Acutis Network troubleshooting toolkit
Our free software tools tell you which layer is broken. This is the physical gear we reach for to fix it — picked in three tiers so you can match your budget.
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get-it-done · Intermediate prosumer / IT generalist · Pro daily-driver for techs
Cable tester
Settles a Layer 1 argument instantly: plug both ends in and it confirms all 8 wires are connected in the right order.
Tone generator & probe
Traces one cable out of a bundle: clip the tone on one end, wave the probe over the bunch, the right cable beeps.
Patch cables
A shocking number of "slow internet" and random-drop tickets are a cheap or damaged cable. Keep known-good ones to swap and rule Layer 1 out.
USB-to-Ethernet adapter
Rules a laptop's flaky built-in NIC or Wi-Fi out of the picture — and gets a wired link on a device with no port.
Wi-Fi analyzer
Most Wi-Fi pain is interference and channel overlap, not weak signal. An analyzer shows which channels are crowded so you can move to a clear one.
PoE tester
For cameras, APs and phones powered over Ethernet — confirms power is actually on the line, separating a power problem from a network one.
Crimper & connectors
Make a cable to length instead of fighting a too-short one. Pass-through plugs make a clean crimp almost foolproof.
The software half of the kit is free
These fix the wire. Acutis Go watches the rest — and tells you in 60 seconds whether a problem is the cable, the network, DNS, or your own machine, so you know which tool to reach for.
Get Acutis Go — freeStart diagnosing: The OSI troubleshooting series · Layer 1 (Physical) · Free network tools
Frequently asked questions
What tools do I actually need to troubleshoot a network?
Less than people expect. The software half is free and tells you which layer is broken; the physical gear is for fixing it once you know. A cable tester, a few known-good patch cables and a Wi-Fi analyzer cover most home and small-office faults.
Why is a known-good patch cable so useful?
Because it turns a theory into a test in seconds. Swapping in a cable you trust either clears the fault - proving the old cable - or rules the cable out entirely, and cable faults are among the most common and most overlooked causes of a bad link.
What does a tone generator and probe do?
It lets you identify which cable is which when several run to the same place. You put a tone on one end and follow it with the probe at the other, which saves an enormous amount of guessing in any installation where the runs are not clearly labelled.
Do I need a PoE tester?
Only if you work with devices powered over Ethernet, such as cameras or access points. When you do, it answers a question nothing else will: whether power is actually present on the line, which separates a power problem from a network one.