Really stumped - USB Keystone jacks will not work

[toddrhodes]

Ok, so I fancy myself fairly tech savvy so this silly issue has me tearing my hair out.

 

The setup is that I moved my Audio PC out of my room for better noise control in the room. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse so I figured I would run two 1M usb cables (M-M) from the PC to Keystone jacks in the back of the room, then plug my wireless receivers into those. A glorified USB extension cable (which is what I'm using in the interim, USB extension cables snaked into the room).

 

I'm using Amazon Basics 1M cables from the PC to keystone jacks. I've now tried two separate brands of keystone jacks and neither will work. If I plug the receivers or something like a flash drive into the keystone jack, I've got nothing. Could it be that I need a USB hub in the mix to provide power to the jacks somehow?

 

I'm just not sure what else to try, so I'm turning here for help. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Todd

[gmgraves]

Ok, so I fancy myself fairly tech savvy so this silly issue has me tearing my hair out.

 

The setup is that I moved my Audio PC out of my room for better noise control in the room. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse so I figured I would run two 1M usb cables (M-M) from the PC to Keystone jacks in the back of the room, then plug my wireless receivers into those. A glorified USB extension cable (which is what I'm using in the interim, USB extension cables snaked into the room).

 

I'm using Amazon Basics 1M cables from the PC to keystone jacks. I've now tried two separate brands of keystone jacks and neither will work. If I plug the receivers or something like a flash drive into the keystone jack, I've got nothing. Could it be that I need a USB hub in the mix to provide power to the jacks somehow?

 

I'm just not sure what else to try, so I'm turning here for help. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Todd

 

 

Todd, I sympathize. From your description I can't help you, but I suspect we've all had similar issues with USB. It can be voodoo. I have a problem right now where the PC laptop I use for a high-res music server won't load the driver for my DAC reliably (and it doesn't matter which of my DACs I try to use).

 

By Keystone Jack I assume you mean a type 'B' female to type 'B' female? I've never tried it with type 'B's , but I do have a couple of type 'A' female to female connectors, and I've had a lot of trouble with them. Best to just buy a USB cable that's long enough and terminated with the connector types you need. You might try these folks for well made, inexpensive certified USB cables:

 

MyCableMart.com

 

And don't forget that about 5 meters (~16 ft) is the limit for USB cable length from source to destination unless you use a repeater.

 

Good luck.

[JohnSwenson]

Ok, so I fancy myself fairly tech savvy so this silly issue has me tearing my hair out.

 

The setup is that I moved my Audio PC out of my room for better noise control in the room. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse so I figured I would run two 1M usb cables (M-M) from the PC to Keystone jacks in the back of the room, then plug my wireless receivers into those. A glorified USB extension cable (which is what I'm using in the interim, USB extension cables snaked into the room).

 

I'm using Amazon Basics 1M cables from the PC to keystone jacks. I've now tried two separate brands of keystone jacks and neither will work. If I plug the receivers or something like a flash drive into the keystone jack, I've got nothing. Could it be that I need a USB hub in the mix to provide power to the jacks somehow?

 

I'm just not sure what else to try, so I'm turning here for help. Any ideas are appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Todd

 

Hi Todd, I'm trying to figure out what you have here. Where are the mouse and keyboard, next to you in the listening room? What room are the receivers in? The listening room or the room the computer is in? The USB keystone jacks I know of are essentially male to female hard adapters in a plastic keystone shell, so I'm not understanding how they are used in this scenario.

 

The only thing that would make sense to me is that the keystone jacks in the listening room are connected by some cable to ones on the room with the computer, you then have cables to the computer from the keystone jacks in THAT room. You then have the keystone jacks in the listening room connected to the receivers for the keyboard and mouse.

 

Is this correct? If so do you know for sure that there is something connecting the keystone jacks in the two rooms? Did you install them or did someone else?

 

If my description of what makes sense is wrong please let us know how things are actually hooked up will be a great help.

