How does a technician typically identify a fault in a cable?

Continuity testing is a fundamental method used by technicians to identify faults in a cable. This process involves using a continuity tester or multimeter to verify whether electrical continuity exists throughout the cable. When a cable is functioning properly, the continuity tester will indicate a complete circuit, showing that there are no breaks or interruptions in the cable. If the tester shows an open circuit, it indicates a fault within the cable, such as a break or short.

This method is effective because it specifically checks the integrity of the cable by allowing the technician to pinpoint areas where the signal may not be able to travel due to a physical or electrical fault. Other methods, while useful in diagnosing specific issues, do not directly indicate the presence of a fault as effectively as continuity testing does.

Visual inspection, for instance, can reveal obvious physical damage or poor connections but may not detect internal conductor faults. Signal strength analysis can provide insight into performance issues but does not specifically identify faults within the cable itself. Resistance measurement can indicate excess resistance due to corrosion or other issues but does not provide a definitive diagnosis of a cable fault as continuity testing does.