Cable Matters
Cable Matters 2-Pack Plug & Play USB to Ethernet Adapter with PXE
Bottom line: The Cable Matters 2-Pack Plug & Play USB to Ethernet Adapter with PXE ($18.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-06): Two adapters per pack, so one stays in the bag and one lives at the bench.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Two adapters per pack, so one stays in the bag and one lives at the bench
- ✓ PXE boot and Wake-on-LAN support, rare at this price for imaging and lab work
- ✓ MAC address clone via the Windows EZ-Dock utility for licensing and DHCP reservations
- ✓ Driver-free on Windows 11-XP, MacOS 10.8+, Chrome OS, and Linux up to kernel 4.15
- ✓ Under 1 ounce with a 6-inch tail; LEDs show power, link, and data status
Cons
- ✗ Price, stock, shipping and returns are set by the retailer and may have changed since this page was last updated
Manufacturer description
The Cable Matters 2-Pack USB to Ethernet Adapter puts a wired 10/100 Mbps port back on any machine that lost one, whether that's a modern ultrabook with no RJ45 jack, a Raspberry Pi 3, or a retro PC whose onboard NIC finally died. Each dongle weighs under an ounce and hangs off a 6-inch cable tail, so it travels in a laptop sleeve without adding bulk. Installation is driver-free on most systems: Windows 11 through XP, MacOS 10.8 and later, Chrome OS, and Linux kernels up to 4.15 all recognize it on plug-in. What sets this Cable Matters USB Ethernet adapter apart from throwaway dongles is the…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored Cable Matters 2-Pack Plug & Play USB to Ethernet Adapter with PXE using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the retro networking cards category. Cable Matters's retro networking cards lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for retro networking cards of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Key Features
- Ethernet USB adapter connects a computer or Raspberry Pi 3 to a router, modem, or network switch for a Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) network connection; Connect the USB Ethernet adapter to your laptop without an Ethernet port
- Cost-effective USB network adapter for many computer applications that only require a 100 Mbps Ethernet connection; Use this convenient USB Lan adapter to replace a failed USB NIC or Ethernet port on an older computer
- Portable RJ45 to USB dongle weighs less than 1 ounce with a 6-inch cable tail to connect to your computer; Wired LAN USB adapter is more secure than most Wi-Fi connections
- Feature-filled USB to network adapter supports Preboot Execution Environment (PXE), Wake-on-Lan (WoL), Full-Duplex (FDX) and Half-Duplex (HDX) Ethernet, Crossover Detection, Backpressure Routing, Auto-Correction (Auto MDIX); Supports IPv4/IPv6 protocols in 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX networks; Supports MAC address pass-through (MAC clone) with the Cable Matters EZ-Dock utility software (Windows)
- Driver-free Simple installation USB to RJ45 adapter for most computers; Diagnostic LEDs on this Ethernet USB adapter verify the power, connection and data transfer status; OS compatible Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, MacOS 10.8 and up, Chrome OS and Linux for kernels up to 4.15; USB to RJ45 adapter is NOT compatible with Windows RT, or Android
Full Specifications
| Brand | Cable Matters |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Weight | 1 ounce |
| Unit Count | 2.0 Count |
| Connectivity | USB, WiFi |
| Model Number | 202023-BLACKx2 |
| Compatibility | Switch, Android, Mac, Linux |
| Connection Type | Wired |
| Mfr Part Number | 202023-BLACKx2 |
| Number of Items | 2 |
| Compatible Devices | Desktop, Laptop, Tablet |
| Data Link Protocol | Ethernet, Fast Ethernet |
| Data Transfer Rate | 480 Megabits Per Second |
| Hardware Interface | Ethernet, USB |
| Full listing title | Cable Matters 2-Pack Plug & Play USB to Ethernet Adapter with PXE, MAC Address Clone Support (Ethernet to USB 2.0 Adapter for Laptop) Supporting 10/100 Mbps Network |
Ready to buy?
Cable Matters 2-Pack Plug & Play USB to Ethernet Adapter with PXE, MAC Address Clone Support (Ethernet to USB 2.0 Adapter for Laptop) Supporting 10/100 Mbps Network is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-06. Price and availability subject to change.
Related Retro Networking Cards
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- First PC Build Guide: Components, Budget & Aesthetics
- Best 27-inch 4K Monitor for PC and Console: Odyssey vs KOORUI
- Transcend CF133 CompactFlash as a Win98 Boot Drive: Speed Tests, Compatibility, and the Adapter That…
- ROCm in 2026: Is AMD Finally a Real Local-LLM Option?
- Quietest AM4 CPU Cooler in 2026: Noctua NH-U12S vs DeepCool AK620 vs AC Infinity
- Anthropic Launches Claude Science for Researchers
- Best SATA SSD for an AM4 Budget Build: BX500 vs 870 EVO vs WD Blue
- NEEWER 18" vs UBeesize 22" Ring Light for Webcam Streaming (2026)
- Hyperscalers May Soon Outrun Their Cash Flow on AI Buildout
- International Women in Engineering Day 2026: A Beginner's Pi Starting Point
- Ryzen 5 5600G vs Ryzen 7 5700X for a Budget Gaming + Streaming PC
- Best Controller for Fighting Games on PC in 2026
- Best Budget PC Upgrades Under $200 in 2026: 5 Picks That Move the Needle
- Logitech G502 Hero in 2026: Is the FPS Mouse King Still Worth It?
- Raspberry Pi 4 8GB vs Pi 5 vs Pi Zero W for a 2026 Homelab
- AMD Ryzen AI Halo vs NVIDIA DGX Spark — or Just an RTX 3060?
- HiDream-O1 1.5 Lands #3 in Text-to-Image: Can You Run It Locally on a 12GB GPU?
- llama.cpp on a 12GB RTX 3060: llama-bench Setup and Measured tok/s
- Adafruit Reverse-Engineers the Creative Katana V2X Soundbar
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on Apple M4 Max
- Forza Horizon 6 Runs Surprisingly Well on Steam Deck — Here's What Players Are Reporting
- Sub-$300 4K Mini-LED Gaming Monitors Hit the Mainstream
- Ollama on Intel + AMD via IPEX-LLM: Docker Compose Guide
- Turtle Beach Recon 50 in 2026: Is the $40 Gaming Headset Still Worth It?
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090