USB 2.0 extension cable

  • Thread starter Thread starter Doughboy
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Doughboy

I'm looking for a 5m USB extension cable. I currently only have USB 1
ports and devices, but am hoping that I can get a USB 2 cable that I
can continue to use when I upgrade.

My questions are:
1) What's the difference between USB 1 and USB 2 extension cables?
(Male A - Female A)

2) Is there a limit to how long such extension cables should be? I
intend to plug a USB joypad, which has approx. 6' of it's own cable,
into the 5m extension cable, and perhaps in the future a USB 2 hub.

3) Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a 5m extension cable.
Maplins have 5m USB 1 A-B cables (£7.99), or a 5m USB 1 cable which
includes a booster (£14.99), neither of which are what I need.
Alternatively, they do a 5m USB 2 A-B cable for £14.99 and a USB
Adaptor AF-BF for £4.99, so I guess I could do it that way, but I'd
rather not have to spend £20 just for a 5m cable.

Cheers
Doughboy
 
Inline:

Doughboy said:
I'm looking for a 5m USB extension cable. I currently only have USB 1
ports and devices, but am hoping that I can get a USB 2 cable that I
can continue to use when I upgrade.

My questions are:
1) What's the difference between USB 1 and USB 2 extension cables?
(Male A - Female A)
Click to expand...
Technically nothing. The USB2.0 cable may have better shielding, but not
necessarily.
2) Is there a limit to how long such extension cables should be? I
intend to plug a USB joypad, which has approx. 6' of it's own cable,
into the 5m extension cable, and perhaps in the future a USB 2 hub.
Click to expand...
5m is the LIMIT for USB2.0. 3m is the limit for USB1.1
http://www.usb.org/faq/ans5#q2
If you need longer, you'll need a powered hub in the middle.
3) Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a 5m extension cable.
Maplins have 5m USB 1 A-B cables (£7.99), or a 5m USB 1 cable which
includes a booster (£14.99), neither of which are what I need.
Alternatively, they do a 5m USB 2 A-B cable for £14.99 and a USB
Adaptor AF-BF for £4.99, so I guess I could do it that way, but I'd
rather not have to spend £20 just for a 5m cable.
Click to expand...
Erm... I'm in the US. Perhaps this one would be better answered by someone
in the UK.

Cari
www.coribright.com
 
Doughboy said:
I'm looking for a 5m USB extension cable. I currently only have USB 1
ports and devices, but am hoping that I can get a USB 2 cable that I
can continue to use when I upgrade.

My questions are:
1) What's the difference between USB 1 and USB 2 extension cables?
(Male A - Female A)

2) Is there a limit to how long such extension cables should be? I
intend to plug a USB joypad, which has approx. 6' of it's own cable,
into the 5m extension cable, and perhaps in the future a USB 2 hub.

3) Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a 5m extension cable.
Maplins have 5m USB 1 A-B cables (£7.99), or a 5m USB 1 cable which
includes a booster (£14.99), neither of which are what I need.
Alternatively, they do a 5m USB 2 A-B cable for £14.99 and a USB
Adaptor AF-BF for £4.99, so I guess I could do it that way, but I'd
rather not have to spend £20 just for a 5m cable.
Click to expand...
1) Unimportant, forget it.
2) See 1)
3) Get a USB hub. Then its 5m to the hub and 5m from the hub to the PC. And
you can cascade up to 5 hubs in series meaning 30m.
 
Doughboy's log on stardate 15 ožu 2004
2) Is there a limit to how long such extension cables should be? I
intend to plug a USB joypad, which has approx. 6' of it's own cable,
into the 5m extension cable, and perhaps in the future a USB 2 hub.
Click to expand...

USB defines the maximal length of cabel but defines its qualiti too. There
are special USB cabels for over 100m, but you don't whant to know the
price. The limits are specifications of standard, signal lost, signal
delay and voltage failure (it must be from 4.4 to 4.75V). Only the 1.0
standard defined 5m maximal length, and 30ns siglal delay. However,
consumers cabels are produced as 5m (shielded) and 3m (unshielded).
 
