USB over cat5
- Thread starter AceCannon
- Start date
upstatemike
Senior Member
What do you consider expensive? I just purchased a USB over CAT5 extender from Cyberguys for around $50. I'll be hooking it up to my PBX this weekend so I can manage my phone system from my PC upstairs.
AceCannon
Active Member
That works for serial, but I don't think for USB. There is some issue with buffering USB info and regenerating.
I found these "baluns" that send USB over cat5 which may be the only option.
I'm sure SOMEONE has used USB touchscreens beforet hat will chime in. I will prob post in some other forum(s), as well.
AceCannon
Active Member
I've bought two from Cyperguys and ruined them both. I then bought a unit from Jack Chen (chenyj)on e-bay and it has been working great ever since. Not sure if it is a better unit or if I've gotten smarter as time has gone on. But I would definitely recommend these units and this e-bay seller.
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZchenyj
He has a single port model and a 4 port model as well as some KLM extenders if you are interested. Prices are great too - less than Cyberguys.
I have no affiliation to the seller other than being a satisfied customer. (My e-bay name is 6morebuoys. If you look at my feedback, you'll see my purchase listed on 11-19-07 from chenjy).
Good luck.
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZchenyj
He has a single port model and a 4 port model as well as some KLM extenders if you are interested. Prices are great too - less than Cyberguys.
I have no affiliation to the seller other than being a satisfied customer. (My e-bay name is 6morebuoys. If you look at my feedback, you'll see my purchase listed on 11-19-07 from chenjy).
Good luck.
If you try to splice the conductors directly make sure to double or triple up the power conductors.
Using this calculator http://www.altronix.com/app_notes/calc.php there is 1.34 volts lost at 50 feet over one pair of CAT5 24awg cable at 500mA.
Let us know if the splice method works or not.
Using this calculator http://www.altronix.com/app_notes/calc.php there is 1.34 volts lost at 50 feet over one pair of CAT5 24awg cable at 500mA.
Let us know if the splice method works or not.
upstatemike
Senior Member
Just curious... How can you ruin a usb extender?
Cheapest solution you'll find.
I followed this guide to do about an 80 foot run from my living room to basement for keyboard and mouse. You can't play a DVD from an external USB drive over it but it works great for simple stuff.
I can't imagine those baluns are anything more than powered USB hubs in a different box with a Cat5 connector. What's worse are the "passive" baluns since they're nothing more than a cable changer.
I followed this guide to do about an 80 foot run from my living room to basement for keyboard and mouse. You can't play a DVD from an external USB drive over it but it works great for simple stuff.
I can't imagine those baluns are anything more than powered USB hubs in a different box with a Cat5 connector. What's worse are the "passive" baluns since they're nothing more than a cable changer.
One time I was changing some wiring around and plugged it directly into the network switch instead of the patch panel. No puff of blue smoke, but it must have fried it because it never worked after that. The second time I was terminating another wiring run to the back of the patch panel on the adjacent port and my tool slipped and I think it shorted out the port that the extender was plugged into - so very similar situation. The Cyperguy units clearly do not have any overload or short protection circuits in their design. I cannot confirm 100%, but I think the newer unit that I bought (off E-bay) do have some sort of overload protection on them.
damage
Senior Member
thanks for this. i just picked up some of these to connect my HA server to some usb devices in the garage (over 25 ft patch cable to patch panel down to a 1st floor jack to another 25 ft patch cable). it works great! i tried the homemade method and got across the the 1st 25 ft patch cable, but the devices wouldn't work when they were connected at the downstairs jack.
drozwood90
Senior Member
I use the set that is over at www.geeks.com
I also found that it was device dependent. My USB fingerprint reader would not work at the FULL distance of the USB extender (I think it was 100'? Maybe it was 50'...don't remember), however without changing ANYTHING except the USB device itself, I was able to get a Microsoft USB mouse to work. Maybe it was the current the deivce was drawing.
Plus, for the price...
Just looked...looks like they don't carry the one I bought any longer...
I have used these passive USB to cat5 extenders ($13/pair) in two different applications. The farthest one is about 100ft of cat 5 cable. NO PROBLEMS.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=180254762902
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=180254762902
