Can anyone recommend a network and/or PoE cable tester?

[codlord]

Looking for recommendations of decent (but not silly-money) network testing tools.

I currently have one of those cheapo 9v battery cable testing tools like this. But the range that it works at seems very poor and I sometimes need to test or identify ends of installed runs of cat5 up to (and possibly over) 100 metres etc.

I also have one of these PoE detectors which does the job of letting me know if there is some voltage on a cable.

I can of course see lots of tools available on eBay/Amazon etc but really looking for a recommendation so I don't buy something that's no better than what I already have.

I can't afford professional Fluke sort of tools but hoping there is something good for reasonable money!

 

[Phil]

Sorry that we cannot recommend anything - our experience is as per yours, you can get the £10 continuity testers and then the next option up is the Fluke models for up to £thousands!

 

[codlord]

o.k. thanks, I am going to give one of these a go:
Noyafa NF-8209 about £40 UK
NF-8209 | NOYAFA

Claims a range of 600m (I will believe it when I test it!). And says it has continuity test, cable length estimate (up to 200m), PoE details, cable scan/finder, and switch details/flash test to check if cable is connected to switch and to help identify the particular switch port. If it's claims are to be believed it seems a reasonable tool for a reasonable price.

They also do the NF-488 about £30 UK
Cable Continuity tester PoE Cable tester NF-488 | NOYAFA

Although this looks like the one above minus the scanning tool it has different features. No scan, no cable length estimate, no switch/flash test but does have a "loopback test" (not exactly sure what that is) but it does have an additional feature: device power test (see what voltage a device/camera is consuming) either PoE in/out or DC in/out.

 

[codlord]

Just an update in case anyone else is interested now or in future. I got the Noyafa NF-8209 the other day and so far I can say it's a great tool. Way, way better than those cheap continuity testers. It may be 4 times the price but it's about 100 times more useful!