Keeping a USB cable and a USB extension cable from separating

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philb2

[H]ard|Gawd
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Hope this is a good forum for this question.

Some of the USB devices on the left side of my desk do not have cables long enough to reach my system unit, which is a tower to the right of my desk. So I need to use a USB extension cable to reach the USB ports on the back of my system unit. Problem is, sometimes the main USB cable and the USB extension cable separate.

My system unit is on a "skateboard" and fits in a space between the right side of the desk and a filing cabinet. However, if I need to "roll" the system unit out of the space for any reason I often have the problem that a USB cable and an extension cable pull apart. If the cable and the extension cable are in a set of wire trays on the edge of my desk (to keep the floor clear of cables, etc) then it's a real challenge to locate the separated cable. So far I've used a few winds of ordinary scotch tape to try to keep the cable and the extension cable from separating, but that doesn't work very well.

Do any of the real gurus in this forum have a better way to keep those cables from separating?
 
Safety wire. (y)

Or you can tie a knot loosely in the cable, make sure the connectors are in the loop of the knot. Pulling on the cable will now tighten the knot instead of disconnecting the cables.
 
Nobu said:
Safety wire. (y)

Or you can tie a knot loosely in the cable, make sure the connectors are in the loop of the knot. Pulling on the cable will now tighten the knot instead of disconnecting the cables.
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Exactly this. We do this to prevent extension cables from disconnecting at work.
 
I use a hub under my monitor for some devices that can't reach the tower. Can you use a hub instead of extensions?
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If the cables aren't able to break at the extension, which apparently is a big issue for you, won't they instead break the USB port? I like the USB hub idea. Run a single longer cord to a hub on the side you need. Shoot they make like 40 port hubs and crap nowadays.
 
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auntjemima said:
Exactly this. We do this to prevent extension cables from disconnecting at work.
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Yep, my dad taught me this back when I was a kid when we would work with extension cords.

But the point about damaging the usb port is also valid, so if the cable won't disconnect from the source without damaging the port, you may not want to tie the extension and source port together.

Another solution would be to get a longer extension cable.
 
First idea was changing for a single long enough extension cable, 10 FT are less than $8 on amazon I think if you do not need long, if it is many, an HUB that come with a long enough cable or using a single long enough extension.
 
you might be able to bend the metal in the extension end to make it tighter, could safety wire it, tying it in a knot works good too, hell even some duck tape...
 
Thanks for all the replies. I looked at all the hubs on the Egg. Seems like a $10-$20 4 port hub with free shipping works for me. If I outgrow that hub in the future, I can always use another hub in my parts box.
 
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