 

A picture (either photo of the installation or drawing of how things are hooked up) would go a long way towards clearing things up.

 

Thanks,

 

John S.

[toddrhodes]

Hi John, I will grab some pics tonight and post them.

 

To further explain: My listening room is a small rectangle, the PC sits in a room under the stairs that sits adjacent to the front-left corner of my listening room so one wall separates the PC from my room.

 

On that wall I installed two of these: Keystone Jack - USB 2.0 A Female to A Female Coupler Adapter, Flush Type (White) - Monoprice.com

 

So Female A to Female A USB keystone jacks.

 

The PC has two of these cables that connect from the motherboard USB outputs (I've tried both 2.0 and 3.0 outs, neither work) to the backs of the above keystone jacks: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PML2GQ8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

 

So Male A USB to Male A USB

 

So PC --> Keystone Jack in |Wall| Keystone Jack out --> Keyboard and mouse wireless receiver.

 

The keyboard and mouse are in my listening room.

 

Does that help?

[bluesman]

The setup is that I moved my Audio PC out of my room for better noise control in the room. I have a wireless keyboard and mouse so I figured I would run two 1M usb cables (M-M) from the PC to Keystone jacks in the back of the room, then plug my wireless receivers into those. A glorified USB extension cable (which is what I'm using in the interim, USB extension cables snaked into the room).

 

I'm using Amazon Basics 1M cables from the PC to keystone jacks. I've now tried two separate brands of keystone jacks and neither will work. If I plug the receivers or something like a flash drive into the keystone jack, I've got nothing. Could it be that I need a USB hub in the mix to provide power to the jacks somehow?

I assume your keystone jacks are in wall plates on duplex boxes and that you're running those 1m cables through the wall between the rooms, yes? If so, is there a keystone jack on each side of the wall or are you running your 1m cables out a hole in the second wall and only connecting one end of each to a keystone jack?

 

If you've got 2 jacks wired back-to-back in the surfaces of the common wall between the two rooms and you made the short interconnect by terminating the ends yourself, you may have gotten the polarity backwards in the interconnect between keystone jacks. Unless you "cross" the wires so that left on one wall is left on the other wall, it won't work. If it works with your long USB extension, the problem's almost certainly in the wiring to the jacks.

[bluesman]

On that wall I installed two of these: Keystone Jack - USB 2.0 A Female to A Female Coupler Adapter, Flush Type (White) - Monoprice.com

It's polarity. Don't use those female-to-female pieces. Use short USB cable to bridge standard USB keystone jacks (I get mine in bulk at Home Depot) & make sure you get left on one wall to connect to left on the backing wall.

[Daudio]

On that wall I installed two of these: Keystone Jack - USB 2.0 A Female to A Female Coupler Adapter, Flush Type (White) - Monoprice.com ... So Female A to Female A USB keystone jacks.

 

Whoever named those USB 'A' couplers, 'keystone', is full of..... bean sprouts !!

 

Totally misleading, since the USB 'B' connector is shaped like a keystone. Geezzz....

[toddrhodes]

It's polarity. Don't use those female-to-female pieces. Use short USB cable to bridge standard USB keystone jacks (I get mine in bulk at Home Depot) & make sure you get left on one wall to connect to left on the backing wall.

 

I don't suppose you would have a picture of these bulk connectors you're getting at HD do you? I checked our local Lowes and couldn't find anything like what you describe. I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're saying but regardless it sounds like you've been down this road so any guidance is very much appreciated!

[bluesman]

I don't suppose you would have a picture of these bulk connectors you're getting at HD do you? I checked our local Lowes and couldn't find anything like what you describe. I'm having a hard time visualizing what you're saying but regardless it sounds like you've been down this road so any guidance is very much appreciated!

