OT USB wireless extension or max length cable

WendyLuvsCatz

This is off topic but in fact regarding 3D printing so sort of appropriate to this forum.
My problem is my 3D printer only works on my Win7 desktop in my bedroom not my Vista laptop for several reasons.
Firstly the driver does not have a vista version so my hardware is not even detected in the first place on tbe laptop which rules it out immediately.
Secondly even if it could it cannot run the software as only openGL 1.5 and no further update available for the intel chip, is old 2008.
So desktop it has to be.
I can disconnect the USB once the job is loaded on the printer SD card but it is innaccessable and does not store it powered off for out the box use, only the included examples, a firmware limitation of the Da Vinci 1.0 XYZ printer only fixable by hacking and voiding the warranty.
So
I want this noisy smelly thing out of my bedroom.
Relocating my desktop is a vast pain in the A-hole to say the least, it is in my bedroom for a number of very good reasons.
The only viable alternative I can think of is a very long USB cord I can unplug after loading the job or one that has a wireless connection.

Question, how long can a USB be?
Are there ones with a transmitter and reciever?
my google searchFU gets weird results mostly DLink wifi like I have for my internet (my modem is in another room to my PC) and I do not want it clashing with that either, so a different radio frequency a must.
Does anyone use wireless USB cables here or even know if they exist?

ncamp

Sent you a PM with a link.

WendyLuvsCatz

Thanks, got your PM, the 50' powered repeater cable sounds like the best option, so long as the cats do not want to play with it winding it out :lol:

bad4u

Check for 'USB network server' or 'USB network print server' and you can connect the printer to your network, they are available from $25 up I think. DLINK, netgear and many other brands available, we used some TPLink (if I remeber correct) without problems for connecting USB webcams to the intranet as well. IF the device supports transparent connections (that's how it's called in german, not sure if it's the same in english), the remote USB port should work just like a local one on your PC after installing drivers correctly. Some modems/routers have USB ports available as well to connect printers to the network. Or even connect printer to your PC in the one room, make it available for other users in Windows and use it from your other PC over network from any room then (printer sharing), so one PC is used like a USB server at no additional costs. If you are not sure it works, buy from somewhere you can return - just in case. Maybe ask google for your 3d printer + USB server to see if other users have done it before.

Edit: Another option is using powerline communication, netgear and other manufacturers have adapters available that have additional USB ports for printer sharing included (e.g. see netgear XAUB2511), so you don't need additional cabling. Whatever you choose, make sure you can return in worst case.

It can be a bit tricky to install the remote ports correctly in Windows though, but we got all that we tested working.