# CIT’s Troubleshooting Equipment

## Copyright © 1999 Boson Software

Written by kevin@boson.com

OSCILLOPSCOPE

An oscilloscope will give you a graphical representation of voltage levels over time. By visual inspection, you can determine if you have electrical interference on the line.

## PROTOCOL ANALYZER

A protocol analyzer can monitor traffic on the network, determine the network's "top talkers," measure specific error rates, and capture traffic which may later be viewed in a decoded format. Protocol analyzers also allow filters to be configured such that only specific traffic is captured or displayed.

BREAKOUT BOX

A breakout box typically has two 25-pin RS-232 connectors, one male and one female. The breakout box is then inserted in-line with the connection to be tested. The breakout box has LEDs to indicate which of the pins has voltage applied and if that voltage is positive or negative. Breakout boxes usually come with a series of cross-connect wires, which allows the user to jumper pins from one side of the connection to pins on the other side of the connection. For example, a breakout box could be used to reverse the transmit and receive pins in an RS-232 cable (i.e., pins 2 and 3).