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Groups > sci.electronics.repair > #101865
| From | Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.comp.os.windows-11, sci.electronics.repair |
| Subject | Re: USB extension cables |
| Date | 2026-04-28 11:53 -0400 |
| Organization | A noiseless patient Spider |
| Message-ID | <10sql67$38slp$1@dont-email.me> (permalink) |
| References | <ptmvuk5f1ahmdklavmhkp158hhef3iujfb@4ax.com> <fuovuktvs2ckhmdto6k6l8b95a4dq9vepg@4ax.com> <ubuvukh8la3p9mrp60fgsghscg75808bgr@4ax.com> |
Cross-posted to 3 groups.
On Mon, 4/27/2026 11:40 PM, micky wrote:
> In sci.electronics.repair, on Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:56:24 -0700, Jeff
> Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 27 Apr 2026 18:07:34 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> ASI says that USB extension cords "risk signal degradation and power
>>> issues, especially for USB-C".
>>
>> What is ASI? Artificial Super Intelligence?
>
> Artificial Semi-Intelligence!
>
>> <https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/artificial-superintelligence>
>> Hint: Thou shalt not abrev.
>>
>>> By signal degradation, do they not mean the data signal,
>>
>> Yes, depending on the USB-C mutation and what you define as a signal.
>> For example:
>>
>> USB 2.0 (via USB-C):
>> 480 Mbps (common on budget phones/charging cables).
>>
>> USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps):
>> 5 Gbps (standard for many peripherals).
>>
>> USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps):
>> 10 Gbps (standard on many modern laptops).
>>
>> USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps):
>> 20 Gbps (supported by some high-speed external drives).
>>
>> USB4/Thunderbolt 3 & 4:
>> 40 Gbps (high-performance docks, monitors, and SSDs).
>>
>> USB4 Gen 4:
>> Up to 80 Gbps (emerging standard).
>> <https://www.onlogic.com/blog/usb-type-c-and-usb-3-1-explained/>
>>
>> For the various speeds (data rates), there are also cable length
>> limitations. Too long a cable means the higher speeds don't work
>> because of distorted waveforms, cable losses, timing issues, etc. For
>> DC power, increased cable resistance might introduce losses.
>>
>>> and if so, why
>>> is that not taken care of by the verification and resending when needed?
>>
>> If the errors are caused by too long (or too wrong) a cable, chances
>> are good that repeating the same data on the same wrong cable is going
>> to repeat the errors. Using various forms of error correction will
>> largely eliminate that problem at the cost of additional delays and
>> the associated throughput reductions.
>
> Okay.
>
>>> The input cable on my device for connecting bare drives (for backup) is
>>> only 6 inches. I would have to do a massive reorganization of the whole
>>> desk to get close to the laptop (which only has 3 usb-A ports (and one
>>> C-port). I normally use a hub with a 12-inch cord.
>>
>> Sorry, no suggestions because you didn't provide any numbers for what
>> manner of hardware and data protocols you're working with. Of course,
>> you could just plug in an extension cable and see what happens by
>> measuring the error rate (assuming your hardware is managed and
>> provides SNMP info, including data rate).
>
> It might provide SNMP info. I'll look, or I'll try to add it.
>
>> As long as the extension is
>> wired correctly, you're unlikely to do any damage.
>>
>>> Isn't the hub the same as and just as bad as an extension cable?
>>>
>>> Don't most people with laptops that have only 3 or 4 usb ports use a
>>> hub? A non-powered hub?
>>
>> USB hub or USB switch? Since it's plugged into a laptop, it's
>> probably a hub or docking station. I don't know about "most people"
>> but I use USB mostly for flash drives and mice. I'm not an Apple
>> computer user and therefore don't have any Thunderbolt hardware.
>
> USB hub, although the one currently in use, made by Sabrent with 4
> output ports, has an on-off switch for each port. I dont' think that
> makes it a USB switch, though.
>
> Yeah, I use it for the mouse, an external keyboard, and flashdrives, but
> lately for the bare drive I use for imaging. Amazon doesn't sell the
> connection device anymore, but it has its own power supply. And I'm
> using USB-A so I'll give it a try with a 6" extension.
>
You can do data-transfer tests, to assure yourself that an interface
is in reasonable shape. You can run SHA256 on the destination file, and see if the
value is the same as the SHA256 on the source file.
dd.exe --list # Get the name of the
# random number generator
dd.exe if=/dev/random of=D:\source.bin bs=1M count=10240 # Make a 10GB file
copy source.bin dest.bin # Copy it somewhere
sha256sum source.bin # Compare the two files
sha256sum dest.bin #
And you can make the test file, as large as your storage devices will allow.
