Moving computer away with USB ports

Trip · Post by **Trip** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 4:25 am

USB wires can only run 16ft. or so. If two 16 ft. wires were plugged into an external hub with multiple USB ports, could a USB device be used farther away from the computer, like say, 32ft?

The reason I ask is my computer is slightly audible and I was going to place it in a wooden rack that is ~16 ft. away if including manuevering the wire around things to the computer. The keyboard works fine, but the mouse doesn't when plugged into a 6ft USB extension.

I've never bought a USB hub, and I wanted to make sure this would work. Thanks.

Alistair · Post by **Alistair** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 4:40 am

this can be done with active usb extention cables. they usually come in 16 feet lengths, ~$15. I'm not sure if any/all usb hubs are 'active'.

http://www.sewelld.com/UsbExtensionCable.asp

silvervarg · Post by **silvervarg** » Fri Dec 05, 2003 4:43 am

Wire length limits usually comes from two factors: signal degererates in quality and signal stregth is reduced due to resistans and impedance in cable.
If you have a hub that has external power and the reads and reproduces the signal (rather than just amplifing the degenerated signal) you should do fine for any length for sending the signal.
The only other things is that you get a slightly longer delay the longer the cable is and the more "repeaters" you go through. I guess this effect will be rather small, but might be of some importance if you play action games with critical timing.

I am not an expert on USB, but it is in principle not different from sending any kind of serial signals.

Trip · Post by **Trip** » Sun Dec 07, 2003 3:11 am

Thanks, both of you!

2.0 Version: http://www.sewelld.com/USB2ExtensionCable.asp

pangit · Post by **pangit** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 1:11 am

On the same subject, if you want true silence for your PC you could put your PC in another room with extension cables for your keyboard, mouse and any other USB peripherals.

Not sure how you would do the monitor though. I believe you can get extension cables but apparently this can lead to loss of image quality.

Then of course you'd have to walk in to the other room every time you wanted to use the CD/DVD drive, or switch it on. Oh and speakers might need extension cables too. And what about your headphones. And mic. An how would you shut the door with a ton of cable leading through from the other room, unless you made a hole in the wall. And erm.... Oh forget it

Trip · Post by **Trip** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 3:16 am

I actually did that with my old computer... There are definate problems with image quality. You have to buy expensive DVI extension cables and they break easily. This helped with the noise, but more noise came through the wall than comes from my quieter computer now.

Thankfully I only need one regular, cheap, VGA extension cable for my monitor by putting the computer in a rack or stand 6 ft. away. It's only 6ft. away but the cables still don't reach.

pangit · Post by **pangit** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 10:42 am

Is that to make room for your loverly new Sonata case you won, Trip?

You lucky thing!

I couldn't even enter the competition, being outside the US/Canada!

mr.muscle · Post by **mr.muscle** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 2:57 pm

isen´t it possible to have long cables for the CD/DVD-drive also?

then you could just forget about the the computer in the other room, and have the CD/DVD drive on your table or where ever.

Cosine · Post by **Cosine** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 3:44 pm

I don't think you can go longer than 16" with USB, the issue isn't signal strength or quality rather USB signals are time sync'd. It is possible that a hub resets the timing but I'm not sure about this.

Just my .02c,
Cos