I'm really sorry, but I can't find them on Lowe's or Home Depot now. I bought a large bag (50?) years ago and haven't used any since I installed a double duplex in the basement where my server farm is located. Our house is up for sale (we're downsizing to a condo) and I moved all my electronic parts to the apartment in a few big boxes. I'll try to find them this weekend - but this feedback quote from the Monoprice web page on USB keystone jacks says it all:

 

"This is because the A-A cables, as defined by the USB spec, swap the two extra pairs - kind of like how the old Ethernet crossover cables worked, and are only to be used for host-host connections between two PCs. The only way that this keystone jack could be used is if you paired it with a USB 3.0 B-B keystone jack, which monoprice doesn't sell. You could probably also use two of these A-A jacks with two A-A cables, which would then switch the pairs back and that would probably work. "

 

If you use an A-to-B keystone passthrough, you won't have this problem. These from Cables to Go are just like mine:

 

[toddrhodes]

I'm really sorry, but I can't find them on Lowe's or Home Depot now. I bought a large bag (50?) years ago and haven't used any since I installed a double duplex in the basement where my server farm is located. Our house is up for sale (we're downsizing to a condo) and I moved all my electronic parts to the apartment in a few big boxes. I'll try to find them this weekend - but this feedback quote from the Monoprice web page on USB keystone jacks says it all:

 

"This is because the A-A cables, as defined by the USB spec, swap the two extra pairs - kind of like how the old Ethernet crossover cables worked, and are only to be used for host-host connections between two PCs. The only way that this keystone jack could be used is if you paired it with a USB 3.0 B-B keystone jack, which monoprice doesn't sell. You could probably also use two of these A-A jacks with two A-A cables, which would then switch the pairs back and that would probably work. "

 

If you use an A-to-B keystone passthrough, you won't have this problem. These from Cables to Go are just like mine:

 

 

Thanks Bluesman - I found those on Amazon and ordered up 2 of them with A-B cables. We'll see if this solves it. I saw that comment on the Monoprice site but wasn't honestly sure if that was just a USB 3.0 thing or if it also happened with other standards. Regardless, i should (hopefully) be good to go now and learned something in the process!

 

Todd

[bluesman]

Thanks Bluesman - I found those on Amazon and ordered up 2 of them with A-B cables. We'll see if this solves it. I saw that comment on the Monoprice site but wasn't honestly sure if that was just a USB 3.0 thing or if it also happened with other standards. Regardless, i should (hopefully) be good to go now and learned something in the process!

 

Todd

The more you learn, the more you find out how little you know, Todd. Sadly, we grow old too soon and smart too late. Enjoy!

 

David

 

PS: despite protestations to the contrary, a lot of the solutions we all post were discovered after making the mistakes they fixed. I know I'm guilty.

[toddrhodes]

The more you learn, the more you find out how little you know, Todd. Sadly, we grow old too soon and smart too late. Enjoy!

 

David

 

PS: despite protestations to the contrary, a lot of the solutions we all post were discovered after making the mistakes they fixed. I know I'm guilty.

 

You are a wise man indeed I will fully admit to "trial and error" being the single best way to learn and advance. Be it in golf, cooking, audio, work, modifying cars, or just life in general, learning from one's own mistakes is just part of our human experience. Some are better than others at it, and some are just afraid to make the mistake in the first place. I've learned that a solid dose of humility coupled to insatiable curiosity is a pretty decent recipe for success.

[toddrhodes]

You are a wise man indeed I will fully admit to "trial and error" being the single best way to learn and advance. Be it in golf, cooking, audio, work, modifying cars, or just life in general, learning from one's own mistakes is just part of our human experience. Some are better than others at it, and some are just afraid to make the mistake in the first place. I've learned that a solid dose of humility coupled to insatiable curiosity is a pretty decent recipe for success.

 

So, just to close the loop on this, the Cables 2 Go "USB B to USB A" keystone jack (these are reversible, I wanted the A side in the room) work like a charm. I bought two more so I can have four USB ports in the wall (two wireless input device receivers, my DAC (maybe), and room to plug in a flash drive or external hard drive).

 

Thanks so much for the help!

