Cisco-Linksys USB100M EtherFast 10/100 Compact USB Network Adapter

Although this device is a very nifty idea, since this device is only written to the USB 1.1 standard, its top transfer speed will be 12Mbps, which is will only give you 2Mbps more throughput when connected to a 100Mbps network, so beware of that. If it was USB 2.0, then it could more than handle the 100Mbps speed.

I bought the USB100M specifically to connect a Sony SVR-3000 TiVo to my LAN. The drivers are built into the TiVo, and therefore there is nothing to do after plugging it in except restart the TiVo. Worked on the first try!

The flip up part of the adapter does seem a bit fragile (be carefull when plugging in the cable), but I won’t be moving mine around now that it’s installed. If you’re going to be constantly plugging and unplugging the Ethernet cable, you might want a more robust product.

I don’t see it listed anywhere in the product description, but it also comes with a short (about 6″) USB extension cable that can be used so that the adapter does not block access to an adjacent USB port or if you already have something bulky plugged in to an adjacent USB port.

Five stars when used for a TiVo!

I have one of these in my computer junk drawer (a collection of adapters, plugs, gender changers, card readers & cables….sounds a bit like a circus side show but it never fails me!) and have found it useful on several occasions. At this price, it is worth having around.
Basically, you can plug your ethernet cable into the adapter and then insert the plug end into any USB receptacle on your machine (such as on a laptop or a TIVO, etc.). It therefore makes buying (or having) an ethernet card superfluous. It has connection & data transfer LEDs to tell you you’ve contacted the network, though these are not really necessary. No set up is required either, just plug and go.
As far as I can see, the connection is quite as stable as any hard wired one, and while it’s true a USB 2.0-compliant adapter would allow for greater transfer speeds, on our network it has performed flawlessly.

For those looking for a compact solution for networking, this key-fob sized peripheral is for you. Measuring less than 3 inches it’s been a handy add-on for the laptop for 10/100 networking capabilities. Installation was a breeze, taking less than 2 minutes… 3 if you want to read the manual.

The attachment mechanism for the network cabling (Cat5) is very secure and doesn’t allow easy shifting once engaged. Indicator lights include activity and 10 or 100 Mbps speed indicators. I’m very satisfied thus far.