Extend USB Cable With CAT5

[samuraiwarrior]

so im doing a project with my xbox, im installing all the xbox hardware into a pc case, now i need to come firm if i could use a CAT5 cable to sold to usb. for example the xbox uses use interface for the controller ports, i need to get the ports connect to the motherboard from all the way in front. now would i be able to use a CAT5 ethernet cable and just splice and solder from usb cables on motherboard to the usb cables on the front ports. possible?

 

[bmxfreakrider]

yea it will work, just be sure to keep it under 15FEET (which should be easy inside of a case)

 

[CrazeD]

Why use a CAT5 cable? Why not just buy a spool of wire?

 

[samuraiwarrior]

i have spae cat5's

what type of wire to get?
plus theirs more cables in one cat five then cutting a bunch of individual wires..... i wouldnt have to match the colors, correct?

 

[poorman]

Yes you would need to match colors.
Here is a cross section of a cat5 cable

and
Here is the cross section of a USB cable

So you would have some extra wires that would not need to be used. And substitute orange color for red, you should have no issues at all.

 

[CrazeD]

Just go to Radioshack or something and get some 20 - 22AWG wire. It's like 5$ for 75yards.

CAT5 is really small and difficult to work with. You might find regular wire easier to use and get a better connection with it.

It doesn't really matter what kind of wire you use....you can solder on a bread tie if you want, as long as it's conductive.

 

[samuraiwarrior]

in poorman's post im not quite sure what he means, does he mean the only color i have to match is the orange, on the CAT5, to the red, on the usb? because on my cable and on his diagram of the CAT5 theres only a couple color similarities to the usb which i red black white and green.

 

[CrazeD]

It doesn't matter what color wire you connect to the other wire, as long as it's the same on both ends.

 

[bmxfreakrider]

usually when i do stuff like that i use phone wire, its four wires, and i just use the yellow as the white.

 

[CrazeD]

Meh, phone wire is usually solid, I prefer standard wires.

You guys should just get a spool of wire, it's cheap.