What a Test Shows

A professional will come to your school to test the wiring. A professional tester plugs a hand-held computer into each port and jack and uses it to test whether the cable transmits data at the right speed. Below are some common reasons why data flow slows or fails:

Crossed wires. Wires weren't laid down in the jack or patch panel in the right configuration.

Bad connections. Wires weren't punched down securely into the jack or patch panel.

Damaged cable. Cable was stretched, kinked, pinched, bent too sharply or broken. If you staple cable to the wall, you are likely to damage it.

Glossary of Terms