[sphawk88]

Sorry to resurrect a 1.5 year old thread, however I am currently experiencing the same problems attempting to get this type of setup to work using USB 3.0 keystone jacks. I purchased the same Monoprice USB 3.0 keystone jacks and male A to male A USB 3.0 cables on Amazon. I need to check the male to male cable inside the wall this afternoon to be sure, however I would assume that this setup should work with crossed or not crossed male to male USB cables (computer <-> male-male cable <-> keystone jack <-> male-male cable <-> keystone jack <-> USB device. Since there is an even number of jacks and cables, any crossovers should cancel out. After checking my purchase history I bought 6 foot and 3 foot male-male USB 3.0 Cable Matters cables on Amazon, which state on the product description "Does not support connecting two computers directly", which I would assume means the pairs are not crossed which is necessary for PC-PC USB 3.0 communications. That being said I also remember having some Ultra USB 3.0 cables I got free after rebate from Tiger Direct before they went bust and business only, which if were in the wall and were crossed, then that would throw me off.

 

All that being said, I am assuming matching pairs with a meter from end to end should prove whether any pairs are crossed? If there are no crossovers, does anyone else have any ideas on what may be the problem?

[sphawk88]

Sorry to resurrect a 1.5 year old thread, however I am currently experiencing the same problems attempting to get this type of setup to work using USB 3.0 keystone jacks. I purchased the same Monoprice USB 3.0 keystone jacks and male A to male A USB 3.0 cables on Amazon. I need to check the male to male cable inside the wall this afternoon to be sure, however I would assume that this setup should work with crossed or not crossed male to male USB cables (computer <-> male-male cable <-> keystone jack <-> male-male cable <-> keystone jack <-> USB device. Since there is an even number of jacks and cables, any crossovers should cancel out. After checking my purchase history I bought 6 foot and 3 foot male-male USB 3.0 Cable Matters cables on Amazon, which state on the product description "Does not support connecting two computers directly", which I would assume means the pairs are not crossed which is necessary for PC-PC USB 3.0 communications. That being said I also remember having some Ultra USB 3.0 cables I got free after rebate from Tiger Direct before they went bust and business only, which if were in the wall and were crossed, then that would throw me off.

 

All that being said, I am assuming matching pairs with a meter from end to end should prove whether any pairs are crossed? If there are no crossovers, does anyone else have any ideas on what may be the problem?

 

 

so after cutting open two short unused USB 3.0 cables, i have confirmed that both lengths of male-male cables crossover the two USB 3.0 pairs (and do not crossover the 'legacy' 2.0 pairs). i also confirmed the monoprice keystone jacks are straight through. at this point i am absolutely stumped. my only guess is the metal ground connections are contacting something else behind the wall and causing some kind of short? i am still paranoid about testing the connection with another pc, as i do not want to fry anything else.

[bmfb1980]

Glad that others have had the same issue...

 

I have a PC in an adjacent room, and made massive keystone wallplates (USB, HDMI, Ethernet, VGA, Toslink, etc) to connect things together to the AV equipment in the main room.

 

My USB camera, which I want to use for video conferencing, doesn't work through the USB keystone path:

 

PC(a)male ==> keystone(a)female/female ==> usb(a)male/male ==> keystone(a)female/female ==> USBcamera(a)

 

It sounds like I need to make one of those keystones a type(b) connection one one side of the jack, is that correct?

 

If not, I guess I'll try using a repeater/extender between the walls as I'm at least 12' not including the cords to the PC and camera.

[BubbaDude]

The easiest way to solve this problem is with something like the Poyiccot USB 3.0 Keystone Jack Cable (sold by Amazon). It has two female USB A keystone jacks connected by a 10 inch crossover. It supports USB 3.0, so one cable with a powered USB 3.0 hub in the quiet room is all you need to connect audio, video camera, keyboard, and mouse. 
Connecting a monitor through two keystones is a little harder, but for me a mini Displayport to full size Displayport does the trick. 

Getting USB-C 3.1 or Thunderbolt through a wall is proving to be harder, and I haven't solved it yet. Anybody got ideas about how to do that?