How to use Time-Domain Reflectometer (TDR)

Im no electrical engineer, (the closest experience I have with electricity is the amount of electrocution I received when I was a child [due to faulty cabling of electrical appliances]) so I will spare readers technical jargons and boring formulas because this guide is not aimed to be published in the International ournal of !umbo" umbo# This guide is to help anyone how to confidently use the TDR feature when troubleshooting basic Layer 1 Ethernet issue. !y $nowledge with this feature is based entirely on experience and a lot of trial"and"error# What is Time-Domain Reflectometer (TDR ! %& time"domain reflectometer ('()) is an electronic instrument used to characteri*e and locate faults in metallic cables (for example, twisted wire pairs, coaxial cables) +#,

-or the sa$e of this document, %'() testing, and %'(), are used interchangeably to sow confusion to the un"initiated# 'hey both mean the same#

"ow can TDR help me! '(), in its simplest form, can help you determine I- you have a cable problem, ./I0/ pair(s) is1are faulty and /2. -&) away the fault is# 'ypically, when you have a 3ayer + issue there are a lot of factors to consider4 + 3ocal"end 5ide (3e5) patch cable6 7 3ocal"end 5ide (3e5) patch panel (including punch bloc$)6 8 /ori*ontal cable6 9 )emote"end ()ed) patch panel (including punch bloc$)6 : )emote"end ()ed) patch cable6 and ; )emote"end ()ed) device <I0 5o you see, dear readers, '() minimi*e the guess"wor$# #icture this $ =efore we begin, let me give you the %lay of the land,# >resume the following scenario4

What model of %isco switch does TDR wor& on! -irstly, not all switch model support '()# TDR feature first came out with the Catalyst 2960. 5o here is the list of which ones will wor$ and will not4

!odel 7?;@ 7?;@B 7?;@5 7?+C 78:@ 78;@ 7?E: 8:;@ 8:;@B 8E:@ 8E:@B <exus 7H <exus :H <exus EH Note:
2

'() 5upport Aes+, 7 Aes Aes Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown <o Aes <o Aes Dn$nown Dn$nown Aes8

8:;@F18:;@G Aes

8E:@F18E:@G Aes

5upEF1G9:9C Aes

+ 'he 7?;@ will support '() in both the -astFthernet and dual"personality BigiabitFthernet port, however, when used on a -astFthernet port, '() will only test the first two pairs, namely >airs & I =# -or obvious reasons, >airs 0 and ( will not be tested when used on non"BigabitFthernet ports# 7# Fxcept the .5"07?;@"9C>(3, when using the copper BigabitFthernet port of the 0atalyst 7?;@, one must manually set the interface to copper using the command %media rj, before the test can be conducted# 8# 0onfirmed by 0isco '&0, &n$ur Barg#

'he list does not include modules1blades for the 0atalyst 9@@@19:@@, :@@@1::@@, ;@@@1;:@@ although it is mentioned here that '() was introduced with I25 )elease +7#7 JA for the 0atalyst ;@@@1;:@@# Its not included in the list above because I dont have the resources to test and verify# 3egacy 0isco 0atalyst models +?@@, 7?@@G318:@@G3, 7?9@17?:@17?::, 7?9CB and 7?E@ are not supported# )outers are also not supported# ' do not ha(e any resources to test router Ethernet )witch *odules (+*E, "W'%, E"W'% . .ireless &ccess >oints do not support '()# Why doesn-t the .astEthernet-fla(oured /012 and /302 support TDR and but the cheaper .astEthernet 4512 support TDR! =ase on the time"line, the %plain, (or non"BigabitFthernet copper port) 8:;@ and 8E:@ came out =F-2)F the 7?;@# 'he %chip, for the '() was included in the design of the 7?;@# .hen 0isco released the 8:;@B and 8E:@B later, someone made the ultimate decision to include the '() feature as a standard# 'herefore, the plain 8:;@ and 8E:@ are the only two series that .2<' /&KF the '() feature# ('a$e note reader4 Fmphasis on the words %.2<' /&KF,)# 6ny 7otchas ' need to be aware of! 5witches need to run I25 version +7#7 or later# '() is supported in I25 version +:#@# I25 version +7#@ and +7#+ do <2' support '()# If you are running I25 version +7#7(9;)5F or earlier, '() test is DISRUPTIVE# (uring the test, the interface will go down and up# -or obvious reasons, anything connected will lose networ$ connectivity# If the remote"end device is a power"over"ethernet (>oF) device, the test will cause the device to lose power# If you have, for example, a Koice over I> (KoI>) phone and a >0 client is connected to the phone, both the phone and client will lose networ$
3