That "dd" program, can make zeros at 3.5GB/sec and random numbers at 1.2GB/sec.
The disk drive, not so much. (Even whizzy TLC NVMe, can slow down to 1.2GB/sec
if you write them for long enough periods of time, as they run out of SLC cache
after a while.)
A three foot cable should be suitable for USB3 500MB/sec work.
I have an enclosure, and that is the cable that came with it.
Anything faster than that, is a "mystery meat" :-)
There is very little user test of any of the faster stuff,
available to read about. Anandtech is gone, and Toms kinda sucks
for this sort of thing (they're in some sort of groove now,
churning out chucky cheese articles).
I can see me now, doing space cadet testing on USB4 with a "31 inch cable".
You know, taking the scissors, cutting it to 31 inches, taping the
connector back on the end, then test that the files aren't getting corrupted.
I think that's what USB.org wants us to do :-) And for USB4 Rev2.0,
they'll want us to pick up the cables, with tweezers. I can't wait.
Paul
Back to sci.electronics.repair | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar
USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-04-27 18:07 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Hank Rogers <Hank@nospam.invalid> - 2026-04-27 17:30 -0500
Re: USB extension cables Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2026-04-27 15:56 -0700
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-04-27 23:40 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Frank Slootweg <this@ddress.is.invalid> - 2026-04-28 10:26 +0000
Re: USB extension cables Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-04-28 11:41 +0100
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-04-29 16:18 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-04-28 11:53 -0400
Re: USB extension cables "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-04-28 03:08 +0200
Re: USB extension cables Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-04-28 08:17 +0100
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-04-28 12:41 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Sam E <no.email@here.invalid> - 2026-04-28 18:07 +0000
Re: USB extension cables Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2026-04-28 21:10 +0100
Re: USB extension cables Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-04-29 17:34 +0000
Re: USB extension cables Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-04-30 19:35 +1000
Re: USB extension cables Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-04-30 18:08 +0000
Re: USB extension cables "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-05-01 13:41 +0200
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-05-01 12:38 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-05-02 20:46 +1000
Re: USB extension cables Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-05-02 19:06 +0000
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-05-02 19:01 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Nioclás Pól Caileán de Ghloucester <thanks-to@Taf.com> - 2026-05-07 19:39 +0000
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-10 02:08 -0400
OT: electrical pioneers (was: Re: USB extension cables) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-05-10 11:39 +0100
Re: OT: electrical pioneers (was: Re: USB extension cables) Jeroen Belleman <jeroen@nospam.please> - 2026-05-10 21:18 +0200
Re: OT: electrical pioneers (was: Re: USB extension cables) micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-10 15:41 -0400
Re: OT: electrical pioneers "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-05-11 13:16 +0100
Re: OT: electrical pioneers Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> - 2026-05-14 12:17 +0100
Re: OT: electrical pioneers "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-05-14 13:14 +0100
Re: OT: electrical pioneers Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-05-14 09:51 -0400
Re: OT: electrical pioneers micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-16 23:18 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-05-02 20:41 +1000
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-05-02 10:39 -0400
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-04-29 16:24 -0400
Re: USB extension cables "Kerr-Mudd, John" <admin@127.0.0.1> - 2026-04-30 09:09 +0100
Re: USB extension cables Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-04-30 19:39 +1000
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-04-30 10:28 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> - 2026-04-30 12:00 -0400
Re: USB extension cables legg <legg@nospam.magma.ca> - 2026-05-03 08:06 -0400
Re: USB extension cables The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> - 2026-05-08 10:14 -0700
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-09 20:05 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2026-05-09 18:35 -0700
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-10 02:02 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2026-05-10 08:47 -0700
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-10 15:38 -0400
Re: USB extension cables Daniel70 <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> - 2026-05-11 20:33 +1000
Just OT (was: Re: USB extension cables) "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-05-11 13:10 +0100
Re: USB extension cables Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2026-05-03 10:33 -0700
Re: USB extension cables Mark Lloyd <not.email@all.invalid> - 2026-05-03 18:22 +0000
Re: USB extension cables "J. P. Gilliver" <G6JPG@255soft.uk> - 2026-05-03 19:47 +0100
Re: USB extension cables micky <NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> - 2026-05-09 20:07 -0400
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