Icron long-range USB extension cables for offices and businesses
The situation when you need to connect a USB device to your computer that is located at a great distance from the PC is not so rare. Sometimes you even have to plan your workplace specifically so that there is enough length of USB cables for all the peripherals, and still, as if on purpose, there is a need to reach a little further. At distances of several meters, you can use a USB extension cable in the form of a standard cable with "Papa" and "Mama" connectors, such wires are from a meter to 5 meters long, and the longer the cable, the more unreliable the interface is, that is, you should be prepared for a possible drop in speed and malfunctions. Distances measured in tens and hundreds of meters are not suitable for such primitive extensions, the interface does not provide for such barbaric treatment, and it is generally not required to work in unusual conditions.
For reliable connection over long distances, you should use specialized solutions, such as those offered by the manufacturer who, as they say, ate a dog on these technologies – Icron. The technologies used by this company allow you to achieve the maximum distance and data transfer speed, the model range is wide enough to choose the optimal solution for a specific task. We have tested several of these solutions in our work and are ready to tell you more about them.
Icron Rover 1650 USB extender
Like other models, the Icron Rover 1650 USB extension cable is a kit that allows you to work with the USB port at a long distance. In this case, this distance is limited to 50 meters, when using a Cat5 copper twisted pair. Perhaps, in practice, slightly longer distances are achievable, but Icron guarantees reliable operation up to 50 meters.
The package includes 2 small modules, one of them is LEX, which is a transmitter that connects to the computer's USB port. The second one is REX, this module connects to the peripheral device with the USB interface. In addition to these compact black boxes, a standard USB cable and user manual are included.
Twisted pair is not included in the kit, it is not difficult for the system administrator to choose or make a patch cord of the desired length, twisted pair and crimping are completely standard.
On the one hand, the LEX and REX modules look the same, and they are connected via the RJ-45 ports with a patch cord.
On the other hand, as you might expect, there are USB ports, a PC connector on the LEX module, and a peripherals socket on the REX.
The maximum data transfer rate achieved with the Micro USB Rover 1650 is up to 12 Mbit/s for full-speed devices and up to 1.5 Mbit / s for low-speed devices. The fact is that this is a USB 1.1 device and is not intended for high speeds. This does not mean that the Micro USB Rover 1650 can not rewrite data, for example, from a flash drive, just large volumes will be transmitted for a long time. You should also be more careful when using USB-powered peripherals, since the Icron USB Rover 1650 consumes 500mA of current through the input port of the LEX module, while on the side of the REX module it can only output 300 mA. This is sufficient for most devices, but external hard drives, for example, may require additional power.
On the back of the LEX or REX module, you can find two notable objects. First, it is provided for mounting on the wall or on the wall of the rack. this is important if such modules are equipped with a fleet of servers and there is a need to lay cables carefully and clearly. Secondly, it indicates that the device is not made in China, but in Canada. Not that the products assembled in China were definitely not of sufficient quality, but for professional equipment, Assembly at the place where the developer company is based is somehow preferable, and Icron is a Canadian company.
Icron Rover 2650 USB extender
The second USB extender is in fact almost a twin of the first one, the difference in the name reflects the difference in the number of ports, the Icron USB Rover 2650 has two USB ports on the REX module, and the Icron USB Rover 1650 has only one. Since two are usually better than one, it makes sense to use a two-port variation, unless you are sure that you don't need more than 1 port 100%.
The package includes the same LEX and REX modules, a USB cable, and a printed user manual. Since no software is required for these Icron USB extension cords, you will not find a driver disk in the box.
The sides that connect the LEX module and the REX modules are exactly the same as for the younger model.
The side intended for communication with the outside world is different for the REX module, it has 2 ports. But the LEX module is equipped with only one input port, that is, in fact, the Icron USB Rover 2650 is not just an extension cable, but also a hub. The range is 50 meters, the maximum data transfer rate is 12 Mbit / s (USB 1.1) and the maximum current on the output connector is 300 mA. With current consumption in this case, you should be more careful, since it turns out that two ports for peripherals are powered from one PC port, i.e. these 300 mA fall on 2 ports, although they can be divided in any proportion.
Icron Ranger 2101 USB extenders
The Icron Ranger 2101 kit surpasses the previously mentioned solutions in two key parameters at once. First, this device is compatible with USB 2.0 (speed up to 480 Mbit/s), and secondly, it allows you to work at twice the distance – up to 100 meters.
At the same time, the delivery package differs very slightly, it does not include any cables, but there is a network power supply. The instructions for this solution, as well as the extension modules themselves, are designed more beautifully and modernly.
