Medical Equipment Electromagnetic Interference Certain medical equipment can cause electromagnetic interference, disrupting the transport of data across twisted-pair cabling (Figure 5, page 36). Some test tools can identify this type of interference. Examples include:
PoE Troubleshooting The healthcare market has steadily increased its use of PoE at the access layer of the network for several reasons, including the use of IP-based surveillance cameras, door controllers, smart heating and lighting, and medical-use IoT sensors. While some of these devices can operate on older CAT5e or CAT6 twisted pair cabling, others require higher wattage output and thus more modern cable standards such as CAT6A. When deploying and troubleshooting PoE devices, a test tool that can validate the maximum wattage capability of a cable and display the actual power draw from the source becomes necessary for keeping PoE devices running reliably around the clock (Figure 6, page 37). As mentioned in the higher education section, testing can be performed at the end of the link where the PoE device is normally
is staggering. Added to this is the fact that much of the equipment is on wheels for portability. In many cases, this equipment is often plugged into an Ethernet jack and accidentally moved without being unplugged. This leads to a situation where the Ethernet jacks, patch cables, or horizontal cabling inside the wall become stretched or broken. These types of physical cabling issues require a tool that can run simple wiremap tests from one end of the connection to the other. These tests can identify wire breaks along the cable, pinpointing the distance to the fault. Because patient areas are almost always in use, these types of tests and test tools can significantly reduce the amount of time spent investigating and resolving a physical cable connectivity problem.
attached, as well as being able to perform PoE testing inline with a pass-thru test, where the equipment is connected between the PSE (PoE switch) and the end PoE device. This is a huge benefit when troubleshooting, especially when trying to uncover intermittent problems. As network infrastructures in higher education and healthcare environments continue to evolve with emerging technologies like multi-gig Ethernet, high-power PoE, single pair Ethernet, and hybrid powered optical fiber, IT professionals must adapt their troubleshooting approaches accordingly. The unique challenges presented by sprawling university campuses and mission-critical healthcare facilities—from long-haul optical fiber runs between buildings to electromagnetic interference from medical equipment—demand sophisticated yet portable diagnostic tools that can handle diverse cable types and testing scenarios. Success in maintaining these complex networks relies not only on having the right technical capabilities but also on the modularity and portability of troubleshooting equipment, enabling IT staff to respond quickly and effectively to issues that could impact education delivery or patient care. By investing in comprehensive, modular test tools and staying current with evolving cabling technologies, network administrators can ensure robust, high-performance connectivity that supports the essential missions of these critical institutions. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: Steve Cowles is the product line manager for AEM Precision Cable Test solutions. He has been involved in the voice/data industry for more than 35 years, the last 25 focused on test equipment applications for Copper/Fiber Certification, Wi-Fi, PoE, Ethernet, and DSL. Steve has been a BICSI member for more than 30 years and holds the RCDD and NTS credentials.
• End-to-end signal to noise ratio (SNR) tests that assess link performance under network load.
• Alien crosstalk (AXT) to identify external electromagnetic interference and transverse conversion loss (TCL). • Equal level transverse conversion transfer loss (ELTCTL) to verify that the electrical signal is properly balanced.
FIGURE 4 : Example screenshots of a Wi-Fi testing tool used to troubleshoot performance issues. Source: AEM
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