How to amplify a USB signal for long range applications?

Question

I have a long range wired application (over 5 meters).

I have tried using a wire extender, But the computer is not able to detect my device(a USB camera).

I tried using a USB 2.0 Hub. The computer can detect it, but it is too slow for real time use of the camera.

I also tried to use a USB 3.0 HUB, assuming that I would get faster speed, but my computer is not able to detect it with the USB 3.0 Hub connected.

How can I solve this issue?

EDIT: I think I need to mention the following information based on answers and comments:-

1. The range is about 5-6 meters.
2. I have connected and used wires of non-uniform thickness throughout the length.

I have the following concerns:-

1. I have tried using USB 2.0 cable in the USB 3.0 hub. So I do not know if the Hub is amplifying the signals for a 3 meter range (as a USB 3.0 application would require) or for a 5 meter range ( as for a USB 2.0 application ). The Hub is backward compatible. So I think ideally it should solve my issue, but I cannot understand why it isnt

Solution

USB is limited in the length of wire it can drive. The maximum length is fixed by the standard at 16 feet (5 meters). So adding extension cables to get a cable more than 5 meters long will not work. What you can do is to use a repeater cable, which has a repeater at the end. You can get these in 10 foot lengths easily enough, and use a 10 foot repeater cable followed by, for instance, a 10 foot standard cable to connect to the camera.

A hub ought to work. That yours doesn't suggests that you are doing something wrong, such as using a cable assembly more than 5 meters long connected to a hub, and the total is only marginal in terms of functioning. Try connecting the hub to a 10 foot cable, then use another 10 foot cable to the camera.

USB3 is only suggested for cables of about 10 feet long, or so. All of the above applies to USB3, except that the worst-case cable lengths are 3 meters rather than 5, and any hub or repeater MUST be specified for USB3.

See here, for instance for a fuller discussion. Or Google on "USB cable length".

Comments

[David]

Are you looking to buy a device to fix this or design something from scratch?

[Ecnerwal]

How much over 5 meters? And this is probably more of a superuser question, at a guess. Or it's a shopping question, e.g. (not affiliated, haven't used, DAGS and here we are - perhaps your "wire extender" is not up to snuff): icron.com/products/icron-brand/usb-extenders or put a computer near the camera and talk to the computer via ethernet...

[gbulmer]

It reads like a shopping question, which should be closed, or moved to a different forum. Please read the help center to learn how to write good questions that get good answers. It is unlikely to be as simple as amplifying the signal, but we would need more information to answer even that. There are many products which extend the range of USB. So why not buy one of those?

[Dhruv Reshamwala]

@David I do not mind doing either of them (buying a device / design from scratch).

[Dhruv Reshamwala]

So does that mean that the USB 3 Hub will amplify the signal only for 3 meters, inspite it being backward compatible?

[WhatRoughBeast]

It means that USB 3 can only use cables 3 meters long or less. It's not a matter of "amplify", but simply that the signal becomes unusable.

[Dhruv Reshamwala]

But if I am using a USB 2.0 signal, with a 3.0 Hub? That should work right?

[Dhruv Reshamwala]

I will have to change a lot of connections for this. Is there a way to just amplify it?

[cybernard]

@DhruvReshamwala What kind of USB 3 hub did you get? The standard hub provides 900ma per port, but some ,like skiva, offer 2.4A or 2400ma per port. Still that may or may not work because it amplifies the 2 power wires, but may or may not amplify the 2 data wires.

[WhatRoughBeast]

Probably yes. For cables no more than 5 meters.

[Dhruv Reshamwala]

I have Circle powered USB 3 Hub

[cybernard]

According to amazon it has a 4 ports and a 5 volt 2 amp adapter, so right there the device is a fail. Its supposed to be 5v @ 900ma each port. 4 ports * 900ma= 3600= 3.6A FAIL does not pass specs check. Some of the 2000ma it has are used internal so you don't even have that many.

[cybernard]

skivatech.com/powerflow-octofire-8port-hub 19.2 total amps FTW