USB Cable - Size DOES matter!

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N9IVX

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I threw this into the General Forum hoping it will save a few headaches for owners of all scanner makes and models, when connecting to a PC via USB cable. If you're using a USB extension cable or HUB (especially a non-powered HUB) and having trouble with updating firmware, programming with software or other connectivity issues, try eliminating the extension cable and plugging directly into the PC. This worked for me. There was enough power loss created in the extension cable and HUB to prevent my firmware update attempts. The update process got through a few steps like testing the COM port and "seeing" the scanner but when it attempted the uploading process, things came to a halt. Anyway, I hope this helps eliminate some frustration out there. Good scanning to all!
 
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mciupa

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Helpful hints are always appreciated, thanks for passing this on. :cool:
 
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N_Jay

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It may have been timing and not "power".

Somehow I doubt the scanner draws any power from the USB (I could be wrong, but why should it? It is not a shared "USB charging" connection.)

Hubs do add signal delay especially in communications that require a lot of handshaking signals.

Total USB cable length is also limited by specification to about 16 feet (again, due to delay and not loss) but in most applications the use of a hub provides complete regeneration and resynchronization of the signal.

A lot of USB devices tell you to remove any hubs if you are having a problem.

Funny thing, I ran across a UPS that needed a hub or it would keep sending a loss of connection alarm. Go Figger?
 

N9IVX

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You might be right N_Jay. I wasn't aware of timing issues associated with extension HUBs. When I started troubleshooting, I found some articles about cabling.

This is direct from the Microsoft support site: "Mismatched cabling - There are two types of USB cables, high speed and low speed. Low-speed cables differ from high-speed cables primarily in their shielding. If you plug a high-speed device into a low-speed cable, you can cause signal distortion over long distances."

Monster Cable makes some really good quality (highly shielded) USB extension cables with less signal loss than average cables. Personally, I use an extension cable and 4 port HUB just for ease of access since my ports are on the back of the PC. For future scanner programming, I might just try using a good quality extension cable instead of the cheap cable and HUB I have now. Perhaps the HUB might end up being the culprit here, like you said.

Thanks for your input on this!
 
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ratboy

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This is mostly a matter of hub quality. I have a bunch of them and all but one works fine with any cable or device I plug in. The one that doesn't work with everything is a no name one that came with a set of USB cables I bought at a local store that was going out of business about two years ago. Ironically, it's the best looking one I have, Looks like a little red and silver mid tower PC case, and puts on a decent light show when it's in use. It throws out a lot of RFI too.

That one is in my "desperation" bag in the trunk of my car, along with some zip ties, cyano glue, JB Weld, duct tape, a couple of junk quality screwdrivers, and a few other computer items. It's saved a trip to the store in the middle of the night a couple of times.
 
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No Prob's At All!

im using a 1 to 4 hub-NonPowered...Generic,,
,,internally installed,with the RS Prog cable
also Internally installed in my notebook..

of the same hub ive got a Bluetooth module,
a GPS 12 Ch reciever,and a 2,4ghz wireless
game controller,
.all internally installed..

running the set up with both direct wire to a std USB port,
the other notebook's wired to a PCMCIA-USB 2.0 card.

no problems at all,,,up load,download,
computer controlled..all stellar!
 

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SCPD

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I threw this into the General Forum hoping it will save a few headaches for owners of all scanner makes and models, when connecting to a PC via USB cable. If you're using a USB extension cable or HUB (especially a non-powered HUB) and having trouble with updating firmware, programming with software or other connectivity issues, try eliminating the extension cable and plugging directly into the PC. This worked for me. There was enough power loss created in the extension cable and HUB to prevent my firmware update attempts. The update process got through a few steps like testing the COM port and "seeing" the scanner but when it attempted the uploading process, things came to a halt. Anyway, I hope this helps eliminate some frustration out there. Good scanning to all!

Just out of curiousity, is your USB hub self-powered (ie. by USB) or does it have an external power source? I can see a self-powered hub causing problems as you described? And when updating firmware/bios/whatever, it is always a good idea to be directly connected to the device then through a hub or other device. I learned that with an old Linksys router that ended up toasted.

We live and learn, as long as we remember the lesson.
 
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How'd you Brick the router,,was it the firmware upgrade?

which Linksys?

USB Power issue,,
are you getting any error codes when you check device
properties in the device manager?
i think power issues are a

-code10,device cant start,lack of resources-

or something to that effect...
 
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N9IVX

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Just out of curiousity, is your USB hub self-powered (ie. by USB) or does it have an external power source? I can see a self-powered hub causing problems as you described?


My HUB wasn't self powered and yes, I was doing a firmware update when the problems occurred. Oddly, the frequency programming software worked just fine through the HUB. (Shrug)
 

SCPD

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How'd you Brick the router,,was it the firmware upgrade?

which Linksys?

USB Power issue,,
are you getting any error codes when you check device
properties in the device manager?
i think power issues are a

-code10,device cant start,lack of resources-

or something to that effect...

I bricked it because I was patched into a hub that was attached to the Linksys. It was the 54g and I was attempting to put the open source software onto when it bricked. It was then that I noticed I should have been patched directly to the Linksys. Live and learn.
 
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