Oct 14, 2026, 7:54 PMIf anyone has a 5 metre USB-A extension cable lying around, I'd dearly love to take it out of your big-box-of-emergency-cables and give it a loving new home.
Happy to pay postage (UK only).
Hoping it'll solve some of my Zigbee woes 😆
@Edent
I am using the one I got from Kenable but they’re still listing it.
https://www.kenable.co.uk/usb-cables-adapters/usb-20-cables/usb-20-extension-cables/usb-2-0-24awg-high-speed-extension-cable-a-plug-to-socket-black-5m-004275
@Edent I'll go and measure mine....
Oct 15, 2026, 7:55 AM@Edent Five meters is pushing the limits for a passive extension cable - consider an active one.
Oct 15, 2026, 7:59 AM@ryanc hmm. Good point. It is only needed for ZigBee which is pretty low bandwidth - should that make a difference?
Oct 15, 2026, 8:15 AM@Edent USB 2.0 has the same length limit as USB 1.1, and the problems with exceeding it are a function of signaling rate rather than sustained transfer rate. A good 5M active USB 2.0 extension cable is going to run under £20 with shipping. There's marginal value in not having to worry about whether your cable will act up when Mercury is in retrograde during a full moon.
Oct 15, 2026, 8:17 AM@Edent If the device will work with USB 1.1 and you're happy to tempt fate, I have a pair of USB 1.1 over cat5 extenders you're welcome to, assuming I can find them.
Oct 15, 2026, 8:24 AM@ryanc nah, it reckons it is USB2 only. I'll have a plunder of eBay.
Oct 15, 2026, 8:29 AM@Edent I found a Monoprice 5M active USB 2.0 extension cable (MC-UEC5M2) you're welcome to if you're ideologically opposed to buying a new one.
Oct 15, 2026, 9:21 AM@ryanc if it'll save it from landfill, that'd be great 😃
@Edent
Arghhh!
I know I had one, but we recently got rid of loads of e-waste in the house clearing process, and it went. 🤦♀️
Oct 15, 2026, 8:23 AM@Maker_of_Things let this be a lesson to you - never throw out old cables 😄
@Edent
In order to move house we have just scrapped 300+kg of old cables! 😬
I'll direct my wife to you for this advice.
@Edent Who are you, and what have you done with Terry "USB-C or death" Eden?