Most USB cables shipped with length at around 1 meter or 3 feet. This dimension without a doubt is often not long enough for certain purposes. If you want to extend the length, there are some important keys you need to know.
Common USB cables have a maximum length limited in order to maintain reliable data transfer and power. In this context, there are two types of USB cable extensions; passive and active.
So, what are they? And which one you should use?
#1 If less than four meters, use a passive USB extension
The passive USB cable is the cheapest and most common solution to extend your current USB cable. The maximum length allowed for this type of cable is 4 meters or 13 feet. If your current cable is 1 meter then, you can only add another 3 meters to keep the cable working properly.
Increasing cable length over maximum length will lead to unreliable connection during data transfer and damage the device due to unstable power supply.
Key takeaways to remember:
- All regular USB cables are passive
- Passive USB cables are generally cheaper
- Not recommended to supply energy to high-power devices
Recommended passive USB cables on the market:
#2 Need longer? Try an active USB extension
Unlike the passive version which limited to a maximum of 4 meters, an active USB cable can maintain consistent power and data delivery up to 30 meters or 100 feet reliably. It also highly recommended if you want to move a WiFi receiver closer to the router.
So, if you want to connect a computer to a device located in your neighborhood, an active USB cable could be a good solution. However, the price of this cable is about twice as much compared to a passive USB cable. In return, an active USB cable generally lasts longer.
Key takeaways to remember:
- Can be extended up to 30 meters or 100 feet
- Transferring data and power consistently
- More expensive, but last longer
- The cable usually thicker
Recommended active USB cables on the market:
Alright. That’s all the information you need. If you want more flexibility, you may want to switch to wireless devices. Converting wired devices into wireless ones, like B2B connection, can be useful too. I hope that helps!
