Tracing out Live Network Cables
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- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2017
- This clever trick helps you identify un-marked network outlets. A Toner and Tone-probel will not work when a network jack is connected to a live switch port in the server room (switch room). By using a simple batch file running on a laptop, you can create a beaconing effect using the swithes link lights.
If you have ever tried to identify an unknown network location by using a toner and probe, you may have experienced the problem of not being able to trace the tone back in the server room (or, whatever you call the room where you keep the patch panels and switches). This is because if the network port is plugged into an active Network Switch port, the tonner stops working. This makes it pretty much impossible to use the toner and probe to identify your network cable.
The solution outlined in the video uses a simple DOS batch file running on a laptop to turn the network adapter on/off in a rhthymic fashion. This causes the link on light on the switch (in the server room) to turn on/off in a matching cadence. While the laptop is plugged into your Un-identified network outlet and running the batch file, you need to be in the server room looking at the link lights on the switches.
This may take a few minutes, but it's going to work way better than the tonner/probe approach.
Now, if you're really fancy and you have access to the Cisco command prompt (assuming you have manageable switches), then you could simply plug in any network device and do a search for the mac address. If you know how to do that, then knock yourself out. This video is just proposing a simple solution for those trying to solve a problem. Often times, as network repair personel, even though we do know how to search for the mac address in the switch, we're usually not given that level of access.
You can get a sample batch file from the Network Advisor website in the tools section. Warning though, windows security sees batch files as potentially harmful files, so downloading, editing, saving may be tricky. I suggests turning off the WINDOWS ACCESS CONTROLS while working with the batch file.
The following batch file is known to work with Windows 7 and Windows 10. I tried it on XP and it said the parameters were invalid.
The batch file looks like this:
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:begin
netsh interface set interface "ethernet 2" admin=disable
netsh interface set interface "ethernet 2" admin=enable
PING 1.1.1.1
Goto Begin
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HELLO!!!! READ THIS ::::: You will need to edit the batch file and replace the network interface name in the "Quotes" to match the network name of the one on your computer.
And, in case you're wondering, the PING 1.1.1.1 is just in there to provide a delay. Yes, you can use other methods like TIMEOUT and SLEEP.
If you're having trouble with the batch file, try doing some internet searches, there is a wealth of information out there.
www.networkadvisor.net
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CONTRIBUTIONS to support Network Advisor: donorbox.org/network-advisor-...
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Хобби
I was dealing with bad cables like this, so a helpful example, Thanks!
Another tool to add to the box. Thanks for sharing.
Genius! Such an obvious trick, I just never thought of it. Can't wait to use this! Thank you sir!
This is all good but what if your switch is in other side of a building... This is for couple meters solutions it... Might as well go through all 24 ports manually
Super useful thanks! has already helped me solve a problem i was having this morning without any tools but my laptop
That’s great- glad to hear it! 😄
You rock my friend! Thanks a million!
I think you can also use these colors for identifying port by changing the speed of a port, so you would see changing colors which doesn't happen in normal operation.
Nice! I was thinking “but Cisco takes 30 seconds to activate a port, oh w a i t...” Very handy when dealing with vendor switches to which I don’t have authorized console access.
Great idea, this will come in handy for sure.
+Aric Vogel thanks Aric. Wished I had thought of it earlier. As always, good to hear from you. Appreciate the feed back. :-)
simple but genius! Thanks!
Thank you. It's very helpful.
Extremely helpful! Thank you.
Glad to hear it! 😊
this is a great idea never thought of this
Your a BOSS good sir, thank you so much!
Na I been doing this for years. This is genius. Props brother. Good job. Cheap as F 2.
good tip. really simple workaround.
Thanks for watching and commenting! 😀
I have an old tracker that worked fine id plug it in at the wall plate and go in my server room and the tone would find the patched location on switch... But since poe switches that don't work anymore to perform the same thing which do you recommend.
Nice work with the script :) Btw, if you just connect one lead from your toner to the cable it won't be shorted by the switch & will still be picked up by the probe.
neat idea. I'll have to try that. :-)
This works great! Thanks for the tip. I made up a short patch leas with a single bare wire from one of the pairs to connect to the crocodile clip from the tone generator. Tone goes through to the patch lead plugged into the switch nicely.
