Welcome to Softing WireXpert MP Cable Tester Training
Course Duration: 35–50 minutes
A certification tester proves that installed cabling performs to its category, and it produces the report the customer and the cable manufacturer's warranty program rely on. This module covers what the Softing WireXpert MP is, what it measures, how to set it up and run it safely, how to read its results, and how to look after it.
What You'll Learn:
- Identify the WireXpert MP modules and kit contents
- Explain each AUTOTEST parameter in plain terms
- Pick the right configuration, limit, cable type, and adapters
- Run an AUTOTEST safely and interpret PASS, PASS*, FAIL*, and FAIL
- Care for the tester, keep calibration current, and document results
Course Structure
- Introducing the WireXpert MP
- Specifications & What It Measures
- Links, Limits & Adapters
- Operating the Tester Safely
- Reading Results
- Care, Calibration & Data
- Final Assessment — 10 questions, 80% (8 of 10) to pass
Each section ends with a knowledge check. You get two attempts, and a first miss gives you a hint, not the answer. Finish the check to unlock the next section. You'll enter your name and email just before you submit the final assessment. Your results are emailed automatically to the training administrator, with a copy to you, whether you pass or not.
Section 1: Introducing the WireXpert MP
The Softing WireXpert MP series, introduced in 2025, is a modular cable certification platform. A kit has two identical mainframes, one used as the LOCAL unit and one as the REMOTE unit, plus plug-in test modules for the cabling you're certifying.
| Module | What it certifies |
|---|---|
| MP C6A | Entry-level copper certification up to 600 MHz (Cat 6A) |
| MP C8 | High-end copper certification up to 3000 MHz: TIA Category 8, and ISO/IEC Classes I and II |
| MP FM | Tier 1 certification of multimode fiber (850/1300 nm) |
| MP FS | Tier 1 certification of singlemode fiber (1310/1550 nm) |
| MP FQ | “Quad”: Tier 1 certification of both multimode and singlemode fiber |
Because the platform is modular, a Cat 6A kit can be upgraded to Cat 8 with a license, and fiber modules can be added to the same mainframes.
What's in a C8 kit
- 2 mainframes and 2 C8 copper modules
- 2 Cat 8 channel adapters and 2 Cat 8 permanent link adapters
- 2 Cat 8 LongLife™ permanent link cords, which are replaceable and cheaper than replacing an adapter
- 2 wired headsets for the talk set
- A DCRU calibration artifact, used during Set Reference
- Calibration and conformity certificates, 2 chargers, a quick reference guide, and a bag
Series map: This is the first of four WireXpert modules. Dual-Ended Testing, Loopback Setup & Testing, and Fiber Optic Testing build on what you learn here.
Knowledge Check 1
What is the highest frequency the WireXpert MP C8 copper module tests to?
Attempts: 0/2
Section 2: Specifications & What It Measures
WireXpert MP C8 specifications (Softing datasheet)
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Standards | TIA-568.2-E Cat 5e, 6, 6A, 8; ISO/IEC 11801 and EN 50173 Classes D, E, EA, F, FA, I, II |
| Frequency range | 100 kHz to 3000 MHz |
| Test modes | Permanent link, channel, MPTL, E2E; patch cords Cat 5e–8 |
| Display | 5.5-inch projected-capacitive touchscreen on both units (DCS+™) |
| Battery | Removable 7.2 V / 6.7 Ah Li-ion; more than 8 hours of continuous operation; you can test while it charges |
| Operating temperature | 0 to 40 °C (32 to 104 °F) |
| Storage temperature | −20 to 60 °C |
| Humidity | 10–80% RH |
| Size / weight | 260 × 120 × 55 mm, about 1.1 kg with battery |
| Storage & ports | 2,500 MB internal; 4 USB host, 1 USB device, RJ45 Ethernet, 3.5 mm audio |
| Camera | 5 MP DocuCam™ with LED flash; LinkTrack QR codes |
| Calibration | Every year |
What an AUTOTEST measures
| Parameter | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Wiremap | Each conductor lands on the right pin: no opens, shorts, reversed, crossed, or split pairs |
| Length | Calculated from the signal's travel time and the cable's NVP (nominal velocity of propagation) |
| Insertion loss | How much signal is lost from end to end |
| NEXT / PS NEXT | Crosstalk from one pair (or the sum of all pairs) onto another, measured at the transmitting end |
| ACR-F / PS ACR-F | Far-end crosstalk compared with the attenuated signal arriving at the far end (formerly called ELFEXT) |
| Return loss | Signal reflected back by impedance changes, such as kinks, crushed cable, or poor terminations |
| DC loop resistance / DCRU | Conductor resistance, and the resistance unbalance within and between pairs, which matters for PoE |
| Propagation delay / delay skew | Signal travel time on each pair, and the difference between the fastest and slowest pair |
The tester also has a time-domain fault locator for return loss and NEXT that shows where along the link a problem is, and InstantWiremap™, which flags wiremap faults before you even start an AUTOTEST.
Knowledge Check 2
What does ACR-F describe?
Attempts: 0/2
Section 3: Links, Limits & Adapters
Test configurations
| Configuration | What's included | Maximum length |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent link | The installed cable from patch panel to outlet, including the connections at each end. The test cords are excluded. | 90 m (295 ft) |
| Channel | The permanent link plus the patch and equipment cords that will actually be used | 100 m (328 ft) |
| MPTL | Modular plug terminated link: a jack at one end and a field-installed plug at the device end (cameras, access points) | Per the selected limit |
| E2E | End-to-end link, plug to plug, common in industrial Ethernet | Per the selected limit |
Choosing the limit and the cable
- Go to Test Settings › Test Limits and pick the standard (TIA or ISO), the category or class, and the configuration (for example, TIA Cat 6A Perm. Link).
