mitchfx
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:01 pm

Long USB run to printer using repeater cable?

Has anyone successfully tried a long (~25ft) run from their host computer to a printer such as the M2 or MendelMax using a repeater cable like the ones on Monoprice? My computer that runs Simplify3d is in an adjacent room from the printer and I don't plan to change that anytime soon, nor do I want to add a laptop into the equation. Right now I print directly from the sd card on the Dremel but that has a nice LCD control panel. If I end up getting the M2 or Mendel I would probably want to print from S3D most of the time.
JoeJ
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:52 am

Re: Long USB run to printer using repeater cable?

Long USB cables have terrible issues with communication errors. The shielding on those cables is already pretty weak making them prone to electronic interference. Then when you 5x the length of the cable, it gets really bad. I definitely would not do that.

Buy an LCD panel with SD card attachment. Both the M2 and the Mendel have them.
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dkightley
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: Long USB run to printer using repeater cable?

Take a look at this page: http://www.yourcablestore.com/USB-Cable ... _42-1.html
I wouldn't take what they say as gospel....but at least there may be a way of achieving what you want without too many issues.
Doug Kightley
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DarthRevan
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:29 am

Re: Long USB run to printer using repeater cable?

dkightley wrote:Take a look at this page: http://www.yourcablestore.com/USB-Cable ... _42-1.html
I wouldn't take what they say as gospel....but at least there may be a way of achieving what you want without too many issues.
This is helpful. If you're taking this route towards making a longer connection it'd also be good to note that the maximum connections allowed on a single USB Bus is 127. Not that you'd ever amass that many powered hubs.

But if you were thinking about it, there is a limit.

That being said, I'd have to recommend going the route of purchasing a SD card reader and LCD, unless you just want to make a hub chain because it sounds more fun or you have extra hubs laying around. :D
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morreale
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:43 pm

Re: Long USB run to printer using repeater cable?

I use this extension cable without issue on my MendelMax3

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KY9 ... detailpage

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