A network (RJ-45) wall jack in your office has suddenly stopped working. When you plug your laptop into the jack there is no network connectivity, yet you have already verified that both your Ethernet patch cable and NIC are working. Before you start digging through the disorganized wiring closet, you want to locate the other end of the cable that connects to this wall jack so you can see whether it is still patched into a switch. Which tool will help you identify the correct cable inside the wiring closet?
A tone generator and probe (also called a toner and probe or "fox and hound") lets you apply a tone to the conductors at the wall jack and then use the inductive probe in the closet to listen for that tone, positively identifying the correct cable. A loopback plug is used to test the transmit-to-receive circuitry of a NIC or port, Ping checks logical IP connectivity, and a basic cable tester verifies wiring faults but still requires you to know which cable to connect to the tester at the far end.
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What is a tone generator and probe used for?
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How does a tone generator differ from a cable tester?
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Why wouldn't a loopback plug or ping help in this situation?