A breakout box serves as a troubleshooting tool to determine the wiring of an electrical connector interface on a networking device or computer.
Typically, a breakout box is inserted between two electrical devices to determine which signal or power interconnects are active.
Breakout boxes are specific examples of a more general category of network testing equipment called "status monitors".
They generally come with several kinds of connectors and are quick and easy to use for isolating problems with serial transmission connections in networking, telecommunications, and industrial settings.
[2]The term breakout box is derived from the mechanical enclosure in which a connector's aggregate connections are separated (i.e., broken out) into the individual signal or current-carrying wires or cables.