A technician has just installed and terminated a new CAT5 network cable. The device using the cable cannot connect to the network. Which of the following tools would be BEST in troubleshooting this…

A cable tester sends a signal through each conductor and verifies continuity, proper pair assignment, and pin-to-pin mapping on both ends of a newly terminated cable. This directly identifies miswiring, opens, or shorts introduced during termination - the most likely cause of failure after a fresh cable install.

A network analyzer captures and decodes network traffic at the protocol level but cannot diagnose a broken or miswired physical cable that prevents any signal from passing.

A multimeter can measure voltage and continuity on individual conductors but does not test pair configuration or termination accuracy across all eight pins simultaneously.

A toner probe is used to trace and locate a cable path through walls or patch panels, not to verify correct termination or electrical continuity.