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General discussion

UBS cable length

Jun 10, 2010 2:01AM PDT

Hi just a general question.

I want to get a longer USB cable like 15 feet. I looked it up on Wikipedia and it said a single cable s/b max of x feet but you can put like 5 together for 5x. Why is it ok to add more when there is a max distance on 1?

Discussion is locked

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Not to duplicate the web.
Jun 10, 2010 5:12AM PDT

But the maximum length is when it fails on you. There is no getting around the fact that one device may get 15 feet and the next fails at 3 feet. This is why folk end up with USB extenders.
Bob

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I'm sorry but I didn't understand you
Jun 10, 2010 6:56AM PDT

I was just wondering why it's ok to add extensions and not use one long cable. The salesman at Fry's told me that the connections will actually boost or amplify the signal so you can put more together.

I've got a printer accross the room 12-15 feet away. Should I buy a longer printer A/B cable or just get an 10ft A/A extension to extend the one that's already there. I won't be printing much from this computer to it. We use it for laptops we take to it. So I might find other uses for a 10ft A/A extension.

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Sorry.
Jun 10, 2010 9:44PM PDT

Sorry that you didn't understand my answer.
Bob

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USB cable length
Jun 11, 2010 12:00AM PDT

Rule of thumb max for USB, generally, is 20' beyond that is usually iffy.

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I'd not ask advice of that salesman
Jun 11, 2010 4:21AM PDT

connecting multiple cables to achieve the same length of a single one won't boost the signal but only server to degrade it.