USB Printer Cable Length Restrictions

USB printer cables are usually restricted to a maximum length of 5 meters.

Regular USB printer cables are restricted to a maximum length for them to work reliably. However, it is possible to extend them if you need to place your printer farther from your computer.

USB Standard

The maximum USB printer cable length is 5 meters for most devices. This length includes any extender cables.

Using USB Hubs

You can use USB hubs to extend the reliable length. Each hub will add 5 meters to the maximum distance your cable can reach. You can use a maximum of 5 hubs chained together to reach 30 meters.

Ethernet Extenders

A USB to Ethernet bridge can be used to reach longer distances. The device converts USB to Cat-5 cable to extend it up to 150 feet. A bridge is slightly expensive and is really only useful in extreme printer installations.

References

• USB: Cables, Connectors, and Networking With USB
• Dataman: USB Extender via CAT-5