevent standard cables from being run in air ducts or raceways.

A series of products have emerged that provide a solution to this problem using inexpensive CAT5e cables. These baluns were discussed back in our febuary 18th post, so I won’t go into the gritty details on how they work.

MCM has just launched a series of VGA baluns to solve the video problem.
These baluns as they are called allow you to send video and/or data over CAT5e cables, either standard or plenum. The line consists of VGA passive kits that will transmit video up to 300’ and VGA active kits that transmit video up to 1000’ and wall plate versions for residential installations.

These baluns can be purchased as kits or individually depending on the application. The cool thing about these is how small they are and the ease of installation. If you already have Cat5e cables run, then you can just plug and go.

 

See our stock of specially priced VGA Baluns