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Wireless USB may tame workstation cable clutter jungle

USB ports are practical. They can be used to connect a keyboard, printer or digital camera to a PC in seconds flat. The major drawback is the various cables that end up cluttering your workstation.

The good news: A new wireless technology may soon be ready to provide some relief in this area.

It is known as Wireless USB, or WUSB for short. The first devices using the technology were presented last month at the CeBIT computer fair. Even so, most consumers may not find it worthwhile to make the switch just yet.

“Users nowadays must often connect a whole gaggle of devices via USB — and the new technology makes this possible without the cable jungle,” said Mike Lange from hardware maker D-Link.

His company used the CeBIT electronics fair to present new WUSB adapter that will be hitting stores in the fall for around US$100.

The DUB-9240 consists of a receiver for the PC and a transmitter that can connect to up to four USB devices.

“It is intended for a home workstation or small office,” Lange said.

Hardware maker Belkin has announced a similar device.

The benefit in comparison to other wireless standards like Bluetooth is the greater bandwidth, said Manfred Breul from the Berlin-based industry association BITKOM.

WUSB achieves speeds of up to 480 MB per second, while Bluetooth climbs no higher than 2 MB per second.

The new wireless technology also uses less electricity than WLAN.

The higher speed connections are noticeable, particularly when large data volumes are being moved, Lange said.

“WUSB allows for videos to be moved wirelessly from Camcorders to the PC,” Bruel said.

It also makes it easier to move music and photos from an external hard drive.

“For the majority of consumers, this just isn’t ready yet — the technology is still in the early stages of getting its footing,” said Dusan Zivadinovic from Hanover-based c’t magazine.

WUSB also has a relatively short broadcast radius, severely limiting its applicability.

“You can’t network the entire apartment using it. It can’t get through things like thick walls,” Zivadinovic said.

The wireless technology is also relatively expensive compared with USB cable solutions, though D-link spokesman Lange said prices are likely to drop by early next year as additional makers bring products to the market.

“All the same, it will only start being really of interest to consumers once the interfaces are built en masse into cell phones and cameras — and that may well take two years or so,” Breul said.
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