Using a Cable Tester and Toner

When visual checks are not enough, hardware tools verify and locate cables directly. The two essentials are the cable tester, which checks whether a cable is wired correctly and intact, and the tone generator and probe (a "toner"), which traces where a cable goes. Both turn invisible wiring problems into clear, findable answers.

A basic cable tester has two ends; you plug a cable's connectors into each. It then checks continuity on all wires and confirms each pin connects to the matching pin. It reports problems like open wires, shorts, and miswires. In seconds it tells you whether a cable is electrically sound and wired to standard.