Can I use a 5 meter USB extension cable with a USB hub?

10
2013-08
  • 4r1y4n

    I need to connect USB devices (Keyboard, Mouse and a flash drive at same time) about 5 meters far from computer case. I can't find a HUB with 5 meter cable.

    • Is it a good idea to use a normal HUB with 5 meter USB extension cable?
    • Do USB devices work over 5 meter length cable and a HUB ?
    • If not what can I do? using an active HUB with external power source?
    • Answers
  • Isaac Rabinovitch

    Assuming you're using USB 2.0 (3.0 is becoming more and more common) the official limit on cable length is 5 meters. Doesn't matter if it's an extension cable, as long as the connections are good. Since you're right at the official limit, you probably want a powered hub.

    That's assuming all your devices are up to spec. Low-data devices like your keyboard and mouse are probably OK, but I own an older USB printer and hard disk that just don't work through a hub. I imagine newer devices are better made, but reading the docs and running a few tests might be in order.

    Incidentally, if using USB 3.0 is an option, that pretty much eliminates distance issues. In that spec, 5 meters is not a firm limit, just the maximum past which data transfers are not guaranteed to run at the spec's humongous full speed.

  • Area 51

    If you use an active USB 2.0 Extension cable I don't see any issues. You can use a Cat5 USB 2.0 Extender as well with a 4 Port Hub on the remote end. I have used USB Extender solutions, USB2EXT-4P for customer installations and they work good.


    • Related Question

    mac - MacBook USB-Hub
  • schneck

    I bought an active 7-port-USB-Hub to avoid all the cable mess on my desk. The following devices are plugged in:

    • Scanner (which is not being used, actually)
    • Keyboard
    • Mouse
    • Android-Phone

    When I now plug in a hard disk (passive, 2.5') as Time Machine device, it is not recognized. I wonder why this is the case, because it's an active hub. Do I really need to buy a hard disk with its own power supply?

    Another strange thing is, that when I plug the hard disk directly into the MacBook (beside the hub), it does not work either.


    • Related Answers
  • Arjan

    I believe the key here, is that he stated it's a passive 2.5" hard drive enclosure. That means that it may require two powered ports to have full power. The hard drive just may not be getting enough power.

    1. Is the hub plugged into a power outlet
    2. Does the usb cable have two ports? And are both being plugged into the usb hub?
    3. Does system Profiler see the drive?
    4. Does Disk Utility see the drive?
    5. What's the make & model of the USB Hub?
  • mouviciel

    Looks like the problem is not the hub but the disk.

    If it is visible from Disk Utility, try to format it with an HFS+ filesystem and a GUID partition table.

  • Arjan

    This does not explain why it won't work with the hub, but on the MacBook itself, all USB ports aren't created equal.