can i chop usb1 cable to make it usb2 compatible?

[sampoerna]

i just bought 2 usb extension cables for my flash disk and wifi dongle.
my wifi dongle is recognized but cannot get connection.
my flash disk is recognized but either fails to install properly or it runs on usb1 spec.

i found out they arent arent usb2 hi-speed cables.
i cant return or exchange these cables. can i do some chopping to make em usb2 compatible ?

i got some usb2 printer cables, i thought maybe i could chop the usb1 head, rewire and solder it to the usb2 cable.

thnx.

[RJ_Hythloday]

not worth the hassle, sounds like you paid to much if you're worried about it. Try deepsurplus for some good prices.

BTW, I've read that on some hubs if you have one usb1 device all equip will operate at usb1 speeds. Shouldn't matter if you're plugged directly into the usb ports.

[RatboyX]

Would it be physically possible ? Yes I suppose if you had enough skill you could do this but simply replacing the connectors on it wouldn’t necessarily make it conform to USB2 specifications. Not sure what the different USB specifications call for but it could be a difference in the number of twists in the twisted pair, or a different shielding or a host of other things.

I would have to say it wouldn’t be worth the trouble, and it might not even work.

[sampoerna]

oops i made a mistake,

i meant to chop the heads of the usb1 wire and solder it to the usb2 printer cable.
hopefully this meets the usb2 spec.

does anyone know a link that shows how wires are connected on usb2 plugs?

i just wanna give it a try

[Mjölnir]

I was reading a USB whitepaper the other day which basically said that if the cable meets USB1.1 spec, it is USB2.0 compliant. If you can't get USB2.0 out of it, it doesn't even meet USB1.1 spec. Bear in mind there are stacks of USB cables on the market which don't meet any USB specifications. USB cables aren't meant to go beyond 5M in length (depending on the wire gauge), and if you're joining a couple of cables the signal is may be deteriorating too much by the time it reaches the full distance you are aiming for. Soldering cables together would most likely have the same effect.

You're best off buying new cables rather than re-soldering the connectors.


Try this pic for cabling details:

[CMB]

USb2.0 cables generally have better shielding.
There were also issues with older antec cases not supporting usb2.0 on their front panel headers.