How to check an IC?

400 ohms is high...theoretically it should be zero...in reality, probably fluctuate around zero. The procedure is as follows...

1) Make very sure you ohmeter/voltmeter is set to measure resistance...check this by touching the probes together...you should get about zero...and (depending on meter) a beep for continuity. (Make sure to use Ohms rather than Kohms if you have the choice...because Kohms may round to zero)

2) Then put one probe on the barrel on one end...and the other on the other end...you should get about zero

3) While keeping one probe on a barrel, put the other on the pin of the other side...you should get "open" or infinite resistance...

repeat with all permutations/cables.

400 is too high...but is your meter working right?

Simply check for continuity-pin to pin then ground to ground, then check pin to ground to make sure there are no shorts. What this does is establish everything is connected correctly. On my rat-shack meter there is a setting for continuity. If you hear a steady tone you have a connection. The previous poster is correct about the ohms, as it should be 0 or very close to zero.

I use a cable tester to check my work. Plug them in, turn the device on & presto! Same goes for AC cords.

When I turn multimeter to Rx 1, and touch probs together- mit shows 300 ohm, when I check a cable (not my DIY cable, but one, I know is fine - I get exact same reading.
BTW, the Ohm scale reads from left to right (it's analog RS multimeter)from infinity to zero

What I meant is, an arrow moves just a little bit from infinity to the right, towards zero.
When i probe is on the barrel and the other on central pin on the other end it doesn't move- "infinite resistance', just like MI8764ag said.

If you're on the 1 ohm scale the 400 almost certainly means 400 military ohms, aka .4 ohms.
No worries there if it reads 300 milii ohms with the leads shorted (means your cable is adding only 100 mili = .1 ohms).
You should see low ohm readings from outside ground to outside ground.
You should be OPEN from center pin to outside ground connector.