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Any repair job will go a whole lot easier if you have the right tools to knock it out. But if you're just starting out in the field, knowing which tools you need can be tricky--especially if you can't tell a banjo adapter from a continuity tester. Here's a rundown of some common support tech tools and what you're likely to use them for. Familiarity with these tools will help you build your own all-purpose repair kit. And of course, knowing what things are called comes in handy when you need to mooch a tool off a co-worker.
Alligator clip
Spring-loaded clip featuring two jaws with serrated teeth; used to complete temporary electrical connections when testing circuits and cables.
Antistatic mat
Specialized surface composed of a nonconducting and static electricity-free material used to protect delicate electronic components from accidental electrical shock.
Antistatic wrist strap
Adjustable band, typically attached to a technician's wrist, that safely grounds the technician. Antistatic wrist straps reduce the risk that the technician will accidentally discharge electrical shocks that can harm or destroy sensitive electronic equipment when building or repairing computer systems.
Banjo adapter
Specialized cable testers that permit testing live circuits and cables without disrupting normal service or requiring that other equipment be disconnected.
Cable tester
Hardware device used to test proper wiring configurations and physical integrity of data, telecommunications, and power cables.
Canned air
Canisters possessing pressurized air used to blow dust, debris, and other foreign material away from delicate and sensitive electronic equipment.
Conductive epoxy
Specially formulated epoxy resin designed to enable heat transfer and aid cooling; conductive epoxy is commonly applied to a CPU's topside surface where the CPU connects to the heatsink fan.
Continuity tester
Electronic cable check device used to confirm physical integrity of data and communications cables and confirm proper plug termination and connector configuration; Continuity testers help administrators identify regular Ethernet patch cables and crossover cables.
Crimper
Specialized hand-held plier-like tool used to securely attach plugs and connectors to the ends of data and communications cables. Compression crimpers are so-called due to the pressure applied to the tool's handles being used to force tight terminal connections.
Die
Precision-designed forms that hold modular plugs for connecting, via a crimper tool, plugs and connectors to a wide variety of data and communications cables.
Extractor
Hand tool matched to fit specific electronic components, enabling accurate extraction of delicate electronic components.
Long nose pliers
Hand pliers featuring slim, long-sided jaws for accessing material in tight and confined spaces.
Modular adapter
Adapters used to connect data, network, and communications cables for testing with tone generators and network test equipment; modular adapters enable administrators to test data and signal information being transferred via a variety of cable types.
Modular tool
Hand tool, similar to a pair of pliers, but which typically includes cable strippers and inset dies for crimping RJ-45 and RJ-11 jacks.
Multimeter
Also known as a voltmeter. Electronic tool featuring positive and negative electrical probes for testing a wide variety of AC and DC circuits to confirm proper operation and electrical performance.
Pin removal tool
Comes in two common models: Molex and ATX. The handheld tool resembles a flathead screwdriver but is typically less than eight inches tall and features tips specially formed to remove pins from power supply connectors.
Power supply tester
Portable electronic box featuring numerous input ports (including 20/24 pin ATX, 4-pin and 8-pin CPU, 4-pin floppy, SATA and PCI-E ports) for quickly and easily testing and confirming proper electrical function of common ATC power supplies. Power supply testers also typically feature labeled LEDs to simplify confirming that a power supply is generating the proper electrical voltages.
Precision screwdriver
Precision screwdrivers feature exact-fit tips to enable accurate fit and fine motor coordination for working with delicate or miniature components; such tools are often used to secure or remove motherboards to computer cases, secure or remove hard drives in PCs, and repair portables.
Punch tool
Specialized hand tool used to terminate data and communications cables into terminals. Punch tools prove critical in terminating data and telecommunications cables in punch down blocks, among other uses.
Reversible ratchet
Ratchets are available in both screwdriver as well as wrench models; reversible ratchets enable techs to insert and remove nuts and bolts with a minimal amount of movement.
Solder braid
Soldering material, frequently distributed in a coiled shape or tube and often composed of lead, used in conjunction with a soldering iron to fuse electrical components and connections.
Soldering iron
Specialized hand tool that possesses high current at low voltage and generates 50-200 watts of heat typically delivered via a tip designed to melt a soldering component for the purpose of securing or removing electronic components and connections.
Solder wick
Soldering remover and cleaning material, used in conjunction with a soldering iron, to remove electronic components or connections.
Three-pronged parts retriever
A slim, specialized hand tool actuated through a plunger that enables reaching and removing via a three-pronged probe small parts from tight confines within a PC or other electronic equipment.
Tone generator
Network testing device used to send a tone signal to a tone probe; administrators use tone generators to help determine the source and termination of various network cable segments and test line and load continuity.
Tone probe
Network testing device used to receive or monitor the tone signal broadcast by a tone generator or toner tool; administrators use tone probes to help identify the source and termination of various network cable segments and test line and load continuity.
Torx
Specialized nut and bolt pattern requiring matched wrenches and screwdrivers to install and remove.
Stripper
Plier-like device that includes sharpened blades in its jaws and adjustable spacing to enable removing cable jackets from data and communications cables.
Untwist tool
A specially shaped hand tool, similar to a flathead screwdriver but with a different blade design, that enables separating twisted pair cabling without penetrating twisted-pair cable jackets. Administrators often use the tool to separate twisted-pair cabling when rewiring a network or repairing cable terminations and plugs.
USB2.0 to IDE adapter
Powered electronic adapter that implements a bridge between a USB2.0 connection and an IDE-based hard disk; administrators frequently use USB2.0 to IDE adapters to troubleshoot hard disks removed from other systems on their own computer (or for data recovery efforts).
USB2.0 to SATA adapter
Powered electronic adapter that implements a bridge between a USB2.0 connection and a SATA-based hard disk; administrators frequently use USB2.0 to SATA adapters to troubleshoot hard disks removed from other systems on their own computer (or for data recovery efforts).
