The IOGEAR USB 3.0 BoostLinq extension cable uses active electronics to amplify the USB signal and maintain USB 3.0 SuperSpeed data transfers over extended distance, with no loss of data integrity or signal quality. The cable has male and female USB type "A" connectors. The USB "A" connector is the rectangular shaped plug found on PC's, hubs, and many other host interfaces. BoostLinq extends from the USB host computer and provides another female "A" connector up to 33 feet away for all your USB needs.< p> < p>It is compatible with both PC and Mac computers and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 devices. It is ideal for applications that require distance between a user and the peripheral but still need the data transfer speeds of USB 3.0, such as webcams, hard drives, printers, smartboards, etc. < /p> < p>The IOGEAR USB 3.0 BoostLinq extension cable is Plug-and-Play, no additional drivers or complicated set up required. It also gives you the ability to daisy-chain a maximum of five cables together in order to reach up to a total of 165 feet of USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connection. < /p>