Cable identification using a unique signal carried on an unused conductor

A method for identifying cables, comprising:

• providing a multiconductor cable having a first and a second electrical connector, wherein the first electrical connector is adapted to connect a plurality of conductors in the multiconductor cable to a first mating connector associated with a signal generator;
• connecting the signal generator between the second electrical connector and a second mating connector electrically coupled to a network device at at least one end of the cable, wherein the signal generator is configured to select an unused conductor from the plurality of conductors and generate and transmit a unique signal over the selected unused conductor in the multiconductor cable, wherein the signal generator comprises a memory unit to store a unique identification number and the signal generator is configured to include logic and control operations to repeatedly transmit the unique signal over the selected unused conductor after a predetermined time, wherein the unique signal comprises the unique identification number;
• storing an association between the unique signal and the network device in a repository;
• identifying the unique signal using a portable device configured to detect the unique signal by positioning the portable device adjacent the multiconductor cable at any point along the multiconductor cable;
• retrieving the association between the unique signal and the network device from the repository;
• and
• using a comparison of the retrieved association and the identified unique signal that has been detected to identify the multiconductor cable.