NetAlly
LinkRunner AT-4000

Home Screen

Without the right visibility, it's difficult to resolve problems that impact multiple devices and network segments. NetAlly's LinkRunner AT 4000 is an advanced cable and network tester for Multigigabit NBASE-T and fiber Ethernet networks. It features comprehensive network discovery and topology mapping with advanced diagnostics and problem detection for in-depth troubleshooting.

Benefits:
Using network discovery plus layer 2 and 3 path analysis, it provides full visibility to help resolve complex issues, while still providing the automated tests for moves, adds, and changes validation and troubleshooting that the LinkRunner AT family of testers is known for.

AutoTest

AutoTest is the most comprehensive testing application on the LinkRunner AT 4000. The app is fully customizable with savable test profiles and reusable Test Targets. Multiple profiles can be grouped allowing a single button press to validate connectivity on all VLANs. AutoTest results are automatically uploaded to the Link-Live platform after you claim your LinkRunner AT 4000.

Benefits:
AutoTest allows engineers to transfer their knowledge of network configurations to the instrument, empowering frontline technicians to run tests against various wired VLANs and with minimal training. The result is a repeatable, documented test with shortened overall test times, which otherwise would not be possible with other test methods.

Cable Test

The LinkRunner AT 4000’s Cable Test can help you determine cable length and fault status, verify wire mapping of patch cords and structured cabling, and locate cables using toning or WireView office locators. Test structured cabling using the top RJ-45 port. Test patch cables with the built in second RJ-45 for complete pin to pin mapping and TDR.

Benefits:
Quickly identify cable faults like opens, shorts, or split pairs. You can also validate the wiremap, cable length, shield, or see if the other end of the cable is connected to a switch/station.

Ping/TCP

The Ping/TCP test app runs a Ping or TCP Connect test to your chosen target, allowing you to verify connectivity and identify intermittent issues.

A Ping test sends an ICMP echo request to the selected target to determine whether it can be reached and how long it takes to respond. Test for MTU issues using the frame size and do not fragment settings. The results are trended, displaying the last 24 hours as well as loss statistics.

A TCP Connect test opens a TCP connection with the selected target to test for port availability using a 3-way handshake (SYN, SYN/ACK, ACK). You can open the TCP/Ping app from the Home screen, or you can select Ping or TCP Connect from another app, such as AutoTest, while viewing a device’s details.

Benefits:
Continuous testing with response time measurements is available to verify consistency and identify intermittent issues. These tests can be easily recalled by field technicians to reduce configuration time or mistakes, to get more done faster.

Discovery

The LinkRunner AT 4000’s Discovery application creates an inventory of the devices on your networks along with their attributes: device types, names, addresses, interfaces, VLANs, resources, and other connected or associated devices. The app allows you to identify and analyze network devices and acts as a jumping-off point for further analysis using other apps, such as Ping/TCP, Path Analysis, and connection tests.

Benefits:
Instantly see what is on the network and where it is connected, by switch, slot, and port number. Identify changes in connected devices and links, and quickly investigate and locate “suspect” devices and identify problems associated with device misconfigurations.

Path Analysis

Path Analysis traces the connection points, including intermediate routers and switches, between the tester and a destination URL or IP address. You can use Path Analysis to identify issues such as overloaded interfaces, overloaded device resources, and interface errors. It also shows how devices within your network (and off-net devices) are connected to each other along a path including split routes.

Benefits:
LinkRunner AT 4000 has the unique ability to break through the “visibility ceiling” between wired networks, showing who and what is on your network, where they are connected, and their path across your network.

Capture

Packet capture is the process of recording network traffic in the form of packets as data streams back and forth over wired connections. Packet captures can help you analyze network problems, debug client/server communications, track applications and content, ensure that users are adhering to administration policies, and verify network security.

You can open the Capture app from the Home screen or using a link from another app, such as AutoTest or Discovery.

Benefits:
Having the power of 1G capture in the palm of your hand means you are always equipped to gather the evidence needed for in-depth troubleshooting and problem escalation.

Performance Reflector

The LinkRunner AT 4000 offers a packet reflector mode, which enables you to conduct end-to-end network performance tests when used with other NetAlly tools (LinkRunner 10G, EtherScope® nXG, CyberScope® CE). This mode validates network throughput capabilities up to 1Gbps. The reflector also works for 1G LANBERT™ media qualification testing. The line rate reflector supports control of what types of packets to reflect as well as swapping of source and destination MAC and IP addresses for L3 performance testing.

Benefits:
The Reflector app allows you to verify SLA of critical network links when deploying 1G links to support critical devices, e.g. servers, NAS, and WiFi access points, ensuring you’re getting the bandwidth you expect.

LANBERT™ Media Qualification App

The LANBERT media qualification app for the LinkRunner AT 4000 provides a simple and fast method of assessing the quality of transmission and available bandwidth in your copper and fiber cable plant. When used with another LANBERT-compatible NetAlly tester (or a Loopback), LANBERT generates and measures the transmission of line rate Ethernet frames over your network cabling infrastructure (while taking into consideration Digital Signal Processing), qualifying its ability to support 1G on fiber and 10M/100M/1G on copper links.

Benefits:
With the insatiable growth in bandwidth, plus the increasing number of IoT devices at smart offices and homes, network professionals must have confidence that their network cabling will transport all data error-free and at the maximum speed possible. LANBERT allows you to understand the actual capabilities of your existing network, preventing unnecessary cabling upgrades.

iPerf

iPerf is a standardized network performance tool used to measure UDP or TCP throughput and loss. It is used to verify and ensure adequate client bandwidth is available.

Benefits:
The iPerf app verifies SLA of critical network links that support critical devices like servers, network-attached-storages, and WiFi access points, ensuring you are getting the bandwidth you expect.

Multi-Gig Link Validation

The Wired Link Test verifies link speed/duplex for 10/100 Mbps and 1 Gbps, with detection of NBASE-T and Multigigabit 2.5G, 5G, and 10 Gbps links.

Benefits:
Investment in Multi-Gig infrastructure is wasted if the cable plant cannot support the desired speed. But diagnosis of link “downshifting” is difficult, often leading to finger-pointing between cabling contractors and equipment vendors. LinkRunner AT 4000’s measurements on active links provides root-cause evidence when link speed issues occur.

VLAN Identification and Analysis

The LinkRunner AT 4000 AutoTest automatically identifies and lists VLANs supported by the connected switch port by analyzing the VLAN IDs of the traffic received. The LinkRunner AT 4000 continues to show the distribution of traffic by VLAN until another wired AutoTest has executed, or the link to the switch port is severed.

Benefits:
Proper VLAN configuration of switch ports has become important to the operation and security of the modern network so that various traffic can be properly isolated. The LinkRunner AT 4000 AutoTest provides the visibility and documentation of VLAN configuration of switch port automatically that makes this previously complex verification task simple.

Switch Visibility

The LinkRunner AT 4000 AutoTest automatically detects the nearest connected switch port by analyzing the xDP (CDP, LLDP, and EDP) protocols received. The LinkRunner AT 3000 reports the content of the first xDP packet received as the nearest switch in the AutoTest result. It continues to monitor the xDP traffic received and lists the source devices and the content of xDP traffic in the Switch Test detail.

Benefits:
The LinkRunner AT 4000 wired AutoTest provides quick visibility to the configuration of the nearest switch port connected in most cases. Even when it is connected to a switch that has the xDP traffic function disabled or set to be transmitted very infrequently, the LinkRunner AT 4000 can still provide visibility to the nearest xDP-supporting devices. There is no need to use a protocol analyzer to verify xDP configuration, which is much easier for network technicians to handle.