Printer with long USB cord not working

shaji00 · 11-25-2006, 05:06 AM

Dear All

I have a peculiar problem in using HP Laserjet 3390 printer under Redhat Linux WS4. When connected to the computer using a USB cord of length more than 2 meters say 3 or 5, the computer does not recognise the printer and fails to print any document. But it works fine when a cord of 2 meter or less is used.

If anyone has a clue of what went wrong, please share with me. I need to place the printer a bit far from the computer.

b0uncer · 11-25-2006, 05:46 AM

Well this might have some other reason too, but if you think it physically, a longer cable means that the signal weakens more than with a shorter cable, and might cause the signal be either corrupted or too weak to work at all. I'm not sure if this is the case with as short as 3m-5m cables, but if we're talking about very long cables, you usually need to use some kind of device to make the signal stronger between the two ends (like if you were using fiberoptics; they can't be used as very long cables, but rather connect several shorter cables and put a machine between every two cables that makes the signal stronger).

I just thought about this since if it works with a short cable, there should be no problem with the printer nor with the computer. Either the signal gets too weak in the long cable or then the longer cable you use is defective (try another one).

J.W. · 11-25-2006, 12:58 PM

The USB signal is weak, and by design is not strong enough to transmit over long cables. According to the USB FAQ it sounds like a 3m cable should work, but even that is pushing the max. To place the printer farther away, get a hub

shaji00 · 11-27-2006, 12:33 AM

Thank you for the prompt replies. Again I tried using the 5 meter usb cable under windows xp environment using the same computer which I used for testing under linux (made it dual booting). Surprisingly it works perfectly well under windows. So there is no problem with cable, printer or the computer. The windows OS recognised the printer, printed the documents using a 5 meter usb cord. But Linux failed while using cord of length exceeding 2 meters.

If anyone has a hint of what went wrong, may kindly suggest a remedy.