How do you connect distant devices with USB?

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Level 2

180 points

How do you connect distant devices with USB?

Hello,

What is the maximum length recommended for USB cables? I have read it is 5 metres which is about 15 feet. Is it common knowledge to strictly stay within this limit or is it possible to successfully use a 20 foot USB cable?

I am connecting an HP cp1160 deskjet printer to a 350 MHz G3 blue and white power mac. The printer is at the other end of my office about 10 to 20 feet away.

I have used a 10 foot USB cable in the past and it seems to work sufficiently but the cable is in an awkward position and so I would like to try a 15 foot USB cable or possibly a 20 foot USB cable if I can find this length.

When using a 15 foot USB cable to connect a printer is the signal weaker than if using a shorter cable? Will printing therefore be slower or cause print errors or lost data?

Can I segment two USB cables together with an adapter or a USB extension or is it common practice to segment lengths of USB cables with a powered USB hub? Can I segment two 15 foot USB cables with a powered USB hub in the middle to boost the signal through?

Yes, I should probably be looking at a print server via ethernet or a network printer however that is a long term solution I will set up another time. For now I will just use a long USB cable.

A few other USB questions:

Is there such an adapter as a "Y" shaped splitter adapter for USB that will allow two computers to connect to the same printer without having to keep switching the wires? (Like a telephone jack splitter but with USB.)

Most USB cables are type-A to type-B. Is there such a cable as a type-A to type-A USB cable?

Thank you

g3 b&w, Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Posted on May 20, 2006 6:14 PM

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Answer 1

Camelot

Level 9

58,395 points

May 20, 2006 11:11 PM in response to rainforest

5 meters is the maximum length of a standard USB cable. Beyond that you may experience signal loss due to power loss in the cable. This can cause all kinds of errors, including failed print jobs if talking to a printer.

However, you can span longer distances via a number of different techniques. For example, you can put a powered USB hub in the middle - as long as you use a powered hub it re-injects the signal at full power, giving you another 5 meters.

Alternatively, you can look at something like NTI's USB Extender which uses a USB-to-Cat5 converter to span distances of up to 100 feet over Cat5 cable. It uses a similar concept - a powered device to re-inject the signal, the difference being that it uses Cat5 cable for the intermediate cable.

As for the two-computer question, yes and no. You can't have two computers connected to the same printer at the same time. There are devices such as USB switches, though, that let you connect two computers and one device (e.g. printer), and use a switch to choose which computer is attached to the printer. Most of them use a manual switch, so you'd need to push the button manually to select which computer is attached to the printer.
There are some 'auto' switches that let you use some key-combo on the computer to control the switch but you'd need to investigate Mac compatibility with them.

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Answer 2

rainforest Author

Level 2

180 points

May 21, 2006 4:40 PM in response to Camelot

Thanks Camelot,

Thanks for this very helpful info. I think if I were to go the route of using a Cat 5 extender, I would consider the 4-port USB version shown at right side of the page of the link you provided. It is more versatile in that it can connect 4 USB peripheral devices (such as printers or scanners) rather than just 1.

(Extends Four Self-Powered and/or Bus-Powered USB Devices up to 100 Feet)

However, I saw the same device at London Drugs for only $130 Canadian and it was of the brand "Certified Data" I think if I remember correctly. They called it a "print server". Its a good idea. But when you spend this amount it really makes you think seriously about buying network capable printers in the future (with an ethernet port). Then you wouldn't need these additional print servers. I think Linksys also makes these print servers too - I'll have to check out Linksys next to compare.

Another USB extension solution could be a powered USB hub as you pointed out. I saw a 4-port USB Hub at ncix.com for about $25 (Canadian $). If I bought two of them I could solve this problem. ncix.com also has good prices on USB cables.

Just wondering, if you print to a USB printer connected with a 6 foot USB cable, would it print faster than if you used a 15 foot USB cable? Does a shorter USB cable make printing any faster?

Thank you once again for your extremely helpful post.

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Answer 3

Camelot

Level 9

58,395 points

May 21, 2006 9:36 PM in response to rainforest

It sounds like any of the options you've found would work.

As for the print speed question, no, a shorter cable won't make it print any quicker. If the cable's too long you'll experience problems - either the system not finding the printer, or print jobs failing - but if the connection is good it'll take the same time no matter what.

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