USB Length Limitation

Although USB is one of the fastest transfer methods for consumer data transfer, it has one crippling limitation: distance. USB can only travel 16 feet. For most consumers, this isn’t a problem. Perhaps the most common use for USB these days is to connect a mouse, iPod or some other peripheral to a computer which only requires a maximum of 6 feet of cable.

There are many reasons for needing to connect USB to a distant location. If you are reading this article, you probably already know that there are many commercial and industrial situations that require this.

Perhaps one of the most economical ways to extend USB is over Cat5. Cat5 cable is cheap, skinny, and easy to install in a wall. But how do you run a USB signal through a Cat5 cable you ask? We recommend the EXT-USB-2.0 by Gefen. It is a simple Sender/Receiver package where all you have to do is provide the Cat5 cable length of your choice. This extender will send your USB signal 150 feet max. over Cat5.

If you don’t need to go all that far and you want the most economical way to extend USB, you should probably check out the USB extension cable.  This has an active repeater attached to the cable that