Belkin Gold Series Non-IEEE 1284 Parallel Extension Cable - parallel cable - 5 m

Advantages: Reliable
Disadvantages: None

...Reliable and easy to use cable - a must for anyone making a home network or even a business network. Although Belkin have released a few inferior products in the past, this cable brings thenm right back up again. Category 5 cable such as this is the highest-quality UTP Cable. It is tested at 100MHz, allowing it to run high-speed protocols such as 100Mbps Ethernet and CDDI. Category 5 Cable also uses either 22 or 24 AWG unshielded twisted-pair wire and impedance of 100ohms. It connects with RJ45 connectors (avaiable cheaply) RJ-45 connectors look a bit like a standard phone connector but are twice as wide (with eight wires). RJ-45s are used for hooking up computers to local area Networks (LANs) or for phones with lots of lines.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Good build quality, brand name
Disadvantages: A bit pricey.

...Okay, so before everyone gets too excited at the prospect of reading a review about a network cable, I'll bring you all back down to Earth and try to convince you why this one is so great... If you've bought computer peripherals before, you will probably be familiar with Belkin, who are particularly well-known for their USB products. Belkin make all sorts of cables, including a variety of ethernet network cables. This is a Cat 5 standard network cable (coloured red, but you can get it in many other colours, including black, grey, yellow, green, blue etc). One of the major problems with network cables is their tendency to snag when bent through a small radius, and because of the way the individual wires are twisted around eachother inside the cable, this can lead to network errors. The Belkin cable claims to be snagless, and whilst I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Durable; Brand name; Reliable
Disadvantages: Relatively expensive; Overkill for a 56k connection

..., which is a nice touch. They also prevent the tab from being snapped off. The plug itself is moulded onto the cable, although the BT plug is the standard crimp-on variety. Looking at the plugs more closely, the contacts are plated with 24 CT gold. Although I am sceptical about any performance gains, I would agree that it will certainly help with durability, since the gold will resist oxidation which would cause signal degradation. The technology used in the construction of this cable is very similar to the technology used for Belkin's standard range of Cat 5 ethernet network cables. In fact, Belkin claims that this cable can support data transfer rates up to 100 Mb/s. Those sort of speeds are way off into the future, in terms of what you can get through a standard telephone or even broadband line, so you have to question whether... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful