A Network Cable tester is an electronic test equipment used to confirm the functionality and configuration of network cables like coaxial cable, twisted-pair cable, and fiber-optics cable.
The Basic operation of a cable testers is to confirm continuity. The testers verifies the existence of a conductive path between the ends of the cable, and may also indicate how the wiring of connectors on the cable terminates on the other end.

One of the most common network cables tester is the NS-468 Cable tester. It's mostly used to test the RJ-11, RJ-45 cables and their configuration.

When would you need this tool
This tool is needed when troubleshooting a computer network. You use it to confirm if the cables are good and can also help you identify the cable configuration.
You may also need this tool immediately after crimping in an RJ-45 jack to an unshielded twisted pair cable to confirm if it was well crimped.

Feature on the NS-468

Power switch
The NS-468 Network Cable tester has a power switch that powers the device, the switch is on the master unit and the remote unit can be detached. The power switch has two settings, the first setting goes at a faster pulse rate while the second setting is much slower.

Power
It is powered by a nine volt 6F-22 heavy duty battery. The 9 Volt battery only connects to the master unit. The remote unit uses no battery.

Frequency indicator
The pulse frequency indicator shows the frequency used in testing. It blinks each time a pulse is generated. The pulse Frequency indicator is only located on the master unit.

Continuity indicators
We have 9 continuity indicators on both the master and the remote unit labeled from 1 to 8 and G for ground . They turn green when there is continuity. While the continuity indicator on the master runs sequentially, those on the remote unit light up following the cables configuration.

Connectors

The master unit has both an RJ-45 and an RJ-11 port on top of the unit.
The remote unit on the otherhand has an RJ-45 on the top and an RJ-11 at the bottom side.

Working Principle

The NS-468 Cable tester is made up of two parts. The master unit and the remote unit. The master unit generates a small voltage pulse across a number of channels, one at a time and the remote unit will blink once the voltage pulse is received.
When testing an RJ-45 cable, the device uses 8 channels on both the master and the remote unit. If the test is for an RJ-11 cable, only 4 channels are used.

Using the NS-468 Cable tester

In this post, I will be testing an RJ-45 cable, if the cable is short enough and accessible, such that you can have both ends of the cable together, you will not have to slide and detach the master front the remote unit.

Detaching is only nessesery when one end is here and the other end is far away like in the other room or the other apartment.

Procedure
1 - Disconnect the cable from the device, you may need a masking tape to label the cable. The same applies to a cable you just crimped.

2 - Connect this end of the cable to the RJ-45 port on the remote unit.

3 - Connect the other end to the RJ-45 port on the master unit and switch on the tester.

Remember that the LED on the master runs sequentially from one to eight.

If the LED on the remote unit fails to come up, it's an indication that there is no continuity.

If as in the picture above it crosses such that two indicates with six, then the cable configuration may be a sross over. Else one should indicate with one on the other end.

Look at the video bellow to see how it blinks