Finally...a small footprint retractable network cable!
Written: Dec 03 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Extremely compact, retractable cable. Solid construction. Attractive price.
Cons: Limited cable length (up to 48").
The Bottom Line: If you carry a regular Cat5 patch cord in your laptop bag, you'll save a lot of space and time by replacing it with a Zip-Linq cable.
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| esasaki's Full Review: Keyspan 4 ft. Cat. 5 Zip-Linq Retract Ethernet CAT... |
As a networking professional, I'm always on the lookout for gadgets that help me stay mobile and light. Only slightly bigger than the footprint of a silver dollar coin and just a couple of ounces light, the Zip-Linq Retractable Cat5 Network Cable replaces the bulky Ethernet patch cable in my laptop bag.
Since I have to travel to other offices a lot and also must service network equipment, I have to connect my laptop to the network at just about every place I stop. Since there's almost never a patch cable lying around waiting for me to plug my laptop into the wall jack or switch, I have to bring one with me. Except for the smallest patch cords, it takes time, weight, and most importantly, room to carry, unwind, and rewind them.
The Zip-Linq cable solves that problem by reducing the cable to an almost-flat profile (compared to the standard Cat5 cable which is round and 1/4" thick). Plus, the Zip-Linq automatically spools the cable until only the end RJ-45 connectors are sticking out of the unit.
You can extend the cable from a minimum of 4 inches all the way up to 4 feet by gently pulling on both ends of the cable. At several points along the way, you'll hear a "click" that keeps the cable extended at that length. To retract, you extend the cable past its full length. Then the cable will spool up until fully closed.
The connectors are well made, and although the cable is undoubtedly more delicate than a regular Cat5 cable, the slightly rubbery cable jacket is pliable enough to withstand some bending. I was worried about the cable pulling out of the connectors since you pull the cable out by the connector, but since the cable jacket extends into the connector itself, unless you really try to break it, it should withstand frequent use.
Speaking of the connectors, they are both male and are wired for 4-wire Ethernet. The connectors are not snagless (i.e. there is no protective jacket over the release clips), so they will catch on other cables if you try to pull them through a tangle of cords. For me, I like non-snagless cables when you have to disconnect a cable often, such as using it when traveling.
I have had no issue when connecting my laptop to a hub or switch, whether at 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps full duplex speed. The only real challenge is when you need a cable longer than 48" -- Zip-Linq recommends daisy-chaining two cables together with an RJ-45 coupler, which seems a bit kludgy to me. Since I sometimes need more than 10 feet of cable, I just keep a regular Cat5 cable in the trunk of my car and use the Zip-Linq for my day-to-day use.
There's really not more to say about this product...it fulfills its role well: reduce cable clutter by providing a retractable network cable in a small, pocket-sized package. Other products that do the same thing are several times larger, and even most RJ-11 (modem) retractable cables can't beat the size.
For the road warrior who must connected to a wired Ethernet network on a regular basis, Zip-Linq's Cat5 Retractable Cable is well-worth the reasonable price. In fact, since Zip-Linq makes other types of small-footprint retractable cables (USB, power, headphones, mice, and more), chances are you'll end up buying more Zip-Linqs to free up some space in your laptop bag.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
esasaki
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Member: Eric
Location: Long Beach, California, USA
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 29 members
About Me:
35-years old, married with no kids, computer network manager, movie enthusiast, gadget lover.
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