Comparison · vs hardware field testers
RemoteD Field vs NetAlly LinkRunner and EtherScope.
Different tools doing different jobs. NetAlly handheld testers measure the wire and the radio. RemoteD Field uses the iPhone in the tech’s pocket and the desktop's inventory to identify ports, document the visit, and run desktop-mediated actions.
- Physical-layer / cable diagnostics — TDR length, opens, shorts, pair faults. Software can not measure copper.
- PoE load testing with real wattage measurement under draw.
- Wi-Fi RF / spectrum analysis (EtherScope nXG, AirCheck G3) — channel utilization, interference, AP enumeration.
- Off-network standalone use where no paired desktop is reachable.
- Formal cable certification reports for low-voltage / structured-cabling sign-off.
RemoteD Field is software. If the answer requires measuring the wire or the radio, the hardware tester wins. Buy that one — and put RemoteD Field on the same tech’s phone for everything else.
No specialized hardware to buy or charge
RemoteD Field runs on the iPhone in the tech’s pocket. A NetAlly LinkRunner G2 lists around $1,500–$2,500; an EtherScope nXG is several thousand more. RemoteD Field is included with a Pro license.
Inventory-aware port identification
Find Port by MAC or IP asks the paired desktop — which already has the LLDP / ARP / MAC-table data — to locate where the device sits. The hardware testers learn the port from what is plugged into them; RemoteD Field learns it from the network the desktop already knows.
Results tied to the customer record
Every port lookup, note, and photo lands against the customer / site / folder on the desktop. The hardware tester output is local to the device until you sync it to a vendor cloud (Link-Live).
Field workflow, not point-in-time tests
Notes, tasks, audit visibility, document viewing, and topology browsing alongside the port lookup. The hardware tester is great at the test moment; RemoteD Field covers the whole visit.
Field never holds switch credentials
Mutating actions (port bounce, PoE cycle, config push) are desktop-mediated. The phone shows the result and confirmation; the desktop holds the keys. Hardware testers do not touch managed switches at all.
Feature comparison
Where the lines fall.
Hardware tester features reflect the NetAlly LinkRunner G2 / AT 4000 / EtherScope nXG lineup. Specifics and price vary by model.
| Feature | RemoteD | NetAlly handheld tester |
|---|---|---|
Hardware cost | No hardware (iPhone) | $1,500–$5,000+ |
Find port by MAC / IP NetAlly can identify the switch/port the tester is plugged into. RemoteD Field finds where another device sits anywhere on the desktop’s known network. | Yes | Partial |
Physical-layer cable diagnostics (TDR, length, opens/shorts) This is the hardware tester lane. Software does not measure copper. | No | Yes |
PoE load testing under real draw | No | Yes |
Wi-Fi RF / spectrum analysis EtherScope nXG and AirCheck G3 cover this. | No | Yes |
LLDP / CDP neighbor read Both can read neighbor info; RemoteD Field reads via the desktop, the hardware tester reads locally from the wire. | Yes | Yes |
VLAN / voice-VLAN read | Yes | Yes |
Inventory-aware port identification | Yes | No |
Notes + photos tied to customer record NetAlly Link-Live is the vendor cloud; RemoteD Field writes back to your desktop directly. | Yes | Partial |
Topology + port-map browsing on the phone | Yes | No |
Desktop-mediated actions (port bounce, PoE cycle, config push) | Yes | No |
Field stores switch credentials Both correctly avoid storing switch credentials on the field tool. | No | No |
Formal cable certification report | No | Yes |
Standalone (no paired device required) | No | Yes |
Next step
Keep the tester. Add the workflow.
Walk a site with both. The hardware tester proves the cable; RemoteD Field proves the visit happened, ties it to the customer record, and lets the desktop run the actions.