connectivity because the phone does not have a bypass functionality# 'his will affect &33 I25 versions#

>articularly when you are running old I25 versions, the test can ta$e between five (:) to seven (E) seconds# '() wor$s on +@1+@@1+@@@=ase'x# -ibre optic ports (any flavours) is not covered1discussed here# Ten7igabitEthernet copper port D8E) +8T (9ET support TDR. 0isco B30"'1B30"'G 5-> module does <2' support '()# 'he next two Botcha items are for those who plan to use the '() feature on 0isco 0atalyst 7?;@ and 7?;@B (7?;@5 not included)4

+# 'he 7?;@ will support '() in both the -astFthernet and dual"personality BigiabitFthernet port, however, when used on a -astFthernet port, '() will only test the first two pairs, namely >airs & I =# -or obvious reasons, >airs 0 and ( will not be tested when used on non"BigabitFthernet ports# >airs 0 and ( will report a result of %<ot 5upported,# 7# Fxcept the .5"07?;@"9C>(3, when using the copper BigabitFthernet (Big @1+ and Big @17) ports of the 0atalyst 7?;@, one must manually set the interface to copper using the command %media rj, before the test can be conducted# "ow to use TDR! 'he commands are very simple4 2ne to start the test and the second command to display the result# /ere is simple procedure4 + 0ommand to start the '()4 %test cable tdr interface Linterface of your choiceM,6 7 .ait for about : to E seconds for the test to run6 and 80ommand to show the result of the '() test4 %show cable tdr interface Linterface of your choiceM, 5eeN FasyO <ow lets see what the I results would loo$ li$e# Interface Bi@1+ 5peed +@@@! 3ocal pair >air & >air = >air 0 >air ( >air length 8 P1" + meters 8 P1" + meters 8 P1" + meters 8 P1" + meters )emote pair >air & >air = >air 0 >air ( >air status <ormal <ormal <ormal <ormal

5o what does this result above tell usN + >ort tested is on BigabitFthernet @1+6 7 >ort has negotiated to + Bbps6 8 0able use is a straight"through cable (loo$ and compare the values of %3ocal pair, and %remote pair,)6 +0able length is approximately 8 metres long and an error (length"wise) of + metre6 and 7 &ll four pairs are wor$ing fine (>air status) Dnder %>air status, you can get the following results4 )esult <ormal Fxplaination Ideal result you want# If testing FastEt ernet, you want >air & and = as %<ormal,# If testing BigabitFthernet, you want &33 as %<ormal,# 2pen 5hort Impedance !ismatched 2pen circuit# 'his means that one (or more) pair has %no pin contact,# 5hort circuit# =ad cable# -or more explanation, go here#

&n ideal result is %<ormal,# In practice, whether the remote"end device is -astFthernet or BigabitFthernet, I will ne(er accept a TDR result other than :+ormal; in all four pairs# %able #airs e<plained! 'his is how I see what each >airs control4 >airs & = 0 ( -unction 'his pair controls whether or not the port should go up or down# >rotocol"level and controls -astFthernet# >ower over Fthernet (>oF) BigabitFthernet

!ore e"am#les Interface Bi@1++ 5peed +@@! 3ocal pair >air length >air & >air = >air 0 >air (
5

