Belkin Cat 5e 4 ft. Yellow Patch Cable Snagless

Product is fine and good value if the fragile release/retention clips are not snagged on something and broken off or weakened. This is very easy to do with normal handling on this product due to lack of bend back protection around the free end of the clip. The risk of damage may be slightly less with a short patch cord like this one due to having simultaneous visibility and control over both ends most of the time.

Once these clips are broken off or weakened due to accidental bend back stress there may be loss of effective retention for the mated connectors and partial (possibly intermittent) or complete demating can occur without warning at the slightest disturbance.

The low cost of this product allows it to be considered a 'throw away' if the clips are damaged. I suggest buying at least one spare for every few used in service. However, the cost in time and effort to diagnose problems like this can easily be far greater than the product cost.

I would not have bought these if it had been clear that they came with unprotected retention clips (unlike other longer lengths sold where clip protection is included). But since I have them now I will use them very carefully.

Cheers,

It works.