USB Printer Cables

Created by a consortium of big companies such as Sony, Compaq, Intel, Microsoft, IBM, Northern Telecom and Digital Equipment Corporation in 1994, Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables are used to link one device to another (e.g., web cams, mice, printers, keyboards, external hard drives, PDAs, video game consoles, smart phones, scanners, and other computer peripherals). It was meant to replace the bulkier, old school serial ports.

Riding on the plug-and-play capacities of modern computers, printer USB cables are highly convenient to use, allowing you to link your laptop or personal computer to an external printing device. All you have to do is link the USB plug to the USB port. There are two versions of USB printer cables: USB 1.0/ 1.1 and USB 2.0. Released in 1996, USB 1.0 printer cables could transmit data at a rate of 12 megabits per second. The following version, USB 1.1, was introduced in 1998, and was used for devices requiring higher speed. This was phased out a couple of years later with the introduction of version 2.0.

Between 2000 and 2001, computer companies like Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Philips, NEC and Lucent Technologies started selling a 2.0 printer USB cable, with data transfer capacities 40 times more than that of USB 1.0 and USB 1.1. The current USB printer cables have the capacity to transfer data at 480 megabits per second, and can communicate with laser printers, desk jet printers and ink jet printers.

There is talk of USB 3.0 being developed to meet the demands of more sophisticated technologies and higher resolution printers, but that’s still in the pipeline.

The length of USB printer cables vary from 1 foot to 25 feet. Prices go from $2 to almost $20, depending on the number of feet or meters covered (as well as the brand). Common colors are beige, blue, white and black. There’s also the transparent kind in soft, jelly-like casings.

While marketers would argue that $20 USB printer cables are better than the $2 variety, the latter is just as serviceable as its high-end counterpart. To pick the best one for you, measure the distance between your personal computer and your printer. Be sure to make allowances for parts that need to loop across to keep the wires out of sight. Find the length that you need in the color that looks best for your setup. You can use cable organizers to keep your wires neat.

It would be best if you got to test the USB printer cable before taking it out of the shop so that you know you get a full link. Keep the receipt so that you can replace new USB printer cables that do not work properly.