Testing a Keystone Jack

How do you know if your wiring is truly working properly?  A network tester will help you see if all the wiring you did with the tool-less Keystone Jack and the patch work done with RJ45 connectors is good to go.   The network tester comes with a little sidekick tester to test RJ45 connectors by sending a signal back and forth from tester to mini-tester.

To test your Keystone Jack connection just simply plug in a Cat5e/6 cable into the main port in the tester.  Place the sidekick tester at the other end of the connection of the Keystone Jack to test the signal.  By turning on the tester you will see the lights run downwards.  If the line of lights do not all light up then a port is open.  This means you need to check the Keystone Jack hook ups to make sure you have the correct colored wires in the corresponding slots.

To test a patch RJ45 connector cable, just simply plug in the cable into both the main tester and sidekick tester in the correct ports.  When the tester is turned on both devices will light up in corresponding order.  If the lights do not correspond together then there is a short or open wire.  If the lights jump around (ex. Base 2 = Sidekick 5) then the wires are crossed.

Testing a RJ45 Patch Cable

To have a successful testing connection all lights need to be working in corresponding order.  The SHEILD light will light up on the main tester no matter the connection.  Though if you are testing a sheilded Cat5e/6 wire both SHEILD lights will light up on the main and sidekick tester.

This is how a network tester is used to test connections between the Keystone Jack and RJ45 connectors you just built for yourself.