This ribbon cable is much more flexible and easier to route than the E-Net cables I've used in the past. Routers were included, but I didn't use them. The connections appear to be well made. One plug was difficult to remove on first use; I had to move a little to get it out. Seems ok after that. There is no noticeable loss in speed when going from 2ft Cat 5e to 50ft Cat 6, although the available bandwidth in my living space probably won't cause any problems with either of these cables. bottom line; Seems to be a good cable for the money.