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The maximum dimensions of this adapter are 8x5x2.5cm and there is then a short fixed USB cable of 36cm that can be plugged into any USB port.

The top has a single LED that lights when a connection is made to a router. This means that your older notebook can connect to the LAN and therefore also to the Internet. Of course you may well have already gone the wireless network way using a PCMCIA card and wireless router but this is an alternative.

There are also many PC's out there where the warranty would be voided by opening the case and therefore if it does not have a 10/100 card already then again the Belkin USB 10/100 Ethernet Adapter comes into it's own.

Reviews : Networks

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You attach the device into any USB port and Windows asks for a driver this is supplied on a CD-ROM and then I found a reboot was needed. Once restarted the connection is there and you can either connect to the Internet immediately or should you have a working network add this device as another port on the network.

For anyone new to networking there are three main advantages, first more than one person can be connected to the Internet via a single connection provided you have a router. Second files and folders can be shared without having to carry a pen drive or other portable storage device from one PC or notebook to another. Finally and perhaps the most compelling you can share a printer between PC's.

For anyone whose networking skills are less than brilliant the 52 page A5 manual has a wealth of information that could kill the odd myth or three. While everything it mentions is basic it is well laid out and there are plenty of illustrations to guide the novice user.

In fact it is possible to create an Ad Hoc network by just connecting two PC's or notebooks and a crossover cable (also mentioned in the manual) this could also have it's use here as that older piece of kit gets an extra useful life.

One word of warning while I managed to connect a recent notebook and a PC using a crossover cable I could not connect an older notebook using the same crossover cable into the USB 10/100 Ethernet Adapter this demanded a patch cable to make it work. Not sure why but as patch cables seem to be the same price as cross over cables be sure you get what you need.

This is an alternative, in some of my tests it was slightly less flexible but as stated if you can't or don't want to open the PC case this works, if you have a notebook it is cheaper than a PCMCIA card. The stated price at www.dabs.com/uk is £16.05 quite reasonable considering it's a product to solve a problem.

http://www.dabs.com/uk/Search2/Product+Details.htm?quicklinx=2V3F&searchphrase=belkin%20f5d5050uk