Tools For Troubleshooting

Systems builders tasked with the on-site and in-shop maintenance, diagnostics and repair of PCs need help. Portable tools have come to their rescue. The following products can help turn a painful, two-hour slog into a 15-minute snap. Even better, many of these gadgets are so small and lightweight, you can carry them in your pocket:

Ethernet Crossover Adapter: Systems builders who diagnose networks or transfer data from one PC to another are familiar with the standard 3-foot crossover cable. But sometimes when you're on-site, these necessary cables are not readily available. Try ThinkGeek's Ethernet Crossover adapter. For less than $6, this device converts any standard Ethernet cable into a crossover cable. Plus, it's small enough to fit on a key chain.

Ethernet Loopback Jack: If you need to check a network cable for continuity or locate which port on a switch corresponds with a particular wall jack, try this small RJ-45 modular plug. You simply connect one end of a network cable to a port on a network hub/switch/router, and the other end to the loopback jack. If the cable is good, the link light will illuminate. You can also connect the loopback jack to a wall outlet to easily match up a wall jack with a switch port back in the server room. The Ethernet Loopback Jack costs less than $6.

Wireless Router For Dial-Up: Handy in SOHO environments that use dial-up but also want wireless access, Always On Wireless' WiFlyer is about the size of a PDA. Compact and portable, WiFlyer is an 802.11b wireless router with a built-in 56K modem. Installation is simple: Plug it in, enter the ISP's phone number, a user name and password, and you're ready. Customers can use WiFlyer to share files and printers; a built-in firewall provides top-notch security.

Power-Supply Testing: Cyberguys' $15 ATX Tester Green Board can quickly determine if a power supply is the culprit of a PC's problems. Simply plug the unit into the PC's 24-pin motherboard connector, and you'll have your answer instantly. (Be aware that the board requires a converter to test 20-pin PSUs.)

100Base-T Line Splitter: Another great networking troubleshooting tool for on-site systems builders is the 100Base-T Line Splitter. Using this splitter is an inexpensive ($11) way to quickly and easily convert a single LAN jack into two.

Flash Memory In a Pocket Knife: Ever find yourself on-site with a customer, only to realize you've left your USB flash drive at the office? Then try the compact SwissMemory USB Victorinox. The $60 Swiss pocket knife has a 1-GB storage capacity. It also includes a built-in USB flash drive, along with a red LED to use as a flashlight, and can serve as a nail file/ screwdriver, scissors and ballpoint pen.

Cordless Anti-Static Wrist Strap: Static is a constant problem when working on the innards of a PC; working with your wrist tethered by a ground wire can be even more of a nuisance. Try the $13 Cordless Anti-Static Wrist Strap, which dissipates your body's static before it can damage electrical components, yet lets you enjoy the freedom of being cordless.

How Hot Is That PC? Heat-related system problems can be difficult to diagnose. The $100 MiniTemp offers a great way to handle those situations. Simply aim the MiniTemp's laser-guided pointer at the source of the temperature you want to check. You'll soon know if the processor is running too hot, within a range from 0 to 500 degrees F with an accuracy of plus or minus 2 percent.

USB-Powered PC Lock: Protect systems from nosy, wandering clients with ThinkGeek's $30 USB locking device. Move more than two meters away from an enabled PC and the product will disable all access to the system. Return within two meters of the PC, and access is restored.

Carey Holzman is a freelance writer based in Glendale, Calif.