
Active extension USB 2.0 cable (as opposed to passive USB cables) is an active device with a built-in signal repeater. The USB signals are buffered to assure signal quality and to meet USB electrical and timing specs.
One of the biggest obstacles encountered in planning a wire run is the signal limitation of USB devices. Using passive cables for the purpose of extension will result in signal errors and is not recommended. Passive USB cables have a maximum guaranteed length of 16 feet; ACTIVE extension cables are required to extend beyond 16 feet, essentially retaining all signal strength.
These
M/F extension cables feature a booster-box on the end, and when strung
together, can achieve a maximum length of 80 feet. These USB 2.0
compliant cables support data transfer
rates up to 480Mbps and are fully backward compatible with both low and
high-speed USB v1.1 devices. The
USB extension cable acts as a USB hub and buffers all downstream and
upstream data traffic. High speed, full-speed and low-speed devices
will function equally well with the USB extension cable.