USB EXTENSION CABLE

Do you need to extend the distance from your computer to a USB device such as a printer or scanner? According to the USB specification, you can use passive extension cables (i.e., cables without an active repeater chip in them) for distances up to 16 feet. Beyond sixteen feet, you need a cable that will boost the signal in order to avoid losing data or, worse yet, damaging USB equipment.

The maximum distance that you can reach by chaining Active USB Extension Cables together is 80 feet. By using 16 foot cables (the most common length available) you can safely chain up to 4 of these together without risking data loss or damage to your device (in addition to the 4-active extension cables you will use a regular device cable at the end that can be up to 16 feet - this is how you achieve the maximum distance of 80 feet).
In order to use a USB Extension Cable with a device, you plug the extension cable directly into the USB port on your desktop or notebook. On the other end of the cable, you will have a type A female port where you can plug your device cable in, which will be connected to the device on the other end.