There are network tools, and then there are the must-haves that distinguish themselves above the rest of the pack. Those that greatly reduce time spent and the fog that comes with network troubleshooting stand out. Then there are the rare unicorns that instantly demystify the situation with minimal learning curve. To me, that is the rarified air that NetAlly tools tend to play in with their network analyzers- and the LinkRunner handheld testers are absolutely included. NetAlly has just announced updates to the LinkRunner product line that modernize the platform’s features while also adding a slew of new capabilities.
Rather than just give the feature list (which we’ll do in a bit here), let me boil down THE VALUE of the LinkRunner AT in practical terms.:
In skilled hands, the LinkRunner AT quickly answers a wide range of “OK, what’s going on here?” questions as they pertain to minimally Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 so an engineer can rule problems in or out as they troubleshoot- up to 10 Gbps.
When used by a lesser-skilled troubleshooter, detailed results can be saved to LinkLive so off-site experienced eyes can see what’s going on.
Problems with cabling, speed and duplex, POE, and other lower-layer concerns are REPEATABLY identified with a proven set of tests that remove guesswork and allow for all techs and engineers to approach problems uniformly. There should be zero mystery when troubleshooting networks, but it takes the right tools to achieve that.
The LinkRunner AT offerings include the AT 3000 and AT 4000- with the latter also providing advanced network insights that include packet capture, highly-detailed network discovery and topology mapping, iPerf capabilities, and automated problem detection.
As with the latest AirCheck and EtherScope models, the LinkRunner ATs have access to a wide range of optional applications through the easy-access app store, so you can customize the tester far beyond it’s out-of-box feature set.
The devices can be remotely controlled over the network.
Add in decent battery life and the option to add a wireless adapter, and this list is the quick and dirty of what makes me a believer. I have been kicking the tires on the AT 4000 and am finding the ability to reliably test PoE up to 90W to be extremely welcome on modern switches, and I have fast gotten hooked on just clicking a couple of icons to have impressive amounts of information presented that tell the story of the network under test.
By the way, If you haven’t used LinkLive yet with NetAlly’s tools, you are depriving yourself of a free, powerful repository and device management resource.
Feature sets are best and most completely described in Net Ally’s own words. So here are the product links:AT 4000AT 3000
Needless to say, I continue to be a fan of NetAlly’s tools. They tend be very well thought-out, moderately rugged, fairly priced, and very well supported. I’ve been fortunate to not only use NetAlly’s products on the job, but also to have talked with product managers at the likes of Mobility Field Day and WLPC, and they are passionate about what their products can do for the network professional community.
And now… some screenshots from the LinkRunner AT 4000 at Wirednot HQ for your eyes and brain to get excited about!