@@JESTICULARFOUR Thanks my fellow IT pro lol you have solved my issue with finding my port in questions!
Awesome!
You should make video. Technicians around the world would save millions of dollars. Thank you for sharing. 🙏
Almost all modern toners do both analog and digital tones. They work just fine on live drops. Many of them also have a port blink feature which works too.
@Steve Douglas Fluke's Intellitone line works great. You can get a basic tone and probe or use a toner built into any of their test equipment. If you want a tester as well, it's worth looking at the MicroScanner.
Great tips. Thanks.
+SyberPrepper hey, thanks for the feedback. :-)
That is a great tip for those who don't have a toner or have a toner that doesn't work. The toner I have works on cables that are plugged into a switch so I wouldn't need to do this trick for that. Great trick though!
Which one do you use?
Interesting! Thank you!
Excellent! Thank you
Graet, thanks.
Thank you!
Thank, You!
Great Idea. THANKS !!!
Glad you liked it!
Hey! I made a edit to the Batch Code. More advanced now!
+Dylan Cruz That’s cool. Do you feel like posting the code here in the comments?
I did post it maybe it's being blocked by some spam protecting thing. Here is the pastebin link: pastebin.com/CHYr6mVZ
ignore the last 2 lines that says
Show less
Reply
that was an error on my part when I was copying it.
Hi. I used you script months ago and had no problem detecting the ports I needed. Thanks for that. But I can't make it work now. Dunno if some Windows 10 update crashed it. The cmd window just blinks on the screen. Are you still able to use it with no problem?
If you want to tone a live cable plugged into a switch, recrimp the toner end so instead of being on the blue / white-blue pair, it will be on blue / brown pair. Basically, hop it over one wire so it runs unbalanced.
What a neat idea Brian. Especially, the part about splitting up the pairs - that would defeat a lot of the noise reductuon inherent in the twisted pairs.
Great info. Thanks for contributing! 😃
I did not find this unbalanced tip to work. I used a banjo, connected one lead to pin 5 (blue in 568 wiring) and the other to pin 7 (brown in 568 wiring). I know the cable is connected to my switch and live, no tone on the equipment (mdf) side. Where did I go wrong?
Love the video
Thanks for the positive comment!
Could you just make yourself an RJ11 socket to RJ45 plug to connect to your toner that only has one pin connected so it sends an unbalanced signal? Often lights are blinking all over the place in a server room.
Love this simple trace - put a Rem in front the Ping "Rem Ping 1.1.1.1", and get a quicker noticeable ON/OFF result. Thanks a lot.
I was wondering if you could answer a question. i have tried many times to trace a line on a live network many times without success. i own a fluke microscanner that has the intellitone built in. sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. does not work on poe ports. just shows you it is a poe on the screen briefly then screen info goes away. i then have to try the old trick of plugging in a laptop, unplugging it, and having a partner look for it to go away. not so easy with 10 switches in a rack and patch cables blocking your view. i just did a job last night where i was hired to re lace 50 cubicle seats with the lines already plugged in a poe switch on the other end. no labels on the cable. if i have to go back what do i do? i was thinking of either buying just the intellitone generator and not use the one in the microsanner. $135 maybe it will work. other option was the buy the platinum tools cable prowler. i think that is the tester that you can set the frequency and cause a flash at the switch that is very constant and different from the other lights. very similar to what you just described in this video. the way it flashes the light is way more obvious than the flashes i just watched on your video. nonetheless i feel this will take hours. that tester is about $500 btw. grrrrrrr.
For plugging into live networks, you will want a Fluke IntelliTone Pro 200 (under $200 on amazon: www.amazon.com/Fluke-Networks-IntelliTone-Toner-MT-8200-60-KIT/dp/B0749RXGB4). This will tone the cable whether it plugged into a PoE switch or just hanging from the ceiling. It has been a lifesaver and the price isn't horrible if you plan to do this work regularly.
if the network is setup as a hierarchical network, some will be Core switch, some will be Distribution Switch and some will be Access Switches. The ones you are going to be interested in are the Access switches.