- Select the cable manufacturer and type, or a generic type, so the correct NVP is used. A wrong NVP makes the reported length wrong.
- Fit the matching adapters: permanent link adapters for permanent link tests, and channel adapters for channel tests.
⚠️ Match the limit to what's installed. Testing Cat 6 cable against Cat 6A limits produces false failures. Testing Cat 6A against Cat 6 limits produces a pass that doesn't prove Cat 6A performance. Check the specification before you start.
Knowledge Check 3
You're certifying installed cable from the patch panel to the outlet before the patch cords go in. Which configuration and adapters do you use?
Attempts: 0/2
Section 4: Operating the Tester Safely
⚠️ Never connect to a live circuit. Softing's instruction: do not connect the tester to a voltage source such as an active telephone jack. Excessive voltage will damage the units and the adapters and void the warranty. Unplug the link from switches, PoE injectors, and other equipment at both ends before you test.
For quick checks on in-service runs, the MP's AC Wiremap can check runs that have IEEE 802.3af/at PoE midspan injectors on them. Certification itself is always done on a disconnected link.
Getting ready
- Charge both batteries. You can test while charging if needed.
- Power on both units. Use the FlipTags™ to mark which unit is LOCAL and which is REMOTE.
- Check that both units run the same firmware. AUTOTEST is refused if the versions don't match.
- Run Set Reference (Home › Tools › Set Reference) when the units are first paired, after a firmware update, after changing adapters, after a long idle period, or when conditions change significantly.
- Set the test limit and cable type, and fit the matching adapters.
Running an AUTOTEST
- Connect one unit to the patch panel port and the other to the outlet.
- Press AUTOTEST. Both units have AUTOTEST buttons for left- or right-handed use, and the REMOTE unit can start a test too.
- Don't move the cords or adapters until the result appears.
- Review the result, then save it under the cable's label.
Knowledge Check 4
The tester refuses to run an AUTOTEST and reports a firmware mismatch. What fixes it?
Attempts: 0/2
Section 5: Reading Results
Result types
| Result | Meaning |
|---|---|
| PASS | Every parameter meets the selected limit |
| PASS* | Passes, but at least one parameter's margin is within the tester's measurement uncertainty |
| FAIL* | Fails, but the negative margin is within the tester's uncertainty |
| FAIL | One or more parameters clearly fail the limit |
| For information only | Measured, but not required by the selected limit |
Marginal (*) results are enabled by default. Treat a PASS* as a link worth re-checking: clean the connections and look at the termination before you accept it.
Common failures
| Failure | Typical cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wiremap | Mis-punched conductor, wrong scheme (T568A vs. T568B), cut wire, split pair | Re-terminate. A split pair has correct pin continuity but mixes conductors from two pairs, so it shows up as crosstalk. |
| NEXT / PS NEXT | Too much untwist at the termination, split pair, low-grade connectors | Re-terminate and keep the twist to within 13 mm (0.5 in) of the termination |
| Return loss | Kinked or crushed cable, poor termination, mismatched components | Use the fault locator to find where along the link, then fix that spot |
| Insertion loss | Link too long, wrong cable grade, damaged cable | Check the length and cable type, and inspect the route |
| Length | Over 90 m (permanent link) or 100 m (channel), or a wrong NVP setting | Confirm the actual route and the cable/NVP setting |
| Resistance / DCRU | Poor contact, a loose IDC, damaged conductor | Re-seat or re-terminate the connection |
Knowledge Check 5
An AUTOTEST shows PASS*. What does that mean?
Attempts: 0/2
Section 6: Care, Calibration & Data
Calibration and adapters
- Softing calibrates the WireXpert MP at a 1-year interval. Keep the calibration certificate with the kit, because customers and warranty programs may ask for it.
- Set Reference is a field procedure. It does not replace annual factory calibration.
- Adapters wear out with use. Softing rates channel adapters at about 10,000 insertions and permanent link adapters at about 5,000. The tester tracks adapter use, and the LongLife cords on permanent link adapters can be replaced instead of the whole adapter.
- Keep adapter jacks and plugs clean, replace worn cords, and store the kit in its bag within −20 to 60 °C.
Saving and reporting
- With Auto Save on, PASS results save automatically. FAIL results must be saved manually.
- Find saved results at Home › Project, Site & Data › Data. Deleted results go to Tools › Trash. Anything deleted from Trash is gone for good.
- Make PDF or CSV reports on the tester, or use Softing's free eXport PC software. The ITN Sync app sends results to OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or email.
Five 9s documentation standard: Every report should show the cable ID, location, date and time, the technician, the test limit, and the tester serial number and calibration date. Keep every result, PASS and FAIL. A FAIL that was fixed and retested is part of the record.
Knowledge Check 6
Auto Save is on and a link FAILs. What happens to the result?
Attempts: 0/2
Final Assessment
Answer all 10 questions. You need 80% (8 of 10) to pass. These questions are different from the section knowledge checks. Enter your name and email below the questions, then submit.
1. Which WireXpert MP copper module is the entry-level certifier for Cat 6A?
2. What is the maximum length of a permanent link?
3. Which configuration includes the patch and equipment cords in the measurement?
4. How often does Softing calibrate the WireXpert MP?
5. What is the MP's operating temperature range?
6. A wiremap shows correct pin-to-pin continuity, but NEXT fails badly on two pairs. Which wiring fault does this most likely point to?
7. What is the most common cause of a NEXT failure at a jack?
8. What does Softing say about connecting the tester to an active telephone jack or other voltage source?
9. How does the tester calculate the length of a link?
10. Which documentation practice is wrong?
Your Information
When you submit, your results are emailed automatically to the training administrator, and a copy is sent to the email address you enter here — whether or not you pass.
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