The USB extender is a device that allows extension leverage from 1 to 4 USB peripheral devices via inexpensive Cat5 / Cat5e / Cat6 UTP cable up to 150ft. It is a two-piece transmitter and receiver unit and requires no device drivers to run it. The set up is pretty easy with simple plug and play functionality. There is also a fiber optic extender version, the Icron USB 2.0 Fiber Ranger Multimode Fiber extender which permits an extension up to 10 km. Windows, Mac-OS, Linux and Sun are supported by USB Cat5 extender. The third type of extender is the wireless one which works on Icron’s patented USB technology.
The Wireless USB Extender is a device that allows extending of USB peripherals to distances up to 110ft without the need for running the cables. Its basic features are that, it is compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1; there is no requirement of any software drivers to run it; it has a simple plug and play functionality; and it supports operating systems like Windows 2000, XP, MAC OSX, Solaris and Unix Linux and also USB transfer types such as Control, Bulk, Interrupt and Isochronous. The USB wireless extender is basically a hub that has a transmitter with a 4 port receiver that allows you to connect up to 4 USB devices like printers, scanners, isochronous web cams, hard drives, and MP3 players.
The usb extender receiver has an active 4 port hub which supplies power to each port; the power requiring USB peripherals like media players, smart phones and mass storage devices can be powered and charged at the same time through these ports. USB over Cat5 kit consists of a local transmitter and a remote receiver unit that are connected using Cat5 UTP cable. It also includes RJ45 and Icron Ranger USB 2.0 Extender which supports the USB 2.0 peripheral devices at speeds up to 480 Mb/s over a distance of 50 m/164 ft. This USB 2.0 Extender increases the speed and also doubles the distance of previous versions of USB extension technology.
Security agencies, Government and military applications, remote monitoring and training centers all make use of this device as it allows placement of the computer in a safe and secure location while the USB peripherals can be placed remotely.