I have a Klein commander it can flash the port slower for I'd. You can also plug in a laptop and check for a link light . Tone generators and testers have problems with active noise from the switch makes it hard for id . The fluke is the best for probe id
Are you using the Fluke Intellitone probe with your MicroScanner? To get the most out of it, you need both to enable the digital features.
my scout pro 3 can tone on all 8 pins...which is nice. i also have an NETOOL...which is awesome
I have seen this elsewhere. Have you looked at what it does to the DHCP pool? If you don't, the DHCP server could assign an IP address and remove it out of the pool until the DHCP lease time expires (default 24 hours, usually). Let it run long enough and you exhaust the DHCP pool. I suggest that after you enable the device and have a time delay, issue ipconfig /release in order to release any DHCP assigned values before you disable the interface for the next loop.
Most DHCP servers will associate the issued IP with a MAC address (within the lease time), so this would not eat up additional IP addresses from the pool. I cannot state that all DHCP servers do this, but it is pretty typical. Good info to look into though
Hi. You seem very knowledgable... so question: i want to set up my home yard sprinkler, interior lights, etc. so that i can control them remotely on my smart phone/PC. Yes, there r a lot of products out there that do this via wifi. However, my wifi router at home occasionally needs a reboot (unplug and plug back in). I wont be able to physically do this rebooting while traveling in other countries for many months at a time. What are my options these days to alleviate this issue? Thanks!
That's an excellent question! However, this gets a little more into Home Automation than I am qualified to comment on. If it were me, I might be looking at devices that can communicated via the Electrical wiring. This way, you eliminate the potential reliability problems of wifi. Back in the old days I experimented with some product call "X10". Not sure if they're even around anymore. But the idea is that all the communication between the controller and the remote devices happens via the electrical wiring.
I with you luck with that! :-)
Plug your router into a smart plug that can detect if it loses internet connection and will automatically reboot the router. Almost brands call this "self healing" outlets. Ubiquiti and some others offer these, but Wattbox is the best in the game.
which device would you recommend in 2021 for tracing live network cables?
The Link IQ by Fluke Networks. I am actually doing a review video of that product. It should be published with a month or so.
Fluke makes a network toner that will trace a home run live cable back to a switch, even a managed switck. It's called a intelliprobe lan 200. Runs about 250 to 300 dollars.
really? I'm gonna google that. Good to know. Thanks for helping us all out! :)
Many companies make digital toners.
the script runs but doesn't disable it like it should and running it as admin just opens it and then it disappears
What would you do if your getting POE, no data / Ethernet?
Look at nevexo comment
Heres my tip, dont use the rj11 on the tone generator. Strip a cat6 cable, plug it into the port and clip the alligator clips to 2 wires of different color. All the colored pairs are connected in the switch.broke blue with solid blue, broken green with solid green etc. Clipping to different colors will break continuity and bring the tone back. Just dont use brown cuz thats poe.
Another option (if your switch supports it) is to plug your laptop into the port, logon to the switch and use the show mac-adddress command to see which port your laptop is plugged into.
Sounds like I should just make a special, short cord just for this. 😊
But, I guess I could use my 8-conductor Banjo as well. Laziness I guess. 😆
Great info, thanks for contributing!
@@NetworkAdvisor no prob. Youre prob wondering why have the rj11 wired to use the blue pair if this other method always works. The fact is these tone and probe kits like the tempo 701k-g and triplett fox and hound were designed and used for voice and the blue pair on data is the -+ pair on voice.
@Henry_Jones You are a legend. I have been pulling my hair out having to tone over 200 cables and now it's super easy. I made a custom cable that has a keystone on one end and a rj45 on the other. I punched down solid orange to pin 4 and solid blue to pin 5. The rj45 is wired normally (t568b.) Now I just plug the rj11 from the tone generator in my rj45 keystone cable and now the tone works on an active network line. No more shorting... yaaa. Thank you a bunch, Henry!! :)
@@justrightlizard glad to help thanks!
Stupid question but you can turn off all the switches and then it won't have the live issue, right?
totally a valid option, then the tone may come through. However, for many field techs like me, shutting-off the switch during production hours is almost never an option.
