[ale] USB over cat-5?

Geoffrey esoteric at 3times25.net
Wed Jul 10 10:40:09 EDT 2002


As others have noted, usb is not designed to travel the length cat-5 is. 
  I suspect it's primarily because usb carries current to power devices, 
whereas cat5 is not. You can cheat on the usb length limitations by 
plugging a small hub into an existing hub.  As noted at:

http://www.noccc.org/bytes/articles/v01/326.html

The maximum cable length is 5 meters, or about 16 feet. Since each hub 
is a repeater, the signal can be propagated through additional cables 
for up to six total hubs, that is, five connecting cables of up to 15 
feet each with the final upstream and down-stream hubs at each end. The 
intermediate distribution hubs can optionally provide additional power 
to their downstream hubs or simply distribute what is provided by the 
upstream hub. Most often the use of additional power at the hub is via a 
power supply transformer plugged into the wall. It can be plugged in to 
provide additional device power at any time.


John Wells wrote:
> Let me preface this by saying that I have *no* knowledge of the internal
> workings of USB at this time (wiring, etc.), which may be evident from my
> question.
> 
> I'm wondering if it would be possible to splice a usb cable with a cat-5
> cable?  Why, you ask?  Because I have cat-5 running through my wall, and
> would like to connect to my machine upstairs over this cable using USB.
> 
> Probably impossible, but interesting nontheless.
> 
> Thanks for the help!
> 
> John
> 
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

I didn't have to buy my radio from a specific company to listen
to FM, why doesn't that apply to the Internet (anymore...)?


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