A system comprises a physical layer device that is adapted to communicate with a cable medium and that includes a first input/output terminal. A first transceiver communicates with the first input/output terminal and the cable medium. A cable tester tests the cable medium and determines a cable status. An indicator communciates with the physical layer device and identifies at least one of link presence, link abscence, link activity, link duplex and or link speed of the first input/output terminal during normal operation. The cable tester also uses the indicator to indicate at least one of cable testing status during the test and/or the cable status after the test.