Universal Network Cable
The Universal Network Cable is another great gadget that helps me quickly and easily switch to the cable I need when working. You select the cables by rotating the yellow collar to one of the five cables including:
ROLLED: Connect a host to a Cisco(TM) router or switch
CROSSOVER: Communicate directly between computers without a hub or switch
STRAIGHT-THROUGH: Use as a standard RJ45 patch cable
ATM / LOOPBACK: Test if a network card is working by checking for link lights with no need for a hub or switch
T1: Connect to DDS lines / T1 trunk lines
I have had mine a couple of months and found it to be well built and working exactly as advertised. Though you might not need all of the cable types, being able to quickly switch makes this gadget well worth the $30. While I don't use it often, it has been a time saver when I've needed it most.
- pocket-size
- wiring
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A cool tool is anything useful that is superior to comparable items. If you think this tool is inferior suggest a better one. You are welcome to insult a tool, but comments containing insults to individual people will be deleted. Corrections of fact are always welcomed, if stated politely. Recommendations of better tools are dearly wanted and may be elevated to the front page.
christopher
+1 like, especially the patch/xover option, worth it alone.
-unfathomable Jame
Curby
This is neat, but the vast majority of users would be better served with http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/7ef8/ which is at once smaller, less likely to fail due to having fewer moving parts, and cheaper. You can probably find such items for $5 shipped if you look around. They're useful for point to point networking (perhaps for large file transfers) or for setting up networked equipment such as printers.
Oliver Hulland
curby,
That keychain version looks great. Would you be interested in submitting it as a review?
Know any other must-have IT gear?
best,
oliver h
Garup
Curby,
I checked out the two little dongles, but I will lose them or keep the left behind! I'll stick with my Universal Network Cable! The whole point is to reduce the number of gizmos in your toolbox!
Besides, it looks a lot cooler!
Curby
Garup, I was wondering why there was a straight through option, but now I realize that this lets you keep it attached "permanently" to a patch cable. I would probably add that to the main review as a core feature of the product. I can see how a network tech rushing between jobs would want something that's always attached to reduce the risk of loss.
At the same time, my space constraints are tighter and my needs are less advanced, so I'll stick with my simple add-on crossover adapter. To each their own. =)
Lastly, I've been hearing that more and more network interfaces have an Auto MDIX feature to successfully negotiate the connection regardless of what cable is used. Eventually, such adapters may go the way of the floppy disk.
Rune
If you're feeling handy, the following incorporates the rolled/crossover/straight with a serial plug for one cable to rule them all. http://www.instructables.com/id/5%2B%2B-in-1-Multi-Cable/
Randy
This is a great item I had never seen before.
Thank you
Pete
If you just want an ethernet crossover, I'm partial to this one: http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/7470/
Dylan Horvath
You provided a link to the manufacturer's website (www.cortex-design.com), but you might also want to include the product's micro-site, which is at www.universalnetworkcable.com and contains a lot more information about the product itself!
Thanks, - Dylan
Oliver Hulland
Thanks for the catch, Dylan. Will try and get that switched around.
-oliver
Steeve
Amazing! Wish I had this 5 years ago at my old job! Definitely a 'Cool Tool'!!