What is NetTool? What? More busywork to slow me down? NetTool is easy to use and saves time! It is a unique handheld device that combines cable, network, and PC configuration testing into a single, handheld unit. NetTool was designed specifically to speed your frontline network troubleshooting, “moves, adds &...
I don’t have a lot of time to kill, how do I light this candle? NetTool has two RJ-45 jacks, one on either side of the unit. Plug it in and turn it on…either between two devices like a hub and a PC or directly into a wall plate to check a network drop.
NetTool Capabilities Service Identification Telco Token Ring Ethernet Health Utilization Broadcast/Error meters Cable Test Wiremap PC Configuration Link Config Health Addresses Used Servers Used Ping Ping (single device) Ping Catalog (list) Reporter Save/Delete Reports Link Configuration Link ID Receive Pair...
Single-Ended Mode What’s lurking behind that wall plate? To optimize discovery, connect NetTool with the device (like a PC) off, turn NetTool on, press AutoTest, then turn the device on. Plug an RJ-45 (supplied PN 642774) cable into a network drop or a single network device, such as a hub, PC, server, or printer.
Highlight the Spool icon and press Select to see cable status. NetTool detects cable length, opens, shorts, and split pairs. This applies for patch cables as well except you would plug both ends in to the NetTool and then press Select. afq31s.bmp afq32s.bmp...
Wiremap When both ends of a cable cannot be connected to NetTool (e.g., one end is in wiring closet), use the external wiremap function. Attach the near end of the cable to the NetTool. Attach the wiremap adapter to the far end of the cable.
Service Identification Plug one end of a cable into the RJ-45 jack on either side of NetTool and the other end into any RJ-45 wall jack. Power up NetTool and select AutoTest. Doing so shows you what service is active on the jack.
NetTool enables the Force Link function and displays it as a menu choice below AutoTest. Select Force Link and NetTool attempts to force a connection with the device. Check the users manual for more information. Services Discovered Servers...
Inline Mode They say two ports are better than one… NetTool can’t tell you about what it doesn’t see. NetTool must sense traffic on a network or device so it can supply protocol or health information. Inline means NetTool is connected between two devices simultaneously like a PC and hub.
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PCs address and server information. Caution Plugging NetTool inline with the same device can produce side effects. For example, if you plug NetTool into two ports of the same switch, you risk creating excessive traffic that weakens network performance.
Getting Acquainted Skip this page if you have ever used a radio… Batteries Use four (4) AA size batteries (supplied PN 1560231) or the optional rechargeable batteries (PN 1572184) as shown (optional charger PN 1572191). AC Adapter The optional AC adapter (PN 1556346) can be used to power the unit and conserve battery power.
Power – press and hold for two seconds to turn on or off. Backlight – After NetTool has power, you may turn on the backlight by simply pressing the power button once quickly. Turn it off by…. you guessed it …pressing the Power button again.
Yellow = levels between 40% and 70% Red = levels greater than 70% Serial Connection Connecting NetTool to a PC via the customized serial cable (supplied PN 1541340) allows you to: Download software (read NetTool Updates, etc. on page 38 for details).
PC Icon Selecting an icon takes you through menus corresponding to the three elements of the connection: PC, NetTool setup, and Network. The main menu takes you through various discovery screens that reflect NetTool’s connection to devices. Between the top area icons there are several indicators that reflect link and cabling information as shown below.
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Cable Status: NetTool shows you the status of the cables connected to it and detects whether the cables are straight or swapped. If NetTool sees a swap cable problem, it will swap it internally, allowing you to troubleshoot past a simple swap cable problem.
NetTool Menus - PC Connect NetTool to a PC and select the PC icon. The icon displays on the left or right, depending on where you connected the cable. After the PC sends frames, you can scan the PC configuration by navigating through the menu.
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(Apple protocol found on the network side but not on the PC side). Select a protocol type you wish to see (IP, NetWare, etc.). NetTool lists the protocols and icons to indicate where the protocol is seen. You can also access the list of protocols for a device by highlighting and selecting that device.
Addresses Used My name is, my name is… NetTool displays the best-discovered name on the PC as well as the IP, IPX, MAC address of the PC. It also lists DHCP or automatic private IP address information. afq28s.bmp Servers Used...
NetTool Blaster also allows you to set the time for the NetTool and even synch it with the PC clock. Select Restore Defaults to restore all factory settings. If you have not changed any settings, NetTool displays Defaults Restored and no action is required.
Language About NetTool Select Unwanted Protocols to specify protocols that NetTool will warn you are present on the network. This helps in situations like a network- wide migration away from certain protocols. If NetTool sees them, it reports them in the Problem Log.
Network Select the Network activity. The icon displays on the left or right depending on where you connected the cable. Link Config: (described in the PC section). Health: (described in the PC section). Protocols: (described in PC section). Segment ID: If there are multiple Ethernet drops, knowing the Segment ID tells you which jack to use for correct configuration.
NetTool’s discovery screens to resolve those daily connectivity battles you face. AutoTest Select AutoTest so NetTool can discover what is connected to it. Both RJ-45 connections are searched independently and NetTool finds Telco, Token Ring, or Ethernet service. It also provides cable information when used for cable testing.
Problems Use NetTool. Solve problems. Get home on time. It’s a beautiful thing. Select Problems to view the Problem Log. The Problem Log provides a concise list of all problems detected, from physical layer to application layer problems. You can think of problems fitting into two categories: Link Connectivity level and Network level.
Problem Display The problem display area consists of these elements from left to right: Problem Type, Problem Severity, Problem ID, and Problem Text. Problem Severity Problem Type Problem type Problem Severity Problem ID Problem Text Problem ID Naming Health (Util) Server Host Cable...
Link Connectivity Problems Speed mismatch Pair mismatch Duplex mismatch Polarity reversed Level low Transmit pair open Network Problems Health Short Frames received (also jabber/FCS). Excessive utilization seen (also collisions). NetWare Ethernet frame-type mismatches. No nearest server replies seen on network. No first responder replies seen on network.
Incorrect DNS server configured. NetBIOS Incorrect Workgroup or Domain configured on PC. Unable to find Primary Domain Controller (PDC) for network. xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx causing duplicate NetBIOS name. PC involved in MB elections. Unable to connect to HTTP/proxy server. Misc Fluke device seen on network.
Email Unable to connect to mail server. Unable to connect to SMTP server. Unable to connect to POP2 server. Unable to connect to POP3 server. Unable to connect to IMAP server. Printer Unable to connect to IP printer server. Unable to connect to IP print spool server. Unwanted protocols (when enabled) NetBEUI detected.
This helps you determine which services or servers exist on the network. Devices are detected based on their Service Application Protocol (SAP). For NetWare (IPX), NetTool does not list any device five or more hops away. afq14s.bmp Note afq13s.bmp...
Note Trial uses of the Ping and Reporter features are currently provided on all new units. Contact Fluke Networks to find out how to purchase an upgrade if your unit does not have these options.
The Ping option only works in single-ended mode. If you want to ping and are in inline mode you will see the RJ-45 cables from the NetTool and then rerun AutoTest. In order to use all of the functions of the Ping...
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For manual configuration, make sure any IP address you assign to your NetTool is correct for the subnet you are on. You must also enter a valid subnet mask and default router IP address.
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Pinging a Single Device From the main menu select Toolkit then Ping to access NetTool’s ping function. You can ping one IP address or a set (Ping Catalog) of addresses that you define using NetTool Toolkit. To ping a single device, select Add New Device.
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After defining and uploading the lists using NetTool Toolkit PC software, NetTool displays the catalogs using the names you gave them. Select Ping Catalog from the Toolkit menu. Select one of the catalogs by highlighting it then pressing Select. The list of IP addresses displays with a status icon to the left.
Select to change the meters to show utilization broadcast traffic, collision levels and errors coming from either device to which NetTool is connected. You can highlight an item within the Health screen and press Select to change the view. For...
After saving the reports, you can upload them to a PC for viewing, printing, and storage. NetTool Toolkit uses a pared down web browser to display report data after you have uploaded it. Read the help for NetTool Toolkit to learn more about Reporter. Note...
Working with NetTool Reports NetTool’s Reporter option can save the current state of what NetTool detects on the PC (or other device) and the network and you can give that collected data a unique name. Connect NetTool to the device(s) you are checking and select AutoTest.
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Save Report or Delete Report. After you save reports (up to 10 can be stored on the NetTool), you can then use NetTool Toolkit to upload, view, or print the reports. NetTool Toolkit enables you to view saved reports or generate new “live”...
NetTool Updates, etc. Don’t miss out… Get updates to NetTool software when they are released. To check the version you have, select the NetTool icon and then About NetTool... To find out if there is a new version avaialble, access www.flukenetworks.com...
PC you intend to use to for the Reporter and Ping features. Select Help from the top menu of Toolkit and follow the instructions to use Ping and Reporter. Limited Warranty and Limitation of Liability See the NetTool Users Manual on your NetTool CD for warranty information.