A technician is asked to verify that a CAT5 patch cord, created by another technician, is in working order. Which of the following tools should the technician use to verify the patch cord?

A multimeter measures electrical properties like voltage, resistance, and continuity on individual conductors but cannot verify the complete wiring map of a multi-conductor cable efficiently.

A toner probe is used to trace and identify a specific cable run through walls or conduit, not to verify internal wiring correctness.

A loopback plug is used to test a network port's ability to send and receive data, not to verify the physical wiring of a patch cord.

A cable tester sends a signal through each wire pair in a CAT5 patch cord and verifies continuity, correct pin mapping (straight-through or crossover), and absence of shorts or open circuits. It provides a pass/fail result for all eight conductors simultaneously, making it the definitive tool for validating patch cord integrity.