Using audio and NIC loopback adapters

[PromptCare]

Is there a tutorial on how to use these properly?  I'm trying to put myself over the learning curve with them but haven't figured them out.

I'm running tests on my (fully working) workbench PC.  All tests pass if playing through the speakers and using a regular NIC connection.

Network loopback:
Of the three tests, the first one (ICMP) "cannot run" and the second two (connectivity and external loopback) fail if it's plugged in by itself or piggybacking the cable.

Audio loopback:
How can I know if the sample audio played through the speakers if the loopback cable is plugged into both mic/spkr?  Shouldn't it detect the audio through the mic jack?  This would seem like the obvious way to use the cable but the test results (and expectations) seem to differ.

[Kris_PCD]

Hey PromptCare,

Here is a quick breakdown on the use of each of the loopbacks:

Network Loopback:
The primary purpose of this loopback is for running the external loopback test, and has the additional limitation of being unable to support gigabit speeds (which I would guess is what your system uses). Commonly it is used in environments where connecting to a network is not desirable or possible, and will simply confirm if the NIC is able to send and receive data. Also, the female connector on the adapter does not function as a passthrough, and will simply loop the data back to the connected router or switch.

Since there is a network available and yours appears to support the loopback function, I would recommend simply keeping it in reserve if necessary.

Audio Loopback:
The audio loopback cable is only intended to be used for the Rough Audio Test which does not require user interaction, and will simply send an audio signal through the cable to test the output frequencies. All other audio tests will require you to remove the loopback adapter and be able to listen to the output.

Additional information about the loopback adapters can be found in the Service Center User Guide, which can be found in the documentation folder on the DVD or USB device.

I hope this answers your questions, and please let me know if you have any others.

Thanks,
Kris

[PromptCare]

Hey PromptCare,

Here is a quick breakdown on the use of each of the loopbacks:

Network Loopback:
The primary purpose of this loopback is for running the external loopback test, and has the additional limitation of being unable to support gigabit speeds (which I would guess is what your system uses). Commonly it is used in environments where connecting to a network is not desirable or possible, and will simply confirm if the NIC is able to send and receive data. Also, the female connector on the adapter does not function as a passthrough, and will simply loop the data back to the connected router or switch.

Since there is a network available and yours appears to support the loopback function, I would recommend simply keeping it in reserve if necessary.

Audio Loopback:
The audio loopback cable is only intended to be used for the Rough Audio Test which does not require user interaction, and will simply send an audio signal through the cable to test the output frequencies. All other audio tests will require you to remove the loopback adapter and be able to listen to the output.

Additional information about the loopback adapters can be found in the Service Center User Guide, which can be found in the documentation folder on the DVD or USB device.

I hope this answers your questions, and please let me know if you have any others.

Thanks,
Kris

That's helpful. Thanks, Kris.

So is there any point to the port in the back of the NIC adapter?  Other than keeping the original cable from falling behind the desk when not in use? 
And, yes, you're right about the gigabit on that motherboard.  I'll have to remember that.

Which one is the "Rough Audio Test"?  I see 5 audio tests and none have that name.

[Kris_PCD]

The primary use for the female connector on the network loopback is to test communication along a length of cable (like through a network port in the wall to the switch/router). Otherwise, it does make a great cable holder.... 

If you don't see the Rough Audio Test, then I am guessing your using the Bootable Diagnostics test environment. The Rough Audio Test is only available in Windows at this time.

Let me know if you need anything else, and thanks for taking the time to ask questions.  You would be surprised by how many users wait until they have serious problems before contacting us for information.

Kris

[PromptCare]

I'm kicking myself because I've just found this information in the Quick Start guide.

It's good to know ahead of time as my goal is to work out my tests to be interaction-less, just start-and-walk-away.  With the Windows tests, I've batch-filed them to run, save reports, and even beep when done and now I'll look into adjusting the tests themselves to include these two adapters (I'll never use the LPT or serial ones).

One thing I'd like to be able to do with the offline setup is automate the session name to %computername% or something, or for the automated offline tests, to auto-save the report.  Are either/both of those possible?

Xander

[Kris_PCD]

Hi Xander,

By "offline" I'm assuming you mean Bootable Diagnostics (BD), so please let me know if I am mistaken.

The automated option in BD is set to run off the automated.xml script (located in <USB>:\pcdoctor\sc_lin\scripts) and will automatically name the session "automated". While there isn't any support method to change the session name, the logs generated will be named with a timestamp to allow you to find the ones you're looking for. Unfortunately, the automated process does not create a report, and there is no easy way to generate reports from the html files created (though you're welcome to modify another report and paste in the data using a file editor).

Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks,
Kris