Made of a pleasant to the touch and durable "velvet" plastic, the LEX and REX modules are even more compact, look more aesthetically pleasing, and instead of the input port, the LEX module has a cord with a USB connector for direct connection to the port on the PC panel. This is more convenient and easier in the vast majority of cases, since the main extension effect is achieved by a twisted pair of Cat5 or Cat6 up to 100m long, rather than a meter-long USB cable.
In addition, there are power and connection indicators on the units. the REX module does not use power coming from the computer's USB port, and the supplied power supply is designed for it. This guarantees a stable full-fledged power supply for the connected peripherals, and is not a small weak point of the Icron USB Ranger 2101, which requires an additional electrical outlet.
The maximum data transfer speed is 480 Mbit / s, as for the USB 2.0 standard itself. for a distance of 100 meters, this is a very impressive parameter, thanks to the proprietary ExtremeUSB technology. In fact, of course, the speed is slightly lower, for example, when working with an external hard disk, it was about 30 MB/s. This is half the theoretical maximum, but it is not the fault of the extension cord, when directly connected to a PC, the speed is almost equal and, in any case, quite large even for streaming video.
USB extender Icron Ranger 2104
As with the simpler Rover series USB extensions, in addition to the single-port version, there is also a multi-port version, and the Icron USB Ranger 2104 has not two, but four ports on the REX module at once.
The LEX module that connects to a PC using a non-removable cable is the same as in the Icron USB Ranger 2101 package, the delivery package is different from the REX module and the power supply for it.
The REX unit from the Icron USB Ranger 2104 kit looks very impressive. on the one hand, you can immediately see that the device is professional – in a metal case and with simple led indicators, on the other hand, the designer still had a hand in the design and provided the case with rounded edges and a black insert with ventilation holes. On the front side there are 4 USB ports and led indicators for connection and power.
On the back side there is a connector for connecting to the LEX module, a power connector, and a port for configuring the hub. As for speed, it is the same as the single-port model, however, when using multiple ports on the REX unit the total traffic does not exceed available for USB 2.0 speed of 480 Mbit/s, since the computer port and one communication channel of the LEX and REX modules although ExtremeUSB, but also one. The range of the Icron USB Ranger 2104 reaches 100 meters, just like the single-port model.
Беспроводной USB удлинитель icron wiranger USB 2.0 Hub
For those cases when even a 100-meter extension cable is not suitable due to barriers between the PC and the device or due to the need for mobility, the Icron model range includes a USB extension cable with a wireless connection.
The Icron WiRanger USB 2.0 Hub package includes LEX and REX modules assembled in identical metal cases, power supplies for them, a pair of Wi-Fi antennas, a user's guide and a quick installation guide. In General, the difference from the Icron USB Ranger 2104 in the REX module is only that instead of the RJ-45 port, there is an antenna on the back side, and The wiranger inscription on the upper black panel. Otherwise, the 4-port wireless hub is very similar to its wired counterpart, as well as the Icron WiRanger USB 2.0 hub LEX module.
On the reverse side of the LEX module there is a USB 2.0 input port, the REX module does not need input connectors due to its wireless nature, it only needs power and an antenna.
The status of communication between the blocks of the Icron WiRanger USB 2.0 Hub kit can be judged by the led indicators, they are quite bright and look nice.
The REX module is a real godsend for those who can't stand tangles of wires, as many as 4 devices can be connected via a single wireless connection.
Unfortunately, there are no ideal solutions, all of them are designed for various tasks and conditions. Icron WiRanger USB 2.0 Hub allows you to do without cables, but loses to its wired counterparts in the range of up to 30 meters, as well as in data transfer speed, as for a normal Wi – Fi connection 802.11 g, speeds of up to 54 Mbit/s are achieved, in practice it turns out to transmit up to 6 Megabytes per second, and even in conditions close to ideal. However, 3-4 megabytes per second is enough for most devices, and a distance of 30 meters is enough for almost any room.
Conclusions
Icron USB extension cables are a separate class of devices designed to solve problems that cannot be solved with a conventional USB cable. These easy-to-install and highly reliable devices are recommended for use with KVM solutions, for connecting printers, scanners and other similar peripherals for sharing, for working with Webcams, industrial microcontrollers and other USB devices, for access control, remote desktop management, information boards and panels, and many other devices that work with a PC via USB. Such solutions are often used in the corporate sector: installations in presentation rooms, halls for video conferences, in retail chains for connecting touch kiosks, touch monitors, in medicine, industry, and so on. The choice of a specific solution depends on the task.during its work, Icron has managed to create a number of technologies and models that almost completely cover possible needs.
Eugene Volnov
16/06.2010