)emote pair >air = >air & >air ( >air 0

>air status <ormal <ormal 2pen 2pen

+8 P1" + meters +7 P1" + meters @ P1" + meters @ P1" + meters

<ormally, this result would frea$ me out# 3oo$ at the items in )F(# >airs 0 and ( are reporting a cable value of %@,# <ext I move to the %>air status, and its reported as an 2pen circuit# <o pin contact# .haoO =ut loo$ at the speed# Its +@@ !bps# 5o its normal Q I guess# =ut wait# .hat if the remote"end side ()ed) client is a BigabitFthernet# 5o where is the faulty cablingN .hich one of the patch cablesN 2r is it a hori*ontal cablingN (oes the client support BigabitFthernet or notN /eres another clue4 3oo$ at the length of the cable for >air & and =# Its reporting around +7 to +8 metres# Fxperience has taught me that my 3ocal"end 5ide (3e5) cable doesnt exceed two metres# 5o that rules out my cable, however the hori*ontal cabling is more than +@ metres# 5o whats between the hori*ontal cabling and the remote"end clientN Aou have three suspects4 +) 'he remote"end punch bloc$6 7) the remote"end patch cable6 and 8) remote"end client# 0ulprit was the remote"end punch bloc$ and the hori*ontal cabling4 0able contractors only terminated two pairs# +e(er as& a boy to do a man-s =ob> Interface Bi+1@19C 5peed auto 3ocal pair >air & >air = >air 0 >air ( >air length +9? P1" + meters +:+ P1" + meters 8: P1" + meters 7+ P1" + meters )emote pair >air = >air & >air ( >air 0 >air status <ormal <ormal 5hort1Impedance !ism 5hort1Impedance !ism

Its results li$e the ones above that ma$es me want to cry# 2$, I loo$ under %>air status, and I see %5hort1Impedance !ism, for >air 0 and (# <o Ruestion about it# Its bad cabling# 'his is not what ma$es me want to cry# 3oo$ at under %>air length, of >air & and =# <2. cry# )hould ' be worried! Interface -a@18? 5peed +@@! 3ocal pair >air & >air = >air 0 >air (
6

>air length ; P1" + meters 9? P1" + meters <1& <1&

)emote pair <1& <1& <1& <1&

>air status 2pen 2pen <ot 5upported <ot 5upported

3oo$ing at the result, I can confidently say that the appliance was a 9C"port 0isco 0atalyst 7?;@# /owN 3oo$ under %Interface,# 3oo$ at %>air status, for >air 0 and (# 2nly the plain 7?;@ -astFthernet ports can support '()# =ut loo$ at %>air status, for >airs & and =# .hat does that meanN

It means that the remote"end ()ed) patch cable is missing#

Weird things ha(e happened before Ive ta$en the opportunity to do limited testing on '() on a 9:+@)PF# 'he chassis has a 5upEF and with a G9:9C") 9:KP line card (I25 version @8#@+#@+#5B)# 'he result(s) are very, very weird# 2h, by the way, the '() testing on this setup ta$es ;@ seconds# ;@ secondsO Bood griefO I have no idea whether the 5upEF or the line card is the factor# 'he sample below is coming from a B22( cable4 Interface Bi718; 5peed +Bbps 3ocal pair +"7 8"; 9": E"C
7

>air length 7? P1"+@m 8@ P1"+@m 7? P1"+@m 8@ P1"+@m

)emote pair Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown

>air status -ault -ault -ault -ault

&nd the sample below is coming from a =&( cable4 Interface Bi718E 5peed @!bps 3ocal pair +"7 8"; 9": E"C >air length :; P1"+@m @m :; P1"+@m :? P1"+@m )emote pair Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown Dn$nown >air status -ault -ault -ault -ault

&s you can see, whether or not you have a good or a bad cable the result from the %)emote pair, and %5tatus, can be deceiving# 'he 2<3A .&A to determine if you have a bad cable issue or not is to loo$ at the %5peed, and the output to the %>air length,# I am suspecting that the misleading result of the %)emote pair, and the %>air status, is an I25 bug#

!ore relate$: /ow 'o )ecover 0isco )outer >assword 'he (ifference of 'he 0isco 0atalyst 7?@@ and 0isco 0atalyst +?@@ !ore %isco #ro$ucts an$ Re&iews 'ou can &isit: http://www.3anetwork.com/blog

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