Inline:


Technically nothing. The USB2.0 cable may have better shielding, but not
necessarily.

5m is the LIMIT for USB2.0. 3m is the limit for USB1.1
http://www.usb.org/faq/ans5#q2
If you need longer, you'll need a powered hub in the middle.

Erm... I'm in the US. Perhaps this one would be better answered by someone
in the UK.

Cari
www.coribright.com
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Cari. If I'd known I was going to need one, I
could have got my friend to get me one as he was in NY last week
(probably would have worked out cheaper with the current exchange
rate).

Doughboy
 
1) Unimportant, forget it.
2) See 1)
3) Get a USB hub. Then its 5m to the hub and 5m from the hub to the PC. And
you can cascade up to 5 hubs in series meaning 30m.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any USB hubs that come with 5m
cable? I'm just thinking that if I buy a 5m extension cable, and then
plug the hub (with it's built in cable) into that, the total cable
length will be over 5m and could cause problems. But if I use a 3m
extension cable, and the hub cable is only say 6", then it won't be
quite long enough for my purposes.

Also, can I buy a USB 2 hub and connect it to a USB 1 motherboard
until I upgrade to a USB 2 motherboard?

Doughboy
 
Doughboy's log on stardate 15 ožu 2004


USB defines the maximal length of cabel but defines its qualiti too. There
are special USB cabels for over 100m, but you don't whant to know the
price. The limits are specifications of standard, signal lost, signal
delay and voltage failure (it must be from 4.4 to 4.75V). Only the 1.0
standard defined 5m maximal length, and 30ns siglal delay. However,
consumers cabels are produced as 5m (shielded) and 3m (unshielded).
Click to expand...

Cheers for the info Bubba

Doughboy
 
Doughboy said:
Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any USB hubs that come with 5m
cable? I'm just thinking that if I buy a 5m extension cable, and then
plug the hub (with it's built in cable) into that, the total cable
length will be over 5m and could cause problems. But if I use a 3m
extension cable, and the hub cable is only say 6", then it won't be
quite long enough for my purposes.

Also, can I buy a USB 2 hub and connect it to a USB 1 motherboard
until I upgrade to a USB 2 motherboard?
Click to expand...
No, you don't buy USB extension cable at all, you buy a 4-port USB2.0 hub
without a cable or with a short detachable one. Then get a standard 5m AB
USB cable. Plug the A end into the PC and B end (smaller of the two) into
the hub. You now have 4 USB ports 5m away from the PC into which you can
plug your joystick, keyboard, mouse or what-have-you.
USB2.0 hubs are downward compatible with 1.1 ports.
 
No, you don't buy USB extension cable at all, you buy a 4-port USB2.0 hub
without a cable or with a short detachable one. Then get a standard 5m AB
USB cable. Plug the A end into the PC and B end (smaller of the two) into
the hub. You now have 4 USB ports 5m away from the PC into which you can
plug your joystick, keyboard, mouse or what-have-you.
USB2.0 hubs are downward compatible with 1.1 ports.
Click to expand...

Aha, now I get it. I'll be off looking for a suitable hub then. Cheers
for your help.

Doughboy
 
"Doughboy" said in news:o[email protected]:
Aha, now I get it. I'll be off looking for a suitable hub then. Cheers
for your help.

Doughboy
Click to expand...

Get a powered USB hub rather than a passive or non-powered hub. Once
you add a hub, you'll have more than the 1 port you have now. That
means you may be tempted to hook more devices to the USB hub. The max
current draw per USB port is 500 mA (for the USB 2.0 spec; don't
remember if it's the same for USB 1.x). A USB-to-Ethernet adapter sucks
up 150 mA, USB digital headphones can suck up a lot (I tried looking at
plantronics.com but they're too stupid, or smart, to list the current
draw of their DSP-400), USB drives, cameras, and other high-power
devices will all suck up some current. Your old USB 1.1 may not handle
them all. The powered USB hub can be operated as a non-powered or
passive hub just by not connecting its power.

USB Hub Design and Windows
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/bus/usb/hubs.mspx
 
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