Review on 🔧 Enhanced Network Tester: NF 8601S Multi Functional Tracker for Advanced Troubleshooting by Aaron Lewis

Really good, but there are cheaper options. I think the main competitors will be the F-488 and NF-8108. They have similar features but without a good screen. For home use, where you may never use it again after your setup is up and running, I'd probably consider buying one of these for $40, but I had a job to buy it to trouble to eliminate at work as I knew I will be using it 1-5 times a year for 10 years. I'm new to Ethernet so I can't appreciate the nerdy side of it. I really only make ethernet cables and I need them to work properly, but sometimes they don't work and I don't know why (it's almost [okay, it used to be my fault], it's never the cable's fault, but I have to decide what comes out). But I really like this one, I think it's worth the extra money if you're going to be using it long-term. I watched a youtube video before buying so I didn't read the instruction manual and it all made sense. I like that, I don't think you'll get all that in cheaper units. Firstly the units (feet/meters) are saved after turning the device off, I wasn't sure if that would be the case or not but many other units report not remembering so I was glad to see that this is the case. Second, the length seems accurate from the start. I had an ethernet cable on a reel, the footage is listed on the cable so it was within 118 feet. I used alligator clips on two wires and they seemed disconnected at first so I calibrated them but found that they would give different readings depending on whether you connect them to twisted pair or non-pair. The calibration out of the box was correct for twisted pairs in my opinion. Be aware that you will receive something very inaccurate. It's only useful if you have 2 wires, one short and one long, and it shows the difference. Additionally, if a wire is cut, you can tell whether or not it has been far removed from its seal. It does not replace the tape measure or leg markers on the cable. Also, everyone I see is trying to calibrate the short wires and of course it throws them off. If it's an inch on a 1 foot cable and you use it on a 120 foot cable, that's 12 feet. But I don't know what it's measuring, but it's clearly using a formula that converts something electrical (resistance?) that doesn't correlate well with length. Therefore, when calibrating, you need a long wire to smooth out the variations in the wires. But in the end it will never be very accurate. They allow 9 calibrations to be saved. Probably for different cable types due to the relationship between wire type and length. Third, the battery charges slowly, which I think means the battery lasts a long time (both in terms of uptime and charge/discharge). Cycles). I really didn't like the idea of 9V batteries, they always seem to run out when I need to use the device. Also, they cost money and I don't want to keep them in stock. So the battery is great. I'd probably deduct a star for slow charging if you couldn't use it while charging, but you can use it while charging so charge time doesn't matter. Fourth, 8 remote controls are cool. I need it to work with 8 ethernet wall sockets in the cabin and I need to track them so it's perfect. When I adjusted the cord it told me I was using remote 8 which is great (every remote has a number on it). That way I can go around the house once (remember or immediately write down what number I put in each room), go to the mechanical closet and show all 8 of them. Fifth, it has settings, specifically the auto-off time. I'd like auto-off, but might not have a factory auto-off, so nice to set it up. Sixth, it can test ports by sending packets. It can also make the light flicker. I haven't tested this yet, but I had a horrible time where our network's hangup ports stopped working. I plan on using this to make sure the port is dead or not, I don't think the cheaper ones have that option. Seventh, the screen is bright, clear and easy to use. The buttons are rubberized and have a pleasant click. I think if I dropped it the buttons wouldn't break. The screen is the main reason I got this. It's much clearer than the old-fashioned "alarm clock" screens. My complaints are minor: I don't understand the RJ5 ports or the warning sticker on the side. I should probably read the manual, but if a function doesn't work I just switch to a different port, but there are three ports for RJ45. I expect over time this won't be a problem and "main" will be useful for newbies like me, just start there. But the screen is digital and can help determine which port to use for software updates. As for the sticker, I will not plug POE into any port other than the POE port. I don't know if he's trying to tell me more than that. I don't have a POE right now, I have this block for the future. But "scan" function (for beeper remote control) works in main port and scan port. So I think the scanport can only be used if you want to test the cable without using the remote control. When it beeps, you also need to hold down the power button for it to turn on. However, this still won't work because you'll then have to press Set. No idea why the beeper isn't set by default on power up (there's a tester, there's no beeper). When you turn on the beeper, it's set to "none" (maybe?), and then you press the "Set" button to change it to the first setting - low frequency (which is set by default on the main unit). There is no memory for scan settings on the tester or beeper. Luckily another commenter already said this, so I knew, but you really need to know: PRESS AND HOLD THE POWER BUTTON TO TURN IT ON (You don't have to hold it to turn it off, just on ). After turning on, the screen turns off and you can press any key without having to hold it down. The beep also requires a press and hold to turn it on. This is a bit annoying to mess with, but in the real world it prevents them from accidentally turning on in a bag over and over and then dying. neck shoulder. But since I don't do much of that stuff, it will be fine. The included holder is shown in the video, this is a portfolio style. I also wish the charging port was USB-C, but I know it costs more and this device was probably designed a long time ago. I would probably pay an extra $10 for USB C for convenience and durability.