Usb 3.0 networking

[fredey]

This idea popped into my head a little while ago and I wonder how viable it is or not. I saw the corning optical cables and thought what are thows are pretty cool since they are thin and good for long distances.

 

http://www.corning.com/CableSystems/OpticalCablesbyCorning/products/USB-3.Optical.aspx#.Uw-UnLS9YnM

 

Later when I was looking into 10 Gbit networking for the hell of it and nearly fainting and the dollar signs I wonderd if usb 3.0 has any possibility of making a network. I mean they are 4 Gbit so that is pretty fast and lots of things now support usb 3.0 would it maybe be possible to make a usb 3.0 network?

 

If not what limitations in the usb 3.0 Protocol hinder it from doing so?

[Ssoele]

The USB protocol is based around host vs client, that means you can only be a host or a client.

With normal networking, you are always a host and a client, so it wouldn't work with the current USB protocol. Also, latency is a big factor here.

[Unknown_Guy]

I think the problem with usb is that one end is host which controls everything, the other end is just responding. Not an expert on this so some one might explain better.

[SMURG]

You'd be better off using multiple gigabit NICs and teaming them with SMB 3.0 and a smart switch. USB wouldn't work in this scenario as @Ssoele explained.

[Unknown_Guy]

The USB protocol is based around host vs client, that means you can only be a host or a client.

With normal networking, you are always a host and a client, so it wouldn't work with the current USB protocol. Also, latency is a big factor here.

Just a small addition - mobile phones for example can be in either mode, but that's not usable for networking.

[aidenrelkoff]

what they all said ^ , yah it wont really work, there are much better options

[Unknown_Guy]

As it turns out there is a way

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_USB

[Atlantisman]

Also: The USB 3 protocol cannot travel very far (couple meters, maybe).

 

EDIT: unless you're using an active cable.

 

EDIT: Nevermind actually, didn't read the whole post, you're talking about the optical usb 3 cables lol

[fredey]

As it turns out there is a way

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_USB

So it's doable in theory but not at all practical interesting to know. Still sad how expensive 10 Gbit is

[Atlantisman]

So it's doable in theory but not at all practical interesting to know. Still sad how expensive 10 Gbit is

10Gbit will come down in price in the next couple years. But i have to admit that i have been tempted to run 10Gb between my workstation and my NAS.

[jaqiefox]

Just do what they did when 100Mbps was the big thing... get a nice gigabit switch that allows teaming and either a couple intel gigabit nics or a multi gigabit nic for the systems.

 

I have a quad 100mbps pci nic around here somewhere from that era...