QUOTE(Andrew Larkin @ Jan 19 2006, 07:13 AM)
The timing in USB signals is critical to its reliable operation. The specs give you a maximum of 5 metres because of these timing issues - poor quality cables can introduce signal timing issues that reduce this maximum distance.
The only way to extend beyond the 5 metre limit is to regenerate the signal. This is done by a USB hub or similar device.
USB extender cables basically have a built-in one-port hub to do this signal regeneration.
Even doing the signal regeneration, there is a maximum "depth" of the hub chaining of 5 devices.
That means that even if you use powered hubs with 5 metre connecting cables, the maximum distance you can cover is 25 metres.
Reality will be something less than this.
If you need to extend further than this, you have to use a different technology.
For example, there are fibre-optic USB extenders that claim distances of 10km.
Andrew
Thanks for that information. I actually have a bad motherboard. It seems that the secondary controller is having problems. I'm getting "unknown" device messages on one of my secondary USB onboard pin ports. Removing and reinstalling gives the same message. Disabling the secondary USB controller in the BIOS corrects the problem, but then the three internal USB pinports don't work.
Tonight I plugged my USB printer back in and got an "Unknown Device" message as well from my integrated and main USB port also. I unplugged it and replugged it and it worked, but the MB has USB controller problems it seems.
I'm hoping the camera didn't somehow fry it. The technician where I bought the MB said he didn't think that was the case. We'll see. I'm going to try it again after I get the new MB swapped out. What do you think?