Good point though, thanks for posting! :-)
I live in a 2 story house and I don't get a great signal on my internet and don't have a cable long enough for the router to my bedroom would it be worth me having a switch setup so I can atleast plug in my desktop and my laptop and xboxone and ps4 all that other stuff
hi Dave. While using a switch to Hard-wire your devices does provide better performance at the Local Area Network level, if the internet signal (speed) coming from your provider is poor, it wont do much to overcome that. good question, thanks for asking. 😀
@@NetworkAdvisor Okaii thank you for your time, what about just like a small switch box, just thinking so I don't have a connection issue but it's getting cables long enough
Dave, you should try using powerline Ethernet bridges. They have really become quite robust in recent years. They work with most electrical wiring and prevent the need to pull long cable runs.
Can I have a copy of the batch file?
So what kind of device can I use in this scenario. I have 3 switches at work and 3 patch panel..48 ports on each. The cables have been out of control for years and I want to trace cables from a switch and find which port on which panel...so what kind of device gives me this type of test so that I'm not ripping up 100s of cables
Get the Intellitone from Fluke. It will work on active networks with a digital tone and has a secondary mode to isolate to the switch. Once you isolate to the switch, you plug the rj45s into the back of the probe to confirm the cable. It's basically 3 tools in 1.
@@MattZiggy thanks. I'll look into this
@@rhdtv2002 Either that, or if you have the money, get a NetAlly linkrunner AT.
such beauty
😄
If I may put "timeout 5" between each netsh command and remove the ping. That way the port will be off for a little bit more time and the light will fluctuate like it has issues.
+Noah R hey, great suggestion Noah! :-)
OMG this made it 100 times better. THANKS!
I'm surprised you haven't turned portfast on in your Cisco switch.
+Jon Vincent ahh, good point Jon. I am not a Cisco expert (yet). I know enough to get by. :-)
What kind of range does the toner have ?
On copper 24 Guage? Can go for miles-
Hmmm...seems like maybe using a digital toner might be easier?
Thank you! I was thinking the same thing. Almost every modern toner does both!
@@nilpo The only toner I know of that does both is the Intellitone. What other toner does digital?
Wish I could do this but my clients use port security.
Look at nevexo comment
Most times I have found it quicker and less aggravating to just run a new cable instead of spending hours trying to trace/locate a energized cable on the network.
FUCKING GENIUS. PERIOD.
😆😆👍
Can you please type the batch file? thanks
It should be in the description section of the video, near the bottom. 🤔
@@NetworkAdvisor Thank you very much, WORKS !!!!!!
I have been using a cable tracer made by bequick here in the UK. It is simple and a game changer for cable tracing. It is not like the traditional audible tracers. This one utilises LED RJ45 connectors. Here a short demonstration if anyone is interested; /watch?v=GtpAmbmm4dA
use a cable tester 28.00
If you've got your laptop why don't you just lookup your laptop's mac address in switches's mac address table / ethernet switching table
Sakar, as a field technician, we often do not have access to the switch command line interface. So, we have to use methods outside of that.
But, good observation! :-D
Network Advisor Ah! yes it is certainly useful in that case. It is clever what you have done. But please remember Network Admins often apply port security to Switch's port, in that case this method could bring switch's port to shutdown/disabled.
ah ha! Excellent point, Sakar! :-)
Take a look at the Pockethernet. Best €200 I have ever spend!
So many features that the big name company’s sell to you for tenfold that amount of money. It saved me a lot of hours puzzling with all kinds of problems on the job.
That's a great suggestion. I'd seen that once before. Looks very cool. Would be nice if ad revenue around here picked-up enough that I could just get one and do a how-to video with it.
Thanks for the great 411 Bogeyman! :-D
Network Advisor Go the Patreon route!!
FiberNinja made the move recently and now receives a little over $500 monthly and that is growing. Rev up the content and I assure you that us viewers are willing to contribute financially on a monthly basis. You can buy the tools to review, make video content of it and maybe do a give away every once and a while.
It should be illegal for house builders/electricians to run those cables but not labeling them. I have about 10 cat5e cables bundled in my basement all going into different rooms. None of them are labeled...
sh mac address-table | include "your Mac Address"
u skipped the best part, how to write a batch file and run it
Bat files rule!! ☺
Thanks for watching and commenting!