USB type A to USB type A needed for rooting

[Guest V3ngeful-Drunk]

I am wondering when it is said to use a type A male to male, is this just a regular cable ? like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TXPWV6/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2W94E1WP4YQGS

Or does it need to have a network capibilities like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005OTPVMY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&psc=1

I am wanting to root my device, yet I have read many of places that connecting a type A to type A straight through will fry your USB ports, and or your board or is this with older boards.