Extending USB Connections Over Long Distances

It is possible to extend your USB connection over long distances using USB Extender kits, since a standard USB cable cannot send information very far before becoming distorted. By using a USB extender kit, it is possible to extend the USB signal for distances such as 30m or more. For this process, extending a USB will be done over IP by configuring the extender kit to act as a network so that Ethernet cables can connect to it just like a standard home network. This is quite different from extending a USB using just a USB extender which runs for an extra 2m or so.

In order to set up a USB to Ethernet connection, you will first need to purchase a USB Extender Kit. These can be obtained online or through a local hardware retailer and generally look like a router. The standard CAT5 Ethernet cable will work for most USB extender kits and operate through standard A/C power.

It's really quite a simple process:

By using a USB Extender kit you can connect a USB device through a longer range and connect it through a USB Ethernet hub. By connecting a USB to the equipment, devices such as printers are portable hard drives can be shared and access by anyone with Ethernet access to the server created by the extender kit. In other words, the USB Extender kit turns the USB device into a shared network device that allows you to connect another user to access the USB.

This can be extremely handy when there is a constant need to share different USB devices over a network of two computers that are in different locations, such as on the ground floor of a building and the level above it. By using a USB extender kit, not only does it make sharing the USB device such as a hard drive practical, it is also very easy to set up and can be changed according to the needs of the network. The extender kit utilizes an Ethernet connection to allow a different user to connect through an Ethernet cable and therefore share the device.

There are also some slight disadvantages to extending USB's however, and one of these disadvantages includes slightly slower speeds. Since the data is travelling over a longer distance and through an extender, it will not be as effective as simply plugging in the device directly to a computer. When transferring files such as data from a hard drive, it may take an extended period of time to finish off large transfers. This happens because when the data is carried over longer distances the signal becomes weaker and it is more susceptible to interference. The Ethernet link additionally cannot be connected to a switch or router and therefore cannot be shared to multiple users, which is also another disadvantage.

However it is obvious that the best way to share a USB over a long distance is by utilizing the extender kit, since it allows signals to be transferred over long distances that other devices such as a simple USB extender cable would not be able to. Here, the advantages of sharing a USB with an extender kit outweigh its disadvantages.

This article was written on behalf of Cables & Leads. The Uk's premier supplier of multimedia cables and computer cables. Cables and Leads stock 1000's of cables with everything from USB extension kits to SCART to USB Cables.