08 May 2025

Jonathan Sharp, CEO, Britannic

What do you need and why?

Take time to understand what you are testing for, as there are different tools for different purposes. Are you looking to test for feedback on SLAs, response times, review logs, the robustness of a circuit, speed and bandwidth capabilities, or to alert you of network anomalies?

It is important to walk before you can run so ensure that you consider the following:

• Is it copper, fibre, PoE or a mixed environment? Remembering to future proof it to fibre if it is copper
• Do you need a standard qualification, advanced certification or both?
• What is the size of it and its complexities?
• Your speed and usage requirements

The right partner

As with any technology selecting the right vendor for you and your requirements is crucial. Relationships with partners are vital to the success of any solution so connecting with your vendor is important. Do you want your vendor to provide a managed service so you can free your team up to focus on other areas? Or do you want to continue to manage your LAN?

Other questions to ask include - checking the regularity of its firmware updates, what is their proven track record in your industry and don’t forget to ask for customer testimonials. What support do they offer? Do they offer field support and training? What are the policies around repairs and calibration services? Also, ensure that the interface is intuitive and easy to use with simplified reporting and seamless integration.

Once you have your check list in place you are ready to select your vendor.

The right capacity

Your network requirements are for today and future requirements so investigate what bandwidth intensive applications like video conferencing or cloud-based services you are using, or indeed plan to use. Alternative Networks reported that 42% of UK businesses are planning to move to a higher capacity connectivity in the next two years. So ensure your network can withstand the bandwidth and speeds required for now and going forward. The LAN testing equipment may need to be more sophisticated and work with Wi-Fi 6/6E and 7, 10GbE, 40GbE or even 100GbE over copper and fibre to the desk as speeds increase. Ensure that you can access insights into signal strength, interference and roaming performance with consideration of the impact of high-density environments on Wi-Fi stability. Yes, they may cost more but the investment will have more longevity and value in the long run.

A full plate

When looking for LAN Testing equipment, ensure that you have access to a full and comprehensive suite of testing functions. These should include: cable certification, network performance verification, packet inspection, troubleshooting capabilities, PoE testing, fibre testing, wiremap, and fault detection. It is important that the testing equipment integrates with asset management platforms and cloud solutions for larger enterprises.

Select a LAN tester that can automatically identify vulnerabilities, unauthorised access points and compliance breaches. Advanced tools should offer penetration testing capabilities, threat detection analytics and automated security inspections.

AI network analytics

AI and ML networking solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to networks becoming more complex and distributed. AI and ML improves troubleshooting and resolution. It can work in real time immediately identifying issues and threats with the network and helps identify bottlenecks, latency issues and congestion areas. These solutions provide insight through analytics with a trusted automation process that improves the user experience and lowers the cost of network operations.

A strong backbone

A robust and reliant LAN is the backbone of the business so ensure it includes backup connectivity solutions, failover mechanism and redundancy testing capabilities. The benefits of a managed service offering are that you can leave the experts to manage the firmware updates and support and nurture your LAN.

Constant care and support

Regular LAN assessments are the only way to achieve optimal network performance and security. If your LAN is complex and has high usage, it should be constantly monitored. Automation tools such as network performance, AI-driven network analytics, automated security audits, and self-healing networks will ensure your network is robust, reliable, and secure.

Calculate your total cost of ownership by considering the purchase price and then looking at the training costs, software updates, calibration services and future upgrades. The more you invest then the more you get out of it. However, if you do spend a lot then ensure you understand and use all its features.

Avoid, avoid, avoid

It is good to know the red flags to avoid when selecting the LAN testing kit. Stay away from the cheap and cheerful option. You get what you pay for so don’t compromise on quality. Research from the UK Network Operations Forum discovered that by using professional grade testing equipment they reduced troubleshooting time on average by 60% compared to those using low level tools.

Don’t forget the importance of tech support and if they are an international vendor do they provide ‘follow the sun’ (time zone differences) initiatives? Check out the training resources and warranty terms as well. Avoid brands that do not offer UK tech support or services.

Look closely to see if you require calibration requirements to maintain your equipment’s accuracy. If you miss these then your results will be skewed leading to network issues or even downtime.

Protecting today and tomorrow

Investing in the correct LAN Testing equipment is a strategic investment that will protect your network for the now and going forward. By applying a considered logical approach and working with trusted professional vendors you will avoid the pitfalls and reap the benefits. A LAN Testing solution should have the flexibility and the capacity to grow with your business and with the advancements in technology ensuring your network is robust, secure, compliant and reliant to protect your business, employees and customers.