A 1394 network cable, officially called a IEEE 1394, is also known as FireWire. FireWire is a technology originally designed by Apple to facilitate high-speed networking between connected peripherals and computers. One of the things that sets FireWire apart from traditional Ethernet setups, or USB setups, is that the communication between connected devices or systems is Peer-to-Peer, allowing a cable to be plugged in between two devices so they can communicate without needing any additional elements for them to "talk" to each other.
Basics
IEEE 1394 network cables, or simply just IEEE 1394 cables, are cables which meet with the FireWire specification and can handle the bandwidth that the specifications demand. These cables can only cover certain distances. In a network with computers closely situated, this is an ideal network setup, offering up to about 400 Megabits per second. However, another version of FireWire exists that offers 800 Megabits per second.
Requirements
FireWire is a new innovation which generally does not work so well in older computers. The recommended operating system version for Windows is XP Home Edition and above. For Macs, the recommended operating system version is OSX or OS9 and above. You will also need a computer that has a FireWire port for such connections.
Distance Limitations of 1394 Cables
IEEE 1394 cables have a strong limitation in maximum cable length. If you are using FireWire 400, the cables are only a maximum of 4 1/2 meters in length. However, this has been overcome by FireWire 800, which allows up to 100-meter cable lengths.
Advantages Over USB
To say that FireWire is better than USB would be naive, since USB still is a very standard form of connecting devices. FireWire, however, does have some advantages. The majority of high-bandwidth devices that you can connect to a computer have a FireWire port, simply because it offers such high bandwidth. The peer-to-peer features of FireWire also deliver a significant advantage, since devices can communicate with each other without using a mediator such as a computer.
Which Devices use IEEE1394?
A digital high-definition camcorder can use a lot of bandwidth that cannot be handled by a simple USB connection. In this case, use FireWire in order to stream your video to the computer . Other high-bandwidth equipment, particularly anything audio- and video-related, will usually have a FireWire port. External hard drive manufacturers stopped focusing intensely on USB technology to deliver information because of the arrival of SATA technology, which possesses an extreme bandwidth capacity and would not easily be handled by a simple USB connection.
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